Written Answers Nos. 95-115
95. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is responsible for introducing and setting the attendance-based rules for ECEC/ SAC funding schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19199/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraApproximately €370 million has been allocated to the National Childcare Scheme this year to reduce out of pocket costs to families using registered early learning and childcare.
This Scheme is designed to be flexible, recognising that early learning and childcare needs are different for each family.
The Scheme is also designed on a “money follows the child” basis. As such, funding is based on time that the child attends the service.
The basis for this approach was set out in the 2016 policy paper and subsequently in the Childcare Support Act 2018 passed by this house.
Basing funding around actual attendance supports effective and efficient use of public monies.
It also strikes a balance between money following the child and funding stability for early learning and childcare providers.
This approach – also adopted for the ECCE programme and the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) - is informed by the Public Spending Code published by the Department of Public Expenditure, which obligates public bodies to treat public funds with care, and to ensure that the best possible value for money is obtained whenever public money is being spent.
This combination of flexibility, accountability and funding approaches provides an appropriate balance to support families and early learning and childcare providers while also ensuring the best use of Exchequer funding.
An independent evaluation of the National Childcare Scheme will begin this year which, amongst other things, will look at how the current set of rules are functioning and will identify any enhancements that can be introduced.
It should also be noted that in addition to this Scheme, the ECCE programme and AIM, the funding model for the sector also includes Core Funding.
This is a supply-side payment to providers that is based on staffed capacity and does not fluctuate in line with children’s attendance.
My Department will commence an independent review of the NCS in Q3, 2024 and it is anticipated that it will conclude in Q1, 2025.
96. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the number of children deemed at risk who have not been allocated a social worker in County Meath in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19188/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI acknowledge the current level of social work vacancies in Tusla and the challenges in recruiting sufficient numbers of social workers into Tusla. The critical importance of children in care and children in need of child welfare and protection services being allocated a social worker is paramount, and my Department is working closely with Tusla on the recruitment and retention of social workers.
The data requested by the Deputy is collated by Tusla administrative area and not by county, hence data is supplied for the Louth/Meath local area. All referrals received by Tusla are screened and assessed as appropriate in line with ‘Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children’. Where there is an immediate risk to a child or young person, there is an immediate protective response.
I can confirm the following in relation to a breakdown of the number of children deemed at risk who have not been allocated a social worker in County Meath/Louth in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024:
Tusla has advised that the number of children listed on the Child Protection Notification System has risen significantly. It was 28 children in 2023 and as of the 22nd April last year it was 68.
The Tusla Regional Chief Officer and Tusla area manager have confirmed with the Department that there is a robust Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) in place in the area to manage unallocated cases. The SOP is robust with regular review of unallocated cases taking place and allocations by priority. There are also regular audits by the area service improvement Principal social worker to ensure the SOP is being followed.
My Department issued as part of its Performance Framework for 2024-2026 to Tusla, a list of priorities for Tusla including the retention of social workers. This includes a number of actions for Tusla to improve the recruitment and retention of social workers, including engagement with Higher Education Institutions, focused recruitment on areas with highest and complex needs, monitoring recruitment activities and continuing to reduce the reliance on agency staffing, and various measures around enhancing Tusla as an employer of choice.
97. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of an increase in providers leaving the core funding model; the steps his Department is taking on this issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18852/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccording to recent data from Pobal, 28 services have withdrawn from Core Funding this year.
Of these services, 15 have permanently closed and 13 continue to operate. I am aware also that three other services have notified Pobal of their intention to withdraw from the Scheme in the coming weeks.
Providers that withdraw from Core Funding remain eligible, in this programme year, to continue to offer the ECCE programme and the National Childcare Scheme.
While my Department cannot mandate providers to participate, every effort has been made to carefully design Core Funding to meet a range of policy objectives, including achieving high levels of participation by providers.
95% of providers participated in year 1 of the Scheme and to date, 94% or over 4,300 providers have signed up for Core Funding in year 2. There are more providers, in absolute terms, contracted to the Scheme this year compared to year 1 and applications are still open and continue to increase.
