Tuesday, 13 Jun 2023

Written Answers Nos. 1014-1029

Mental Health Services

Questions (1014)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

1014. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if psychological or other such assessments for children paid for privately by parents, rather than waiting years on HSE or other such assessments, are accepted by CAMHS or DNT services to allow the children to access services, or whether the parents have to await the publicly funded assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27117/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

As this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Policies

Questions (1015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

1015. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if parents of children with disability, educational or psychological assessments who pay for such assessments privately to try and overcome a public service waiting list for such an assessment can recoup the costs of such an assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27119/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

As this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Policies

Questions (1016)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

1016. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is any legislative or policy impediment preventing private, not-for profit, voluntary services delivering care or services on behalf of the State for children with additional educational needs accepting disability, educational or psychological assessments which have been paid for by parents privately, or if there is a framework list of such private psychologists and so on from which they must access such assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27121/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

I am assuming that the Deputy is referring to the ability of parents to obtain an assessment of need from the HSE, the current challenges around same and the alternative avenues that may be explored by parents to accelerate the assessment process for their children.

Form a Departmental perspective, there is no direct impediment that would prevent children from accessing care of services via the means outlined in the Deputy's question. However, I am aware that the HSE has it's own clinical guidance which governs the submission of external assessments for the purpose of the AON process, particularly in the context of the multidisciplinary nature of the assessment of need.

In this regard, and to provide the most comprehensive answer possible on the issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

International Protection

Questions (1017)

Peter Burke

Question:

1017. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on plans (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27182/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

The property in question has recently been offered to the International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) as a potential location to accommodate international protection applicants (IPAs).

Negotiations are at a very early stage on a property in this area. Before the property can be considered, an inspection must take place by the Department to assess the property.

A detailed assessment must take place before any property can be deemed suitable as accommodation for international protection applicants.

At this stage, it is not possible to determine if the property will come into use in advance of the assessment process.

International Protection

Questions (1018)

Michael Ring

Question:

1018. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if permission will be provided by IPAS in relation to the specific case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27199/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-government humanitarian response to assist over 84,000 arrivals fleeing the war in Ukraine, of which 61,000 have sought accommodation from this Department.

Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, my Department has contracted in excess of 47,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 770 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.

The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.

Given arrival numbers, sourcing suitable accommodation continues to be a challenge. The accommodation provided to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine by my Department is temporary in its nature and given the number of people that are being accommodated it is not possible to develop tailored solutions for individuals or families. We understand that people may wish to be accommodated in specific locations for a variety of reasons, but we cannot facilitate these requests given the number of people wishing to be accommodated by this Department. In seeking to address immediate accommodation needs, safety and security are the paramount considerations.

My Department does not comment on individual cases. Requests such as the one in the details supplied should be submitted through the Department's central ticketing system at [e-mail] for assessment on a case by case basis.

Beneficiaries of temporary protection are also entitled to make their own private arrangements including potentially availing of pledged accommodation if they wish, and can avail of some supports to do so. To date, over 7,300 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection have been accommodated in over 3,200 pledged properties. Those wishing to avail of pledged accommodation in any given area should contact the Local Authority in that area or the Irish Red Cross pledge process. The Irish Red Cross can be contacted by email at [e-mail] or by phoning 1800 50 70 70.

I also wish to draw attention to the Government announcement of November 2022 regarding the call for unoccupied houses. The campaign to assist those fleeing the war in Ukraine may be of interest in the context of this request and further information can be found at offerahome.ie/ . Again, in the context of the above request, it is advisable to contact the relevant Local Authority (relevant County Council in the area persons wish to reside in). As of June 2023, over 3,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection have been accommodated under the Offer a Home Scheme.

More information on support available to Ukrainian people while they are in Ireland and information on how people and community groups can help can be found at the Government website: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/bc537-irelands-response-to-the-situation-in-ukraine/

I trust this information is of assistance.

Domestic Violence

Questions (1019)

Holly Cairns

Question:

1019. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that the regulations for domestic violence leave under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 provide for a rate of pay at 100% of the person's normal rate of pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27202/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Ensuring victims of domestic violence can access leave to access support is a priority for Government. Section 7 of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 introduces 5 days paid domestic violence leave.

