Written Answers Nos. 556-577
556. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the consideration which is given following the release of census of population data in respect of provision of services; if the census is not used to determine need, the way in which deployment of resources is decided; if there is a change planned in this context; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31400/17]
View answerMy Department makes good use of data from the Census of Population for a variety of purposes, including analysis of key demographic information on the cohort of children and young people that are under the Department's remit. Much of this data will feature in my Department's forthcoming publication of an indicator set to track the progress for children and young people aged 0-24, across the five outcomes outlined in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures (BOBF) and some is already utilised as contextual data in the Department's biennial publication - State of the Nation's Children.
As part of the Quality and Capacity Building Initiative (QCBI) my Department has invested in Tusla's Outcomes for Children Project. The project offers a sustainable opportunity to provide a national standardised framework for mapping outcomes, indicators and services for children and young people based on the Children & Young People’s Services Committee's (CYSPC) geographical areas, to underpin all multi-agency children's service planning.
One of the aims of the Outcomes for Children Project, is to develop one nationally centralised open platform data hub which will hold and analyse data for all CYSPC areas, regionally and nationally, to ensure effective, accessible, integrated, multi-agency outcomes based children services planning. The data hub will utilise all relevant published and other data including CSO, SAHRU, Pobal, HSE, TUSLA, DES, An Garda Síochána et al, to ensure system users have access to quality information that will inform children services planning.
It is envisaged that through the development of the open platform and the related extensive training and capacity building provided by Tusla, that CYSPC across the country will utilise the data gathered, including census data, to optimally plan children's services.
CYPSC, as part of their three year planning cycle also use socio and demographic data and census data to plan for delivery of services in their local area.
In 2016, my Department embarked on an exercise, in conjunction with Pobal and each Education and Training Board Youth Officer, to map youth service provision across the State. This mapping exercise will assist my Department and the relevant Education and Training Board, in developing a detailed social demographic profile in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels; particularly as the Census 2016 data becomes available. The exercise is now in its final stage and it is my intention that this mapping exercise will inform future development and investment in youth services.
557. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied that her office has access to the requisite number of qualified staff to ensure the operation of children's protection as envisaged in the Children First legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31536/17]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the Children First Act 2015 was enacted in November 2015 and it is the intention that it will be fully commenced by the end of 2017.
Each Government Department is responsible for making the necessary arrangements to ensure compliance with the Children First Legislation and Guidance in the Department and in its funded services.
My Department will be responsible for compliance with Children First among the staff of my Department and my Department's funded services.
To assist in this, officials in my Department participate in the statutory Children First Interdepartmental Implementation Group. My Department also has an internal Departmental Children First Oversight Group whose purpose is to make the necessary preparations within my Department for full commencement of the Children First legislation. All Units of my Department are currently reviewing the range of their responsibilities to identify their safeguarding responsibilities.
Finally, the Management Board of my Department monitors progress to ensure that all staff in my Department will be in a position to fully comply with the provisions of the legislation and to ensure that the necessary governance assurance mechanisms will be in place in relation to the relevant services funded by my Department.
558. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which the child protection services have the necessary resources and staff available to them to meet the demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31537/17]
View answerTusla employs approximately 3,637 whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff and the vast majority of these are focused on responding to the needs of children and families at risk. I wish to assure the Deputy that with the current available staff all urgent and emergency cases, such as situations of abandonment, allegations of physical and sexual abuse, parental ill-health and the need to find an immediate placement, or a threat to the safety or life of a child by a third party, are dealt with immediately. My Department also provides oversight to ensure that the quality and performance of social work service is maintained to deal with service demands.
I am aware also that to ensure Tusla staff are able to support children and families it is the organisation's policy to ensure all staff are trained in Child Protection and Children First guidelines and staff attend a broad range of Child Protection Training including:
- Core Court Room Skills
- Introduction to Court Skills
- Domestic Sexual & Gender Based Violence (DSGBV) – Awareness & Response
- Practice Development for Newly Appointed Social workers
- Supervision - Making the most of Supervision for Supervisees
- Supervision - Staff Supervision Skills Training for Supervisors
- Foundations for Assessment
- Evidence Informed Practitioner Programme
- Legal Briefing Seminar
However, I am very mindful of the correlation between recruitment and cases where a child does not have a dedicated social worker and the need for Tusla to closely link its recruitment programme with operational decisions to effect improvements. As part of my regular engagement with the Board, I have requested that the Agency provides me with an assessment of recruitment for the remainder of 2017, linked to specific targets to reduce the number of children awaiting allocation of a dedicated social worker. I have requested that Tusla develops a robust workforce plan which addresses succession planning, retention, career pathways, training and development, future workforce needs, priority gaps and a strategy for tackling the priority gaps and reducing unallocated cases.