It is a matter for providers to decide whether they wish to withdraw from Core Funding, the significant financial supports it offers to providers and the certainty it provides to parents through the associated fee freeze. However, I am confident that given the level of investment in this Scheme – which will increase by 15% or €44 million to €331 million in year 3, services should not need to take this step.
Supports are available from my Department where a service is experiencing financial difficulty or has concerns about their viability, accessed through local Childcare Committee.
I encourage services to avail of these supports as an alternative to withdrawing from Core Funding and removing the benefits of this Scheme to parents.
98. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to reform the national childcare scheme and examine ways it can support lower-income families better; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19135/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is providing over €369 million in subsidies through the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) to parents of over 180,000 children to meet the cost of early learning and childcare.
The subsidies are progressive in nature.
All families can receive a universal subsidy, but the highest subsides are provided to families with the lowest levels of income through an income assessment process.
Additionally, the NCS sponsorship arrangement allows designated bodies to refer children for free access to early learning and childcare on child welfare, protection, family support or other specified grounds.
Significant enhancements have been introduced to the NCS in recent years, including:
• Removing of the practice of deducting hours spent in pre-school or school from the entitlement to subsidised hours;
• Extending the NCS universal subsidy to all children under 15; and
• Increasing the minimum hourly subsidy available under the Scheme from 50 cent to €1.40.
From this September, the minimum subsidy will increase again to €2.14 per hour alongside increases in the sponsor rates from children over 1.
These enhancements, coupled with a Core Funding requirement on services to offer the Scheme to all eligible families, including sponsored arrangements, has led to a 20 per cent increase in the number of services offering the NCS, a 52 per cent increase in the number of sponsored children and more than a 100% increase of total number of children benefiting in the last two years alone.
This year, my Department will begin the process of reviewing the NCS with a view to identifying further enhancements that can be made to the Scheme.
This Scheme is specifically designed to allow for rapid changes to subsidies, income thresholds and certain other eligibility criteria as Government decisions are made and Exchequer funding becomes available.
99. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of applications received to the mother and baby homes institutional redress scheme; the number of applications that have been processed and payments received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19203/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme opened on 20 March.
As at Sunday 28th April, over 1,900 complete applications have been received and are being processed. This is in addition to a number of incomplete applications where applicants may have, for example, submitted their application online but chosen to send in their certified ID by post or may be getting some support from the Payment Scheme Office where they have forgotten to complete a field or attach supporting documents. I am happy to report that we have received positive feedback in relation to the straightforward application process and the supportive helpline.
Some 600 of the complete applications are at determination stage and the first notices of determination have issued to applicants. Where a notice of determination provides an offer of benefits to applicants, the applicant will have six months to accept the offer and confirmation of acceptance must be accompanied by a signed legal waiver. Thus, the timeframe between the issuing of notices of determination and payments being made will be dependent upon how long each applicant wishes to take to consider their award. The Payment Scheme Office is ready to process payments promptly once completed acceptances of awards are received.
All information on the Scheme, and how to apply, can be found at the dedicated Payment Scheme website - gov.ie/paymentscheme. Resources include an information booklet, questions and answers, and short 'how to' videos on the straightforward application process. A Helpline is also available at +353 1 522 9992. Applicants will be supported throughout the application process with information and advice if they need it.
100. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children in special emergency accommodation at the end of each of the past 52 weeks. [18649/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy officials have advised that, as of this morning, Tusla have issued a direct reply to the Deputy on this matter.
101. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what progress has been made on compiling a register of DPOs in Ireland; when he envisages that this process will be completed; what measures will be taken to ensure all Government Departments and public bodies engage DPOs in consultation prior to the commencement of projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19214/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe development of a register of Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs) is a matter under consideration. Stakeholder structures and how public bodies can best meet the consultation obligations within the Convention are receiving detailed consideration in the context of developing the next National Disability Strategy (NDS).
Government is committed to implementing the UNCRPD. This includes commitment to Article 4(3) which stipulates that State Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities through their representative organisations in policy making and implementation.
This obligation is one that must be discharged by each public body in the conduct of its own normal business.
