Written Answers Nos. 648-663
648. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost if there were an emergency out-of-hours social work team available in each county nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35470/23]
View answerStatutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
649. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the internships, apprenticeships and graduate schemes run by his Department and public bodies under the aegis of his Department. [35480/23]
View answerMy Department does not run any internships, apprenticeships or graduate schemes. My Department has participated in a number of these schemes including the Willing, Able and Mentoring programme and the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Services Internship programme.
I have forwarded this PQ to the bodies under aegis of my Department for direct reply.
650. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children awaiting an assessment of need in Cork south Lee, broken down by whether they are waiting by three, six, nine, 12, 18 and 24 months. [35516/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
651. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the ongoing efforts to ensure that childcare providers are supported in their efforts to maintain their services for the forthcoming intake in September with a view to ensuring the maximum amount of childcare places possible throughout the country with particular reference to County Kildare in an effort to continue to support working families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35577/23]
View answerThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. My 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, my Department also relies on data from the register of services held by Tusla, and data provided by services as part of their application for Core Funding. My Department 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 average vacancy rate in Kildare was 11%. 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 has commenced and will give an updated position.
A series of steps are being taken to support services in delivering early learning and childcare capacity.
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.
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 3% capacity growth.
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.
To support parents, 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. They also engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion, 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.
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.
652. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the actions his Department is taking to address and urgently the HSE spend of €458 million of external consultants in 2022; whether he will publish his investigations and analysis into that spend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35227/23]
View answer653. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of older persons on a waiting list for home care packages in the CHO 7 area; and how many of those have been waiting more than six months. [35443/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
654. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of adults who presented to the HSE seeking treatment for eating disorders who received inpatient treatment in non-dedicated eating disorder services in each of the years 2018 to 2022 and to date in 2023, by CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34786/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
655. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of persons employed in July 2020, 2021 and 2022, in community psychiatry, community psychology and community CAMHS areas in County Cork, by area; and the positions recruited since January 2023, in County Cork in these sectors. [34793/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
656. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the current waiting list for CAMHS services in County Cork, by area; the average waiting time; and his plans to address this. [34794/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
657. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of young people on the CAMHS waiting list in Cork city for less than three, three to six, six to nine, nine to 12, 12 to 18, 18 to 24 and for over 24 months, in tabular form. [34795/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
658. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if there is a restriction on drugs rehabilitation CE schemes advertising vacant T-coded CE participant places on platforms such as publicjobs.ie; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34802/23]
View answer659. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health in relation to an application by Meath County Council in February 2023, for capital funding for the new addiction centre project in Navan, County Meath (details supplied), the current status of this application; the schedule for a decision on this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34817/23]
View answerThe Department of Health has no statutory responsibility for granting planning permission which falls under the remit of the relevant local authority in the first instance.
As issues relating to the provision of addiction services are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
660. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health the status of pandemic recognition payments for agency frontline staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34838/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
661. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if employees in an organisation (details supplied) are entitled to the pandemic payment; if this was changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34840/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
662. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to local drugs and alcohol forums in each of the years 2008 to 2022 and in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34854/23]
View answer766. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the cost of returning funding to drug and alcohol taskforces to 2010 levels. [35161/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 766 together.
Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in their areas and in coordinating action at local level, so that there is a targeted response to the problem of substance misuse in local communities.
Every effort has been made to protect the budgets of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces in recent years. In excess of €27.88m has been allocated to Task Forces by the HSE and the Department of Health for community-based drugs initiatives this year.
In 2008 the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs had responsibility for the funding of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces. The Department of Health does not have detailed records of payments to Task Forces in 2008. The 2022 table of funding allocations for taskforces is attached.
In 2023, €3.5m in recurring funding was provided to support existing community and voluntary providers of drugs and inclusion health services (see attached factsheet). Details and guidance on the administration of the €3.5 million are being finalised and I expect to make an announcement shortly.
