Written Answers Nos. 1139-1162
1139. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of occupants at each direct provision centre in the State on 1 March 2024; the contracted capacity at each direct provision centre in the State on 1 March 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14716/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.
1140. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is concerned by the duration that children are spending in special emergency arrangements, as outlined in reports in a newspaper (details supplied); if his Department believes there should be the maximum duration any child should spend in such an arrangement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14727/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by Tusla that its procedures ensure Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs) are only utilised where no alternative placement is available and that children are moved on from SEAs as soon as a suitable mainstream placement becomes available. However, Tusla has also indicated that it is facing significant and ongoing challenges in sourcing appropriate placements for children.
I and my Department are aware of these challenges, and those outlined in the article, and are committed to continuing to provide whatever support to Tusla is necessary to address these challenges. Both Tusla and I share a common aim to meet the needs of all children in mainstream alternative care placements, to reduce reliance on SEAs and to minimise the length of time spent by any individual child in an SEA.
1141. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is concerned by the age range of children residing in special emergency arrangements, as outlined in reports in a newspaper (details supplied); if his Department believes that no child under twelve years of age should be residing in a special emergency arrangement unless in very exceptional circumstances, similar to residential care and if a derogation should be sought in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14728/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTusla provides regular data to my Department on its operation of Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs), which includes the age range of the children currently in those placements. This data indicates that, as of the week ending 31st March 2024, there were four children under the age of 12 placed in SEAs, out of a total number of 172 SEAs.
Both Tusla and I are concerned about that Agency’s reliance on SEAs, and share a common aim to meet the needs of these children in mainstream alternative care placements. I am advised by Tusla that its procedures ensure SEAs are only utilised where no alternative placement is available.
except in exceptional circumstances. Unfortunately, this can occur in circumstances where a child requires a place of immediate safety including as a result of a placement breakdown, and where no mainstream alternative care placement is available for the child in the short term, either alone or with their sibling group.
Every effort is being made by Tusla, supported by my Department, to increase capacity in mainstream alternative care. In the interim, specific measures are being taken by Tusla to promote and support the quality and safety of these placements.
I note that the Deputy has referred to a derogation in relation to SEAs, and in this regard the Deputy has referenced to derogations in relation to residential care. I am informed that neither the Child Care Act 1991, nor the Child Care (Placement of Children in Residential Care) Regulations (1995) and the Child Care (Standards in Children's Residential Centres) Regulations (1996) specify an age range for children in relation to their placement by Tusla in residential care. However, it is my understanding that In general, Tusla endeavour to place children under 12 in foster care.
1142. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department believes that every child in a special emergency arrangement should have an allocated social worker; if he is concerned by reports in a newspaper (details supplied) that suggest this is not the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14729/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe care and welfare of children in care is a priority for Government, and I share the Deputy's concerns that all children in Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs) should be safeguarded to the greatest possible extent.
Ideally all children in SEAs would have an allocated social worker, where this is required by applicable regulations and standards and is indicated by the presentation of the child and the relevant risk factors. However, the Deputy will be aware that Tusla is currently experiencing very significant difficulties in recruiting and retaining social workers.
Accordingly, while the vast majority of children from the community in SEAs have an allocated social worker, for those Separated Children Seeking International Protection who are in SEAs and don’t have an allocated social worker, Tusla have put other safeguarding measures in place. In this regard, I am informed all young people have a point of contact from the SCSIP team’s Active On Duty service, some have an assigned worker, and all have an absence management plan.
I am also informed that the Active On Duty (AOD) team checks in with young people by telephone on a weekly basis and there are daily calls between the Compliance and Legal Manager and the Active on Duty Principal Social Worker to alert each other to any complaints or issues of concern arising.
The SCSIP service has secured 50 Youth Advocate Programmes (YAP) integration support packages for 50 of the young people with the highest need both SCSIP and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs). The SCSIP service continue with their HR strategy to recruit staff to meet increases in demand and now include Family Support Practitioner recruitment for support roles with children in Section 5.