My Department has made significant efforts to support this, not least through the funding and establishment of the Disability Participation and Consultation Network (DPCN). The DPCN was established to build capacity for the active engagement of disability stakeholders in the development of policy and legislation. A specific DPO pillar is funded as part of the DPCN. The DPCN model has been independently reviewed by the National Disability Authority and my department is examining the Authority's findings.
Work to develop the next NDS is considerably advanced. Alongside a broad and robust public consultation process, DPOs have been close consultation and design partners, with robust DPO engagement being a clear feature of the public consultation. In addition to this, targeted sessions with key stakeholders, particularly with DPOs, have directly fed into co-design of the strategy and will inform a Strategy that is shaped by the voices, perspectives and concerns of disabled people.
The NDS will take a whole-of-government approach to advancement of the UNCRPD and provide a framework for further and ongoing action, including in relation to stakeholder engagement, partnership with DPOs, and the responsibility of all public bodies to execute their functions in observance of the UNCRPD.
102. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the common practice of childcare facilities charging non-refundable deposits; the engagement he has had with childcare providers to cease this practice, given the financial hardship on families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19059/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraProviders participating in Core Funding must adhere to the following contractual requirement in respect of deposits, specifically:
A Partner Service agrees that they will not charge any non-refundable deposits to parents/guardians in the respect of their early learning and childcare service where the parent/guardian takes up the service for which the deposit was paid.
More than 94% of providers are signed up to this scheme this year.
In addition, providers offering the ECCE programme may charge a refundable booking deposit to hold an ECCE place for a child. The maximum deposit a provider may charge is equivalent to four weeks’ of an ECCE payment (i.e. €276). This must appear on the service provider’s fees list. The ECCE deposit must be returned in full to the parent/guardian once the child’s registration is approved by Pobal.
Similarly for the CCSP Saver programme, a provider may charge a refundable booking deposit up to a maximum equivalent to two weeks total payment. The full deposit must be refunded to the parent/guardian once the child’s registration is approved.
Any parent experiencing difficulty or who has a concern that the deposit they have been requested to pay to secure a place are encouraged to contact their local CCC for advice and support.
Contact details for the local CCC’s can be found at myccc.ie/ .
103. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will abolish childcare fees in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19267/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraVarious schemes under the funding model for early learning and childcare work to ensure children can access early learning and childcare at no or at significantly reduced out of pocket costs to families.
The ECCE programme is available free of charge to all children for up to two years before starting primary school. 96% of children take part.
The NCS complements this programme, providing subsidies to reduce costs to parents for children to participate in early learning and childcare. The Scheme combines universal and income-assessed subsidies.
For some families, the NCS provides free access to early learning and childcare. In particular, the Scheme includes arrangements for specified target groups to receive free access, where referred by a sponsor body.
A review of the Scheme, published in 2021, found that over half of families in disadvantaged areas receiving support under the Scheme had over 50% of their costs covered.
A study of childcare costs by the OECD, published in 2022, covering the same period of the review found that the reforms of childcare support in Ireland provided significantly higher benefits to low-income families, driving the net childcare costs for low-income lone parents close to zero.
Following on from these reports, a number of enhancements were made to this Scheme:
• Removing of the practice of deducting hours spent in pre-school or school from the entitlement to NCS subsidised hours.
• Extending the NCS universal subsidy to all children under 15.
• Increasing the minimum hourly subsidy available under the NCS from 50 cent per to €1.40.
This rate will rise further to €2.14 per hour in September 2024 alongside increases in the sponsor rates from children over 1.
The fee freeze in place among 94% of all services – supported through Core Funding – ensures parents are benefitting from these changes.
An evaluation of the NCS - to commence in 2024 - will inform future enhancements to the Scheme.
104. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding the advancement of the proposed National Centre for Research and Remembrance; when physical works will be carried out; what services will be provided there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19221/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn March 2022 Government approved high level proposals for the National Centre for Research and Remembrance to be located on the site of the former Magdalen Laundry in Sean McDermott Street, Dublin 1 to comprise:
• a museum and exhibition space, the development of which will be led by the National Museum of Ireland
• a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century, which will form part of the National Archives
• a place for reflection and remembrance
• social housing
• educational and community facilities
A Steering Group, chaired by Mr Martin Fraser, former Secretary General to the Government and Ambassador to Great Britain, was established in April 2022 to drive the overall coordinated development of the National Centre.