Under section 7, regulations are to be made setting out a rate of pay for the leave. In line with the provisions of the Act, I have written to employers representatives, employees representatives and domestic violence support providers seeking their views on the rate of pay. Work on the regulations is ongoing and I intend to publish the regulations and commence the relevant provisions in the autumn.

Alongside work on the regulations, my Department has contracted Women's Aid to develop supports for employers to develop their own workplace policies for domestic violence. These supports will be available for the commencement of the leave.

Departmental Communications

Questions (1020)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

1020. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the cross-departmental engagement his Department has had with the Department of Education regarding the scoping inquiry, as announced by the Minister for Education in March 2023, into allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders. [27213/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

The Secretary General of my Department has recently received correspondence from the Chair of the Scoping Inquiry into historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders. The Scoping Inquiry is an independently-led process and I am advised that engagement with a range of stakeholders, including my Department and other Government Departments, is being progressed in that context. My Department is engaging with the Scoping Inquiry on that basis.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (1021)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

1021. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is his intention to organise work done by speech and language, OT and physio professionals who work with ASD classes around the class as a whole rather than individual students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27234/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

As this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Funding

Questions (1022)

Pauline Tully

Question:

1022. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount each section 38 or 39 organisation receives from the HSE per hour to fund personal assistant services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27260/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Projects

Questions (1023)

Pauline Tully

Question:

1023. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will confirm that as part of the personalised budgets demonstration projects pilot, that when PAS funding is unbundled from existing services, how much of that HSE budget is retained by organisations which will no longer provide a PA service to disabled people in this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27261/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

I have been advised that when a service user, who is currently in receipt of HSE funded services, expresses an interest in participating in the Pilot Personalised Budget Project, with the participants agreement the Personalised Budget Office commences engagement with the local Disability Services Department in the CHO, advising that we have received a request from Client X who is currently in receipt of, in this example, PAS from Provider Y. The funding associated with the PAS is advised as is €X amount. In this example, the participant still requires PAS but they are deciding, in line with their expressed will and preference, to choose either a different service provider or reconfigure their current service. In this regard, there is no reduction in the overall PAS, as it is either provided by an alternative service provider or the current service provider in a reconfigured manner.

Childcare Services

Questions (1024)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

1024. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the lack of early learning and care and school-age childcare services in the Dublin 7 area; if he will outline the most recent research conducted into the capacity of existing childcare provision in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27271/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. The Department monitors early learning and childcare capacity on an ongoing basis, with a particular focus on responding to the unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.

The annual data captured by Pobal on behalf of my Department - through the Early Years Sector Profile Survey - is one important data source that allows us to monitor supply and demand. In addition to this survey data, the Department also relies on data from the register of services held by Tusla, data provided by services as part of their application for Core Funding and has also conducted several surveys with parents. Since 2020, five parent surveys have been undertaken by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of the Department.

Data captured from the 2021/22 iteration of the Early Years Sector Profile, indicated that the vacancy rate in Dublin 7 is 21% and is 16% on average across the country. This data does not take account of increases in capacity since the introduction of Core Funding. Data collection for the 2022/23 Early Years Sector Profile is currently underway and will give an updated position.

A series of steps are being taken to address issues of undersupply.

The network of 30 City/County Childcare Committees across the country are in a position to match children and families to services operating with vacant places and engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion among services, particularly where there is unmet need.

Under the National Action Plan for Childminding, there is a commitment to open up access to the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) to parents who use childminders following the extension of regulation to childminders.

Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places.

My Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government, is in the process of updating the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings. As part of this work, my Department has been included in the updated list of prescribed bodies that need to be notified on certain planning matters, including the formulation of County Development Plans and Local Area Plans.

In addition, Core Funding - introduced in September 2022 - has already proven to be effective in expanding capacity, particularly in areas of undersupply and additional funding secured in Budget 2023 for year two of Core Funding provides further opportunity to invest in an additional 3% growth in capacity.

Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie

Early Childhood Care and Education

Questions (1025)

Mark Ward

Question:

1025. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the age criteria for qualifying for the early childhood care education programme; if exceptions can be made for children who are younger by less than a month; if there are any plans to review the qualifying criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27276/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two year preschool programme available to all children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible.

