Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Holly Cairns

596. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the sending out of a document by his Department on the enhanced model of engagement to members of the collaborative forum less than 24 hours before a meeting with the forum; his views on whether this constitutes good practice and a survivor centred approach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11581/21]

Direct Provision System

Holly Cairns

597. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the situation in a direct provision centre (details supplied) in which residents are refusing the meals provided in protest at the standard and suitability of food and have been refused access to raw food to prepare their own meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11582/21]

Departmental Staff

Holly Cairns

598. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of instances of officials in his Department requesting conscience-based refusal in dealing with legislation or the administration of areas of Departmental responsibility that have occurred since 1 January 2016; the details of the legislation or areas concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11584/21]

Legislative Programme

Niamh Smyth

599. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when legislation for the extension of parent's benefit (details supplied) is expected to be passed in 2021; when it will come into effect in order that parents can apply for same; the details of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11602/21]

Parental Leave

Seán Sherlock

600. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of introducing additional parental leave as outlined in budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11692/21]

Childcare Services

Cian O'Callaghan

601. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will make childcare providers who are in receipt of national childcare scheme eligible for the Covid-19 standard operating payment in order to waive and refund fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11759/21]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Connolly

602. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the median length of stay in direct provision and emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11856/21]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Connolly

603. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons living in direct provision and emergency accommodation who share a bedroom with a non-family member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11857/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Patricia Ryan

604. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when hard copies of the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be available in libraries; if they will be available in other public buildings such as Garda stations which open during level 5 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11906/21]

Child and Family Agency

Kathleen Funchion

605. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way Tusla handled data protection applications from January 2014 to May 2018, including but not limited to applications from adopted persons, from persons who had been boarded out or from any person whose files and personal information were now in the possession of the agency. [11919/21]

Child and Family Agency

Kathleen Funchion

606. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way that Tusla handled subject access requests from 25 May 2018 to date including but not limited to applications from adopted persons, from persons who had been boarded out or from any person whose files and personal information were now in the possession of the agency since GDPR regulations came into force. [11920/21]

Child and Family Agency

Kathleen Funchion

607. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way Tusla handled subject access requests from persons including but not limited to applications from adopted persons, from persons who had been boarded out or from any person whose files and personal information were now in the possession of the agency since GDPR regulations came into force from 23 October 2020 to date when the previous advice from the Attorney General on GDPR rights not being applicable to those persons was refuted by the Data Protection Commissioner. [11921/21]

Child and Family Agency

Kathleen Funchion

608. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way Tusla has amended its policies, procedures and staff training regarding SARs from persons including but not limited to applications from adopted persons, from persons who had been boarded out or from any person whose files and personal information were now in the possession of the agency since GDPR regulations came into force from 23 October 2020 to date since their GDPR rights have been vindicated by the Data Protection Commission, the Attorney General and other legal experts. [11922/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

609. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason for the difference between the estimated cost and actual cost of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters; the breakdown of the estimated spend versus actual spend disaggregated by staff, overheads and other costs in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11924/21]

Departmental Schemes

Michael Healy-Rae

610. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the parent’s leave which was promised in Budget 2021 will come into effect in April 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11935/21]

Departmental Strategies

Patrick Costello

611. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on the commitment in action 61 of the National Migrant Integration Strategy for all Departments and agencies to provide intercultural awareness training; if staff in each Department and agency have been offered this training; the proportion of staff in each Department and agency that have done this training in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11993/21]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Connolly

612. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 552 of 10 February 2021, the way many accommodation centres for persons in the international protection process are currently unable to implement the national standards for accommodation centres; the analysis his Department has carried out into the continued use of these accommodation centres as direct provision accommodation given they have been identified as unable to implement the national standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12005/21]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Connolly

613. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 552 of 10 February 2021, his definition of independent living in the context of direct provision accommodation centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12006/21]

Parental Leave

Brendan Griffin

614. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the plans to extend parent's leave from two weeks to five weeks for each parent of all children born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019 will be in place for April 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12062/21]

Adoption Data

Cathal Crowe

615. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of adoption applications relating to children in care; and the duration these applications have been waiting for decision in tabular form. [12065/21]