A Standard Operating Procedure specifically related to SEAs for SCSIP is currently being finalised and will help to ensure a standardised approach to the response from SCSIP to this cohort of young people in providing care and continuous safeguarding.
Tusla, supported by my Department, are working to reduce reliance on SEAs. I have resourced Tusla to maintain and expand their services by securing additional funding as part of Budget 2024. In addition, regarding efforts to maintain the number of foster carers, I was very pleased to secure a significant increase in the rates of the Foster Care Allowance in Budget 2024. In the interim, specific measures are being taken by Tusla to promote and support the quality and safety of these placements.
1143. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has investigated or will investigate the access to education for children residing in special emergency arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14730/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPrincipal responsibility for supporting and promoting the development, welfare and protection of children and young people lies with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) works to support the ongoing education of all children in care, including those currently in special emergency arrangements. TESS supports teams across Tusla to secure school places, and ensure continued access to education for children in care.
Tusla also has a dedicated Education Welfare Officer (EWO) for Children in Care. This EWO has a specific focus on supporting young people to maintain their education, particularly where they experience difficulties accessing education due to placement moves.
Tusla have provided assurances that each child from the Community in an SEA has a care plan and placement plan. These plans are developed by Tusla social workers and include provision for educational arrangements.
I share the Deputy’s concern that vulnerable children in care should be supported to access education. Officials from my Department are actively engaging with Tusla in relation to the ongoing use of special emergency arrangements, and will continue to provide whatever support to Tusla is necessary in order to address these challenges.
1144. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has definitive plans and a timeline to end the usage of special emergency arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14731/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe challenges which have led to Tusla’s increasing reliance on SEAs are complex, and there is no one easy solution to them. They include difficulties in maintaining the number of foster carers, difficulties in maintaining sufficient capacity in residential care services, the complexity of the presentation of some children presenting to Tusla, and the unprecedented number of Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP) requiring Tusla services.
I share the Deputy’s concern in relation to Tusla’s current reliance on Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs). Tusla, supported by my Department, is working to reduce reliance on special emergency arrangements. In this regard, Tusla has responded, in the first instance, by publishing Strategic Plans in respect of Foster Care, Residential Care, and Aftercare. These include a range of actions the Agency plans to undertake in order to increase capacity in alternative care, and ensure that these services continue to meet the needs of children and their families. The Strategic Plan for Residential Care sets a target for reducing reliance on private provision of residential care placements. My Department continues to support Tusla in its implementation of the Strategic Plans.
I have resourced Tusla to maintain and expand their services by securing additional funding as part of Budget 2024. In addition, regarding efforts to maintain the number of foster carers, I was very pleased to secure a significant increase in the rates of the Foster Care Allowance in Budget 2024.
In the interim, specific measures are being taken to promote and support the quality and safety of SEAs. These include revised Standard Operating Procedures, oversight by Tusla’s Executive Management Team, and the inspection of SEAs by Tusla’s Practice Assurance and Service Monitoring (PASM) team, with a view to continuous improvements in the service. It is intended that these initiatives will support good practice in Tusla’s operation of SEAs. It is also noted that Tusla’s child welfare and protection services are subject to inspection by HIQA against the relevant standards.
The care and welfare of children in care is a priority for Government. Officials from my Department continue to actively engage with Tusla in relation to that Agency’s operation of SEAs.
1145. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many children, both children in mainstream services and separated children seeking international protection have been placed in special emergency arrangements each month over the past three years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14732/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraStatutory 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.
1146. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many separated children seeking international protection are currently taken into care under section 4 of the Child Care Act 1991 compared to those brought into care under other statutory care orders, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14733/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraStatutory 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.
1147. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will introduce or support measures whereby IPAS applicants who obtain employment after six months residency here and while resident in an accommodation centre will contribute to their accommodation costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14748/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs set out in Article 5(2) of S.I. 230 of 2018, IPAS residents who are in receipt of income which reaches the thresholds set out can already be required to make a contribution towards the cost of the provision of their reception.
1148. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated full year cost to recruit 90 extra WTE social workers for TUSLA. [14791/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.