This funding will be in addition to the inflation funding of €3.9m for drug and inclusion health projects recently announced. This once-off payment recognises the impact of inflation on the cost of delivering services for community and voluntary groups. Further information can be found at gov.ie - Health Ministers announce €81 million in once-off funding for voluntary and community providers (www.gov.ie)
|
Allocations to Drug and Alcohol Task Forces by the Department of Health and the HSE -2022 |
||
|
LDATF |
2022 DOH |
2022 HSE |
|
Ballyfermot |
€255,446 |
€1,241,286 |
|
Ballymun |
€422,958 |
€707,957 |
|
Blanchardstown |
€179,305 |
€923,589 |
|
Bray |
€573,860 |
€926,271 |
|
Canal Communities |
€338,605 |
€1,066,248 |
|
Clondalkin |
€388,114 |
€1,017,948 |
|
Cork |
€57,588 |
€1,472,699 |
|
Dublin 12 |
€70,397 |
€1,003,750 |
|
Dublin NE |
€239,971 |
€787,116 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
€51,676 |
€839,755 |
|
Finglas Cabra |
€263,277 |
€637,960 |
|
NIC |
€394,856 |
€1,844,723 |
|
SIC |
€176,043 |
€1,963,075 |
|
Tallaght |
€336,022 |
€908,930 |
|
Total LDATF |
€3,748,118 |
€15,341,307 |
|
RDATF |
2022 DOH |
2022 HSE |
|
East Coast Area |
€58,200 |
€518,500 |
|
Midland |
€136,816 |
€672,491 |
|
Mid-West |
€147,982 |
€1,270,007 |
|
North East |
€0 |
€937,813 |
|
North West |
€258,633 |
€471,730 |
|
North Dublin City & Co. |
€0 |
€787,243 |
|
South East |
€0 |
€1,075,760 |
|
South West |
€102,820 |
€706,497 |
|
Southern |
€0 |
€983,178 |
|
Western |
€136,994 |
€534,155 |
|
Total RDATF |
€841,445 |
€7,957,374 |
|
Overall Total |
€27,888,244 |
|
663. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to increasing the funding for drug and alcohol taskforces to assist these organisations to address the increased use of cocaine in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34855/23]
View answer664. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to increasing the funding for drug and alcohol taskforces to assist these organisations to address the worrying increased use of crack cocaine in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34856/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 664 together.
Enhancing access to, and the delivery of, drug and alcohol services in the community is a strategic priority under the national drugs strategy for the period 2021-2025. The strategic action plan 2023-2024 sets out several actions in relation to this priority.
I am very aware of the of the key role played by Drug and Alcohol Task Forces and community-based drug services in implementing these actions at the local level.
As Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy I have regular engagement with drug and alcohol taskforces. I recently addressed a conference on the role of local task forces in responding to the needs of disadvantage communities in the context of current policy developments under Slaintecare. The conference was organised by the chairpersons’ network and hosted by the Department of Health.
The Community Services Enhancement Fund (CSEF) was introduced in 2022, with a budget of €2 million, to enhance community-based drug and alcohol services under the National Drugs Strategy. Funding is aligned with the emphasis on enhanced community care in the Sláintecare reform programme, that shifts care into the community and closer to people’s homes.
Over 50 community-based drug projects were funded under the CSEF across all Community Healthcare Organisations (CHOs).
In 2022, €850,000 in additional funding was provided for a HSE-led initiative to reduce the health-related harms from cocaine and ‘crack’ cocaine. The funding supports models of best practice in cocaine treatment, including the development of training programmes for addiction service staff nationally. It also provided for the establishment of targeted interventions in disadvantaged communities worst affected by cocaine and ‘crack’ cocaine.
gov.ie - Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy announces €850,000 for HSE-led initiative to reduce the health-related harms from cocaine and ‘crack’ cocaine (www.gov.ie)
The Health Research Board’s report on the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) for 2022, found that cocaine was the most common problem drug reported in 2022.
In recognition of this I recently announced additional funding of €500,000 to expand the provision of community-based services for cocaine and crack cocaine. This new funding will build on last years HSE led €850,00 cocaine initiative. I would encourage taskforces to engage with their local CHO on this initiative.
gov.ie - Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy announces increased funding of €500,000 for cocaine services (www.gov.ie)
