Written Answers Nos. 116-130
116. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that the Mother and Baby Home Commission of Inquiry has called on the Government to grant redress to residents (details supplied); if these calls are to be addressed by his Department, either through the current redress schemes or by another means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16799/24]
View answerThe Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme provides financial payments and health supports to eligible people who spent time in a Mother and Baby or County Home Institution.
It is recognised that there are people who suffered stigma, trauma and abuse in other institutions, and outside of institutions also. However, the institutions covered by the Scheme are those identified by the Commission of Investigation as having a main function of providing sheltered and supervised ante and post-natal facilities to single mothers and their children. Westbank Orphanage is, therefore, not included in the Scheme as it does not meet those criteria.
117. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to review a case (details supplied); if a similar funding application can be made in Cavan by the child development team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16812/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Forsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps.
118. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide all communication with regard to an offer of accommodation for international protection applicants in a property in Clonmel, County Tipperary (details supplied); if this property has been rejected; the current status of this offer; the dates this property was inspected by Department officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16842/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.
119. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) will be reviewed and a follow-up with the HSE arranged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16927/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Forsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps.
120. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount expended by his Department in 2022 on the accommodation of pets and other animals. [16928/24]
View answer121. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the lawful basis for any expenditure by his Department on the accommodation of animals in 2022. [16929/24]
View answer122. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the sums paid to each provider of accommodation to beneficiaries of temporary protection in respect of the accommodation of animals in 2022. [16930/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 120 to 122, inclusive, together.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy.
In the initial stages of the emergency response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent humanitarian effort, my Department assisted with the accommodation of pets with their owners when Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) requested emergency temporary accommodation. This only included pets that travelled with BOTPs into Ireland and who presented to CityWest Transit Hub or at Rosslare Port.
This was done on a compassionate basis during a humanitarian crisis.
It is not possible to estimate how much was spent on accommodation for pets as the invoices sent to my Department did not always differentiate between this cost and other ancillary costs. Due to this, it is also not possible to provide a breakdown of the sums paid to each accommodation provider in respect of the accommodation of animals in 2022.
It is important to note that recent commentary regarding costs of pets appears to be based on the assumption that every pet arriving in Ireland (as recorded by Department of Agriculture and Food) stayed in State-provided accommodation and there was a cost incurred for every pet. This was not the case.
In November 2022, as part of the evolving response to the humanitarian crisis, a decision was taken that newly arriving BOTPs would no longer be offered accommodation with their pets.
Following this decision, as contracts were renewed, providers were informed that my Department would no longer pay for the accommodation of pets (or other ancillary services), and that this would be up to the provider and BOTPs to agree on. My Department no longer pays for pet accommodation.
123. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of residential disability respite centres in use by December 2018, December 2019, December 2020, December 2021, December 2022 and December 2023; the total number of overnight residential respite places available at each of these dates; and the total number of day-only residential respite places available at each of these dates, in tabular form. [16947/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
124. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children and young persons on waiting lists for an assessment of need, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [16953/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Forsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps.
125. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons on a waiting list for initial contact from a CDNT, by CHO, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [16960/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Forsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps.
126. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can help a playschool (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16971/24]
View answerMy Department works with Pobal and local City/County Childcare Committees to offer case management support to services in difficulty. This support can take the form of assisting services with interpreting analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support including financial supports as appropriate to the individual circumstances of services. Through this process, services may also access sustainability funding following an assessment of need. One strand of this funding can support a service with the cost of relocation. A strand of emergency capital for fit-out/renovation of premises or necessary maintenance is currently under development, although the eligibility criteria for this have not yet been finalised. I would encourage this service, to contact their City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) to access case management supports. Contact details for their local CCC can be found at www.myccc.ie.
127. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can confirm with regard to the IPAS contract signed with a hotel (details supplied), if the contract is being paid at a rate of 500 beds, which was the original stated figure provided under the initial Department briefing issued on 13 February, or if the State is funding the maximum allowable number of applicants under the current fire safety certificate, which is approximately half of the quoted 500 in the original brief; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17000/24]
View answerThe D Hotel has been offered to the International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) and contracted to provide accommodation to International Protection (IP) applicants under the emergency appraisal process, with a capacity of 500 beds. It is functioning as a dispersal centre for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) with families in residence for a short period of time before transfer to an alternative centre
The Local Authority holds the remit for assessing compliance with Fire Safety and for enforcing the regulations around same. Following the signing of the contract and occupation of the property, the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) visited the site and instructed the provider that alterations to the existing fire protection measures should be undertaken, and reduced the capacity on the existing Fire Certificate to 250.
The provider has carried out the instructions of the CFO and continues to await his written verification of compliance, following verbal confirmation at the time of inspection.
Providers of accommodation are entitled to invoice the Department for the agreed capacity rate as per the contract they have agreed.
128. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a person will get an appointment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16778/24]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
129. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a person will receive an appointment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16780/24]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
130. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for an outpatient physiotherapy appointment at the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore. [16781/24]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