1149. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can advise regarding a situation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14809/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is designed to be flexible and acknowledge that childcare needs differ widely across different families. For this reason, NCS subsidies are awarded as an hourly rate, along with a maximum number of weekly hours that the subsidy will be paid for. The actual subsidy payment is based on the hours agreed between the parent and provider, and claimed by the provider on the NCS system - subject to attendance rules.
Having reviewed this case, it may be beneficial to explain the under-attendance rules of the NCS, which do provide for a certain level of under-attendance. The Scheme recognises that there are many reasons why a child's attendance may occasionally be less than their agreed hours due to, for example, illness or appointments - or a parent being able to collect their child earlier than usual.
Where a child is not fully using the agreed place, the NCS allows for an eight-week cycle of under-attendance. This is broken after a child resumes their full number of subsidised hours in one week. As long as the under-attendance is broken by one full week of attendance, the subsidy will remain unchanged.
If a child under-attends for eight weeks in a row, a warning notification will issue to a parent alerting them to the situation. The subsidy will not be changed at this point.
However, if the under-attendance continues for a further four weeks, the number of subsidised hours awarded under the Scheme will be revised to reflect the average number of hours that were actually attended by the child over the previous twelve week period. This is the point at which the award is revised.
To be clear, subsidies will only be reduced if a child is continuously absent from a service, or not using the agreed hours for a prolonged period.
It may also be of interest to note that early learning and childcare providers can round up part hours of daily attendance to the next whole hour (once still within the service's operating hours). This means that if a child attends 4 hours and 1 minute (or more), it is recorded as 5 hours of attendance for that day.
The attendance rules for the Scheme strike a fair and appropriate balance between flexibility for families’ everyday lives while at the same time protecting State finances by ensuring that Exchequer funds are used to support the maximum number of families in need of financial support.
Finally, should this family require further support, it is advised that they contact Pobal's Parent Support Centre who are best placed to advise. The Parent Support Centre is available for contact on 01 906 8530, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Further information is also available on the NCS website. The website's FAQs (www.ncs.gov.ie/en/faqs/) in particular may be useful.
1150. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide, in tabular form, the full total spend by his Department to accommodate International Protection Applicants for the years ending 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14844/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlease see, in tabular format, the total spend of IPAS accommodation, for the last three years respectively.
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
2021 |
€190,856,000 |
|
2022 |
€356,554,000 |
|
2023 |
€651,713,647 |
Due to the sharing of Citywest reception centre, a portion of costs were transferred from the Ukraine Division to International Protection and a revision was made to the year end sum for 2023, bringing the final total to €651,713,647.
As at 31st March 2024, there are over 28,000 International Protection (IP) applicants accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation system as a whole, compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. Together with Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection displaced by the war in Ukraine, this means that Ireland is now accommodating over 100,000 people in state-supported accommodation.
This is a nationwide urgent situation and centres have been opened in all parts of the country. Since January 2022, the Department has brought over 200 properties into use to accommodate those who arrive in Ireland seeking international protection. All of the limited accommodation capacity within the IPAS system is currently being used. While demand continues to outstrip supply, the Department on behalf of the Government, is doing all it can to ensure that families and children have been accommodated. However, due to increased arrivals of families and couples in tandem with delays in opening some properties, there is an imminent possibility of a shortage of family accommodation.
1151. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the sites his Department plans to lease from the HSE (details supplied); the status of these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14890/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the 27th March 2024 my department announced a new Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection applicants.
This strategy seeks to address the current accommodation shortfall for International Protection applicants, 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.
A number of State-owned sites have been identified including some HSE sites. Assessments of the sites are currently underway for use. The Department intends to bring the first sites into use within months.
1152. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department provides supports for childcare providers to deliver transport to and from schools, particularly when providers were reliant on private operators that have withdrawn their service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14911/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1153. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will engage with a crèche (details supplied) which has been informed by the private bus operator that provided collection and drop-off service with local schools intends to cease this service on 12 April 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14912/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1152 and 1153 together.