In July 2022 Dublin City Council voted to transfer the site to the OPW, to be developed as the National Centre. The OPW is continuing essential maintenance works on the site to facilitate safe and full access and necessary building surveys.
In July 2023 Government approved the masterplan for the National Centre campus and in March 2024 it approved the preliminary business case for the full National Centre Campus to comprise, alongside the main museum and archive:
• social housing, configured to universal design standards and appropriate for older persons and persons with disabilities;
• the development of a lifelong learning hub for the provision of further and higher education and;
• facilities for the provision of community-based family and parenting supports
The development of the National Centre is multi-annual in nature and is currently in the planning stages. Extensive work is continuing on the development of a detailed project plan including timelines for development, with a number of Government departments and agencies acting in partnership. As the planning phase progresses, an indicative timeline for the project will be made available.
105. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of occupational therapists and speech and language therapists that have been employed in the past 24 months in Carlow and Kilkenny, respectively, for children with additional needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19201/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarlow and Kilkenny are part of the South East Community healthcare region (CHO5) which comprises 13 CDNT teams in total.
In relation to Carlow and Kilkenny Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), there are three CDNTs. These are Carlow CDNT, Thomastown CDNT and Kilkenny City CDNT.
There are currently 4.2 Occupational therapists and 10.4 Speech and language therapists in this geographical location.
The current delays in accessing therapy services, directly related to vacancies across the Carlow and Kilkenny CDNTs, are acknowledged and work is ongoing by the HSE to maximise capacity via recruitment campaigns and other measures across the CHO.
In addition to targeted advertising of posts on the HSE website, CHO5 is expanding their social media footprint to widen the pool of potential recruits and has engaged with local colleges to seek additional course placements to increase the pipeline of therapy graduates.
The HSE launched the ‘Be part of our team, be part of their lives’ campaign across social media and radio in January 2024. The first nationwide CDNT recruitment campaign, it targeted Dietitians, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Social Workers, and Speech & Language Therapists. The HSE have recently completed interviews locally for all vacant clinical posts and job offers commenced in March.
Interviews were recently conducted within CHO5 resulting in three Senior Occupational therapists (OTs) being successful. There has also been one staff grade OT successful at interview.
There have also been four senior speech and language (SLTs) and two staff grade SLTs successful at interview
The PDS Roadmap sets out specific actions around the recruitment and retention of staff to CDNTs, and work is ongoing within the HSE, with input from my Department, to address current shortfalls across all clinical grades.
106. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the recent engagement his Department has had with other Government Departments and Ministers to progress the full rollout of the autism protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19132/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Autism Assessment and Intervention Protocol has been developed by the HSE through extensive consultation with people with lived experience of Autism as well as multidisciplinary input from the professions involved in Autism assessment and interventions.
The Protocol facilitates practitioners to match the extent of assessment undertaken to the complexity of presentation of Autism and possible co-occurring conditions.
It recognises three Tiers of assessment:
• Tier-1 Autism Assessment
• Tier-2 Autism Differential Assessment
• Tier-3 Autism Extended Assessment
• Each tier allows the clinician to determine the presence of Autism/Autistic traits.
• The HSE advises that the Protocol has now been piloted across 4 CHOs over the last 18 months, with circa 200 service users participating, including children, adolescents and adults.
• The independent evaluation of the Intermediate Phase is due to commence Q2 2024. This in-depth and independent analysis is crucial to ensure that the needs of autistic people are being appropriately addressed by the new Protocol. The HSE informs me that a draft report for consultation with stakeholders is expected around the end of Q3, 2024.
• This report will allow for colleagues across Government to view and examine the detail of the evaluation and input on same.
• Depending on the outcome of this evaluation, the HSE has indicated it would aim for wider engagement on the Protocol across primary care, disability and mental health services, as well as further consideration through the HSE Clinical Forum.
107. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way he is supporting the work of youth organisations in rural and remote communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19134/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department supports the delivery of youth services nationwide, with €77.95 million funding for youth service provision this year, an increase of €5 million, or 6.8%, on the 2023 budget. From 2020 to Budget 2024, current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.789 million to €77.95 million, a 26% increase overall.
Young people experiencing rural isolation are a specified target group under my Department's largest youth funding scheme UBU Your Place Your Space, under which €47million was allocated in 2024. Since the launch of this scheme in 2020, significant additional funding has been allocated to new services in rural towns and areas including projects targeting rural isolation in the Inishowen peninsula, Co. Donegal, West Iveragh and rural North Kerry, and rural Clare.
The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme funded by the Department and administered by the local Education and Training Boards supports volunteer led youth clubs across the country, and are particularly important in rural areas. €2.5 million has been provided by my Department for this scheme in 2024.
The Youth Services Grant Scheme provides funding to 30 national youth organisations to provide universal youth services across Ireland, urban and rural. My Department is providing €14.57 million this year under this scheme.
I am very cognisant of the challenges being experienced by some clubs in recruiting volunteers, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and my Department is actively exploring options on how to support organisations in this regard so that young people are able to have access to important local opportunities
My officials and I will also continue to engage with the Education and Training Boards across the country who have responsibility for supporting the provision, coordination, administration, and assessment of youth services in its functional area to understand the youth service needs of young people across the country, including those living in rural and remote communities.
108. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures he has taken to remove children in care in special emergency arrangements out of unsuitable accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19200/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraStatutory responsibility for the care, welfare, and placement of children in care rests with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla, supported by my Department, is working to reduce its reliance on Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs) by building capacity in its mainstream provision, and principally in residential care. In support of these goals, I have resourced Tusla to maintain and expand their services by securing additional funding in Budget 2024. I understand that this represents the single largest annual increase in core funding since Tusla’s establishment, and Tusla will receive over €1.1 billion in overall funding from my Department in 2024.
In the interim, specific measures are being taken by Tusla to promote and support the quality and safety of these placements. In relation to the suitability of accommodation, I and officials in my Department are aware of concerns around the suitability of accommodation for some children and young people residing in SEAs. Tusla’s Practice Assurance and Service Monitoring team (PASM), along Tusla's Alternative Care Inspection Monitoring Service (ACIMS), support the provision of high quality services for children and families. Tusla uses PASM and ACIMS to support its local and regional teams through a schedule of intelligence-led monitoring visits to individual private providers, including providers of SEAs.
Tusla has advised that, where any concerns arise following a visit, the Agency takes immediate and swift action to address them directly with the provider in order to come to a resolution that is in the best interest of the children and young people in care. Where issues and concerns have been identified, service improvement measures have, and continue to be, put in place. Where any safeguarding concerns are identified on a PASM monitoring visit, these are escalated to operational teams for immediate action, and identified significant risks are escalated to the relevant regional management, and/or the Agency’s Executive Management Team for follow-up as appropriate.
Tusla has, in the past year, identified private providers who have not met its standards with respect to validated staff training, qualifications, references and vetting and the Agency subsequently ceased engaging with them as providers. Where Tusla has a significant cause for concern, such as a case of suspected fraud or serious wrongdoing, Tusla will refer the case to An Garda Síochána (AGS).
109. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in receipt of early learning and childcare subsidies under the national childcare scheme; the number of children missing out on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18952/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help parents meet the cost of childcare. It is available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years who are attending any participating Tusla registered childcare service, including any Tusla registered childminder.
As of 24 April 2024, there are a total of 147,012 unique children availing of subsidies under the NCS.
The exact number of children missing out on the Scheme cannot be detailed for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the Department only has sight of families who choose to engage with Department funded programmes such as the NCS or ECCE. However, it should be also noted that a certain proportion of families will not require early learning and childcare, or may choose to utilise a private childcare space. A private space may be a space in a service which has chosen not to participate in the NCS and/or a place where the parent or guardian has not applied for the NCS. The Department does not hold information relating to such places.