The ECCE age requirements have been set to ensure the child is developmentally ready to engage with preschool and the preschool curricular framework. The entry point is designed so that all children within a given 12-month cycle can enter at the same point within that 12 month period and progress as one group. Ensuring children progress and transition with their peers to primary school is considered optimal for child development. While all children are eligible for two years of ECCE, the programme is not mandatory and some parents choose to avail of one year only.

My Department does its best to ensure, in so far as possible, the equitable treatment of all eligible children and families who apply for childcare funding under the ECCE Programme. In order to ensure objectivity and fairness, it is essential that clear rules exist for the scheme and that they are applied evenly. I accept that the use of age limits in a scheme such as ECCE creates a situation whereby a child can fall just outside the age range, however in the interests of fairness and consistency there can be no discretion in this regard.

Finally, I would add that my Department has commissioned a review of the ECCE programme which is currently being undertaken by Stranmillis University, Belfast. The ECCE age requirements are being evaluated as part of this review, the ultimate decision as to whether the age requirements should change will be informed by consultation with parents, international experts and ELC professionals.

Office of Public Works

Questions (1026)

Carol Nolan

Question:

1026. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address concerns that the OPW has failed to actively engage with residents of the Clonminch Lane area, County Offaly following the announcement that modular housing was developed at a site there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27298/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

A comprehensive strategy of engagement was developed and has been rolled out for each of the sites that OPW have deemed technically viable for the Rapid Build project including Clonminch. Much work has been carried out over the last number of months and weeks to brief Local Representatives, Local County Council Officials. A representative from DCEDIY is made available to each area to host an information event where local queries and concerns can be made as well as information provided on the specific design of the site and homes. The Department provides information materials for distribution by Local Authorities in the area immediately surrounding the sites. Work is continually ongoing to provide updates to Local Representatives, Local County Council Officials, service providers and communities on the roll out of the programme.

Specifically in relation to Clonminch Officials from DCEDIY and OPW have been in regular contact both with officials from Offaly County Council and residents of Clonminch Lane since the development of Rapid Build housing was announced for the area. Officials have visited the families at their homes both on 26 April and 25 May in order to meet with neighbours and to accommodate the wishes of residents alongside the development of homes for those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Domestic Violence

Questions (1027)

Robert Troy

Question:

1027. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if matters raised in correspondence by an organisation (details supplied) will be examined. [27316/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Ensuring victims of domestic violence can access leave to access support is a priority for Government. Section 7 of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 introduces 5 days paid domestic violence leave.

Under section 7, regulations are to be made setting out a rate of pay for the leave. In line with the provisions of the Act, I have written to employers representatives, employees representatives and domestic violence support providers seeking their views on the rate of pay. Work on the regulations is ongoing and I intend to publish the regulations and commence the relevant provisions in the autumn.

Alongside work on the regulations, my Department has contracted Women's Aid to develop supports for employers to develop their own workplace policies for domestic violence. These supports will be available for the commencement of the leave.

Health Services Staff

Questions (1028)

Denis Naughten

Question:

1028. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will expand community neurological-rehabilitation teams to each CHO area; the timeline for delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27325/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

As this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

International Protection

Questions (1029)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

1029. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when his Department will pay a contractor (details supplied) in Cork for accommodation and services rendered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27328/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

My Department is prioritising making more timely payments of valid invoices, including providing more resources to address any issues, and outsourcing of elements of the process to speed up processing and to respond to supplier calls.

Every effort is being made to pay businesses as promptly as possible in respect of Ukraine accommodation. The Deputy will be aware of the challenges involved given the scale of accommodation provision (now standing at 64,000 serviced and emergency accommodation beds provided).

Payment of invoices by my Department is governed by the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act, 1997 as amended by Statutory Instrument 580 of 2012, which took effect on 16 March 2013 and transposes EU Directive 2011/7/EU on Combating Late Payment in Commercial Transactions. As such prompt payment interest is payable and has been paid as necessary to providers by my Department.

With regard to the service provider referred to, I am advised by my officials that they are engaging with the supplier around the outstanding Purchase Orders and subsequent invoices referred to in the Details Supplied. Payment of the outstanding amounts is expected shortly after these queries have been resolved.

My Department will continue to press on to eliminate the payments backlog while ensuring appropriate governance is in place to safeguard the proper spending of Exchequer funding.