My Department does not directly provide an Early Learning and Care or School Aged Childcare transport service. Services may at their own discretion provide for transport as part of their overall service offer and the substantial subsidies provided by my Department contribute to the cost of this throughout the offset of fees in those services.
Preliminary data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey 2022/23 indicates that 22% of ELC and SAC services offer transport, whether pick-up, drop-off or both. The availability of transport is more common in services offering both ELC and SAC, in private services, and in services that are not on school premises.
1154. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the financial support options available to parents of children awaiting assessment of need; if there is a process of reimbursement available to those who pay privately for assessments given the extreme waiting periods for assessments provided by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14930/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1155. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current services in place catering for those with special needs in an area (details supplied); the current respite services available to parents in the same area, particularly overnight services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14949/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1156. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a person (details supplied) has been excluded from the mother and baby institutions redress scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15012/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhilst I cannot comment on individual cases I will try to be helpful in more general terms.
The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme is designed to provide payments and other benefits to people who spent time in one or more of the Mother and Baby or County Home Institutions, that were 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. The institutions covered by the Payment Scheme are set out in Schedule 1 to the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act, which was signed into law on 11th July 2023.
St. Patrick’s Guild was an Adoption Society, with sites in Rathmines and elsewhere and, as such, is not an institution which fell within the terms of reference of the Commission of Investigation.
The institution at Temple Hill, Blackrock, commonly known as St. Patrick’s Hospital, was not investigated by the Commission of Investigation because it operated primarily as a children's hospital rather than as an institution providing ante and post-natal facilities.
At page 29 in Chapter 2 of the Social History section of the Commission of Investigation report, which details the different types of institutions that existed, Temple Hill was listed as a children’s hospital and, as such, did not meet the criteria of a Mother and Baby Home - www.gov.ie/en/publication/89e43-chapter-2-institutions/. The Commission referred to the institution as being “frequently wrongly described as a mother and baby home. It was an infants’ nursery and mothers were not resident there. As a hospital, it received funding from the Hospitals Commission.”
For this reason it is not included in this Payment Scheme.
1157. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the average all-in cost of delivering modular homes through his Department in 2023. [15018/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra1159. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the most up-to-date costs for the delivery of modular homes for people in receipt of temporary protection, including the all-in development costs (including site works, and so on); the cost per modular unit; and the size of the modular units set against their costs (in square metres). [15062/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1157 and 1159 together.
Following government decisions in March and June 2022 the Office of Public Works (OPW) was asked by Government to develop a pilot programme of 500 rapid build homes on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY). That number was subsequently increased to 700 in October 2022.
The cost of each unit is approximately €145,000 per unit (45m² / 484sqft), inclusive of supply, delivery and provision of loose electrical and household items. This is separate to the site development and utility connection costs, etc. relating to the overall development. As the project is still ongoing and further sites are under consideration, it is not possible to fully specify a final overall programme figure.
On foot of a Government Decision in March 2023, my Department was requested to explore a proof of concept modular accommodation project in respect of modular units with a faster delivery window than the OPW rapid homes project . One such project was initiated, in Columb Barracks, Mullingar, which is currently nearing completion.
This project is delivering 62 new modular accommodation units with accommodation for a maximum of 248 people. The first 50 units on the site are already occupied by families, with the final 12 units to be delivered over the coming weeks. The cost of each unit will be approximately €185,000 (52m² / 560sqft), inclusive of supply, delivery, fitting out and the site development and water connection costs.
1158. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a response will issue to a section 39 funding application (details supplied); the reason a response has not been issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15045/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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 Fórsa 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.
1160. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the budget allocation for the youth service grant scheme within his Department in the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [15092/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table below:
|
Youth Service Grant Scheme Budget Allocation |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Total |
€12,886,600 |
€13,402,066 |
€14,572,169* |
*The 2024 figure includes additional funding to allow the scheme to be opened to new organisations in the course of 2024.
1161. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE behavioural specialists, by location, working in children's disability network teams based in counties Cavan and Monaghan in the years 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [15093/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1162. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of respite places available in Cavan-Monaghan area from 2021 to date in 2024 for patients aged under 65 years old, in tabular form. [15094/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