Currently, there are a total of 3,695 early learning and childcare providers participating in the NCS across the State - an increase of approx. 8% from the previous year. Families who wish to avail of the NCS can view a full list of participating providers on the NCS website. Further information on the Scheme, including details on how to apply, are also available on this website.
The number of children benefitting from the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) has increased significantly in recent years. Owing, in part, to the requirement on services in contract for Core Funding to offer the NCS to all eligible families. To date, 94% of eligible providers have signed up to Year 2 of Core Funding. In County Carlow specifically, 98% of eligible services have submitted a Core Funding application.
110. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the form that the intended 'DEIS-model' for early years services is intended to take; the progress to date there has there been on these efforts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18953/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn Budget 2024, I secured €4.5 million to commence initial roll-out of Equal Start from September this year. That allocation is equivalent to €13.5 million in a full year.
Equal Start is a funding model and set of universal and targeted measures to support access to, and participation in, early learning and childcare for children and their families who experience disadvantage.
It will consist of a series of measures to support children and their families, educators and practitioners and settings.
The commitment to develop a programme of additional supports in early learning and childcare to help address disadvantage was made in First 5 and the Programme for Government and later examined by the Expert Group that published Partnership for the Public Good. The Expert Group made a series of recommendations on the nature of the programme to be developed and how it would fit with the other primary funding schemes for early learning and childcare: the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Access and Inclusion Model, the National Childcare Scheme and Core Funding.
Since last year, a Steering Group comprising officials from my Department, the Departments of Education and Social Protection as well as representatives from Better Start, Childcare Committees Ireland, Pobal and Tusla have been working together to develop Equal Start supports and a mechanism for identifying children and settings most in need of these supports.
Their work was informed by evidence, both national and international, as well as consultation with representative organisations, educators and practitioners, providers and with parents.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the work has now been finalised and Equal Start will brought to Government in the coming weeks with a view to publication in May and initial implementation to commence in September.
111. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if additional funding will be provided to an association delivering services to persons with a disability (details supplied) to enable it to increase remuneration for employees to assist with recruitment and retention issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19213/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the staffing issues the IWA is facing. These issues are reflective of challenges affecting the wider health and social care sector, and impacting on the ability of the HSE and other providers like the IWA to deliver services.
To support the ability of organisations like the IWA to recruit and retain staff, the Department and its agencies proactively engaged with a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) process with unions representing staff in Section 39 disability organisations, as well as other providers.
The agreement reached last October, delivered a significant increase in funding to these services, amounting to a phased 8% increase in funding for pay for staff in these voluntary organisations. An additional €41m has been made available to the HSE in 2024 to meet the full year cost of this increase for disability service providers.
The HSE has already made significant payments to qualifying organisations, and has deployed dedicated resources to work with employer organisations to expedite payments, so that their staff can be paid the increases funded under the WRC agreement.
The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) submitted a funding application to the HSE on Saturday 13th of April. The validation process is at an advanced stage and the HSE will begin issuing funds to IWA this week. These funds are in addition to the Interim payment already issued to IWA earlier this year, as part of this process.
I have also been informed that the IWA has recently undertaken a recruitment campaign to fill its vacant positions, in Cavan especially.
In addition to this, under the leadership of Minister Anne Rabbitte, an Interdepartmental Workforce Steering Group has been established focused on identifying solutions and directing efforts to address workforce supply needs in all sectors of Disability Services.
112. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will list the occasions upon which he has met with or corresponded with the CEO of Tusla since he took office. [18650/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince first taking office, I have corresponded with the Tusla CEO on the following dates:
• A letter exchange between October 1st and October 13th 2020
• An email received on October 24th 2020
• An email exchange on February 2nd 2021
• A letter exchange on July 27th 2021
• A letter exchange on 12th October 2021
• A letter exchange on 1st November 2022
• An email received on 29th November 2022
• A letter exchange between 21st and 29th March 2023
• Another letter exchange on 21st June 2023
• A letter exchange on September 27th 2023
• A letter exchange between January 16th and January 17th 2024
• An email received on February 28th 2024
• A letter exchange between April 21st and April 2024
I also had meetings with the Tusla CEO on the following dates during my term:
• July 10th 2020
• December 12th 2020
• April 13th 2021
• May 21st 2021
• September 22nd 2021
• February 22nd 2022
• May 27th 2022
• September 29th 2022
• January 9th 2023
• April 24th 2023 – there were two separate meetings on this date
• June 19th 2023
• September 11th 2023
• December 11th 2023
• March 28th 2024
113. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline his accommodation plans for international protection applicant refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19263/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government made a commitment to replace the current system of accommodation and supports for International Protection (IP) applicants. As part of this process, the Government approved A White Paper to End Direct Provision and Establish a new International Protection Support Service in February 2021. The White Paper set out a new policy for the accommodation of IP applicants and ensures they are assisted to integrate into Ireland from day one, with health, housing, education, and employment supports at the core of the new system.
Since the publication of the White Paper there has been an exponential growth in applications for International Protection with over 30,000 new arrivals since January 2022. This increase has placed significant pressure on the Department’s capacity to source viable accommodation for new arrivals in 2023.
In this context there was a recognition that the underlying assumptions on which the White Paper was based needed to be re-examined as it was originally based on 3,500 new arrivals each year. In this regard a review of the implementation approach for the White Paper was initiated which has included inputs from the White Paper Programme Board and the External Advisory Group.
The review has resulted in the development a new Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for IP applicants. The strategy seeks to address the current accommodation shortfall, while reforming the system over the longer term to ensure the State will always be able to meet its international commitments.
The reforms will see a move away from full reliance on private providers and towards a core of State-owned accommodation, delivering 14,000 State-owned beds by 2028 – quadruple the previous commitment under the White Paper. This will be supplemented, as required, by high standard commercial providers.
Accommodation in the new strategy will be delivered through the following multi-strand approach:
• Use of State land for prefabricated and modular units
• Conversation of commercial buildings
• Targeted purchase of medium and larger turnkey properties
• Design and build of new Reception and Integration Centres
• Upgrading of IPAS centres.
The multi-strand approach focuses on both increasing State owned permanent capacity, and the upgrading of additional contingency accommodation, developed to specific national standards, to build an effective system to meet the new realities of increasing need while enabling the State to discharge its duty to meet the material reception conditions of IP Applicants, according to the guiding principles of the White Paper.
In order to deal with the demand led nature of the system, the commissioning of emergency commercial accommodation will continue to be a feature in the short to medium term. This accommodation will be contracted on shorter-term basis and if application numbers drop, can be decommissioned as contracts expire. It is planned that as new State owned and permanent commercial accommodation comes on stream the use of this emergency accommodation will reduce.
Once sufficient State owned accommodation has been delivered over the coming years, and emergency accommodation reduced substantially, the Government may, at that point, seek to reduce further the proportion of remaining permanent accommodation delivered by commercial providers and move to a fully or predominately State owned system. The full Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for IP applicants can be accessed www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad46c-updates-and-reports/ .
115. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on how many applications for information have been lodged with both Tusla and the Adoption Authority under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022; how many applications are outstanding beyond the statutory maximum response time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19262/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Information and Tracing services established under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 opened for applications on 3 October 2022. As of 22 April 2024, the Child and Family Agency, Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) have received 12,599 applications for information, and have progressed 12,260 (or 97%) to completion. No applications are outstanding beyond statutory timeframes. It is deeply important to me that thousands of people have now received their information under this landmark legislation, and there are no longer any delays on the release of information.
The Birth Information and Tracing Act enshrines in law the right to identity information for all those who are adopted, nursed out, boarded out, subject to an illegal birth registration, or resided in a mother and baby or county home institution as a child. It also allows for access to information by a child of a relevant person where their parent has died, and for access by the next of kin of children who died in an institution. It provides adopted persons with a clear and guaranteed right of access to their identity information, including information which is also the personal data of another person, as well as certain defined categories of third party information. This level of guaranteed access was not possible under the established data protection law, such as the GDPR, and this is what made the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 ground-breaking in nature.
The AAI fully cleared its backlog of applications for information in September 2023 and has been operating within statutory timeframes since then. Tusla has now cleared its backlog and the information services provided by both bodies are fully compliant with statutory timelines.