Tusla’s 2017 recruitment target is 369 additional staff across its grades. Tusla’s social work target for the end of 2017 is 1,520 whole time equivalent and Tusla appears to be on track to meet this target. However, it is unlikely that 1,520 WTE social workers will be sufficient to execute Tusla’s current and future responsibilities without changes to the composition of Tusla social work teams. Accordingly, Tusla is evaluating management and staff skills mix with a view to service enhancement, including reviewing the roles of family support workers; social care workers in the community; and administrative structures to support the delivery of more efficient and cost effective services. Part of the evaluation also includes looking at enhanced job roles, increasing multi-disciplinary team-working in an effort to alleviate pressure; redesigning tasks; and promoting greater efficiency in working.
Tusla has also appointed a dedicated Workforce Planner to work closely with Tusla services/operations with a view to identifying the areas’ required resource mix reflecting the ongoing challenge of recruiting social workers and the potential for more social care workers, family support etc.
I am confident that the Exchequer funding of €713m in 2017 will provide Tusla with significantly increased capacity to respond to areas of identified risk and anticipated demand and to progress a number of key service developments which will ensure better outcomes for vulnerable children, and families, who need our services and support.
559. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which she remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of available facilities to ensure the follow-up required in cases of children at risk or reported to be at risk in various settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31538/17]
View answerUnder the Child Care Act 1991, as amended, and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Tusla provides a continuum of care supports and interventions for 'at risk' children and their families, including early intervention and prevention services, family support services and community based services, such as Meitheal.
The State only intervenes in family life in exceptional cases. However, if there is a child protection concern, Tusla can investigate and take the child into care if necessary. The immediate safety of the child is the first consideration. When necessary, an initial assessment will take place. This assessment identifies the risk and protective factors in each given situation so that informed decisions and recommendations can be made.
Based on the information available, the duty social worker, in conjunction with the team leader, gives the case a priority level of high, medium and low, depending on the risk identified in the information available. Following the initial assessment, the case remains with the duty team, who monitor risk, while awaiting its allocation to a social worker. The priority level may change where new information shows an increased or decreased risk to the child.
If a report to the social work department indicates immediate and serious risk, urgent action must be taken to protect the child and in this instance a child may be placed in care. The separation of children from their parents is only considered when all alternative means of protection have been exhausted.
In 2017, Tusla has been allocated Exchequer funding of €713 million to extend and improve the services it provides. This represents an increase of €37 million from 2016.
560. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in State care in respect of residential and fosterage settings; if the supervisory and professional supports required remain readily available in all such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31539/17]
View answerTusla, Child and Family Agency, has advised that to the end of March 2017 there were 6,130 children in care. There were 5,834 children in foster care, of whom 4,148 children were in general foster care, and 1,686 were in care with relatives. There were 361 children in residential care placements, including a small number of special care units. There were a further 115 children in care who were in other placement types suited to their identified needs.
As the Deputy may be aware there has been an ongoing recruitment drive to recruit additional social workers and social care workers. The majority of children in care have access to their allocated social worker. However, there are some cases where a child in care does not have an allocated social worker. These placements are closely monitored, supported and managed by the duty social work team, under the supervision of the Principal Social Worker.
561. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of reports of child abuse in situations of children in residential care directly in the custody of the State or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31540/17]
View answerTusla, Child and Family Agency, has advised that information of the type requested by the Deputy is not collated nationally.
Individual cases of children in care are reported to Tusla and dealt with under Children First Guidelines. Each referral is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. The immediate actions that result from a report are aimed at removing the risk from the children in the first instance.
There are safeguards surrounding each child care placement, whether foster or residential care. Placements are supervised by a professionally qualified social worker, and the provision of care services is monitored by Tusla management and subject to inspections by the Health Information Quality Authority and by Tusla Registration Services.
The Deputy should also be aware that children in care have access to independent advocacy supports, such as the organisation Empowering People in Care, or EPIC. Children in care also have access to the complaints mechanism in Tusla, and may make complaints, or be assisted to make complaints, about their care to the Office of the Ombudsman for Children.
Tusla,Child and Family Agency, receives over 45,000 referrals of child welfare and protection concerns each year from officials and members of the public. In 2016, Tusla received 47,399 referrals, of which 60% related to welfare concerns. Referrals are most often received from members of An Garda Síochána or from employees of the HSE or of Tusla.
562. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of reports received of alleged child abuse in respect of children in the home in each of the past three years; the extent to which adequate facilities have been put in place to address the issues arising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31541/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy, that is the location at which abuse has occurred, is not collated at a national level by Tusla. Tusla have provided me with a breakdown of the referrals they have received in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016. The information in the table refers to referrals received by Tusla, and it should be noted that multiple referrals may relate to the same child.
|
Referrals |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Physical abuse |
4,066 |
3,991 |
4,450 |
|
Emotional abuse |
6,233 |
6,535 |
6,871 |
|
Sexual abuse |
3,114 |
2,940 |
3,042 |
|
Neglect |
5,263 |
4,769 |
4,724 |
|
Total |
18,676 |
18,235 |
19,087 |
The Deputy will notice that the vast majority of referrals are for emotional abuse and neglect, possibly indicating abuse within the family setting.
563. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the back-up facilities available on an ongoing basis for children and young adults on leaving institutional care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31542/17]
View answerChildren leaving care before their 18th birthday are normally being reunited with either their parents or responsible family members. This is carried out in a planned manner. Tusla continues to engage with the family and provide family supports where appropriate.
The Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 was signed into law in December 2015 and I will commence this legislation on 1 September 2017. It entitles eligible young people to a formal aftercare plan, prepared by Tusla in collaboration with the young person leaving care. In response to this legislation Tusla has introduced a number of new practices. It has developed dedicated aftercare teams, it has standardised the financial supports that it offers to those leaving care, and it continues to roll out inter-agency steering committees to strongly promote good co-ordination of these services at local level. Through these measures, young people leaving care are offered a wide range of services from different sectors including income supports, health supports, accommodation and education. I can tell the Deputy that 58% of young people in receipt of aftercare services are in full-time education.
564. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department can react quickly to allegations of child abuse in a setting in which the State has intervened or accepted responsibility for the care of such children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31543/17]
View answerTusla holds the statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection, and is the appropriate body to receive reports relating to the safety and well-being of a child. This applies to children under the age of 18, living in their own home or living in care. Each referral received by Tusla is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. In March 2017, Tusla informs me that there are 6,308 children in the care of the State. Of these the vast majority, (5,819) are in foster care, while 489 are in residential care or other types of care.
There are safeguards surrounding each child care placement, whether foster or residential care. Placements are supervised by a professionally qualified social worker, and the provision of care services is monitored by Tusla management and is subject to inspections by the Health Information Quality Authority and by Tusla Registration Services. Tusla is also aware of and alert to the possibility of child on child abuse in care settings, and has processes in place to deal appropriately with such incidents.
The Deputy should also be aware that children in care have access to independent advocacy supports, such as the organisation Empowering People in Care, or EPIC. Children in care also have access to the complaints mechanism in Tulsa, and may make complaints, or be assisted to make complaints, about their care to the Office of the Ombudsman for Children.
There is, however, no room for complacency about our safeguarding measures, and they are under constant review to ensure that they are effective.
565. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she supports voluntary bodies involved in the provision of care or support to children at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31544/17]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has responsibility for grant programmes covering Child Welfare and Protection, the School Completion Programme, and Family and Community Support, all of which provide supports for children and young people at risk. Grants are issued to service providers that work in conjunction with Tusla, as well as local school completion projects and voluntary organisations.
The total expenditure in grants paid by Tusla in 2016 came to €143.9m. This is a significant sum, and my Department supports the work of Tusla in providing these grants to community and service providers working with children at risk. Tusla will continue to support voluntary bodies that carry out this important work in 2017 and into the future.
566. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will offer grant aid to youth organisations or others involved in the provision of facilities for young persons on an ongoing basis in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31545/17]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country.
Budget 2017 provided an additional €5.5m in current funding to my Department to support the provision of these youth services. This will bring total youth funding in 2017 to €57.4m. In recent years, capital funding has also been made available to my Department to purchase equipment and to support small-scale projects, including refurbishment, health and safety fit-outs and accessibility improvements in local voluntary youth services.
567. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she and her Department can intervene to support children whose parents are undocumented and who may as a result be open to exploitation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31546/17]
View answerMy Department does not have a policy remit for undocumented adults. This falls under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides a continuum of care supports and interventions for 'at risk' children and their families, including early intervention and prevention services, family support services and community based services, such as Meitheal. Every child who is normally resident in Ireland is entitled to equal access to services. Tusla operates under a principle of equity of care. If a report is made to Tusla concerning the welfare, safety or well-being of a child whose parents are undocumented, Tusla will provide that child with the same level of service, care and support as any other.
568. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she and her Department has access to the necessary information to address the needs of children of homeless families; if particular referrals or recommendations are received in her Department from the relevant local authorities in which there is a risk of children becoming homeless; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31547/17]
View answerAs part of a whole-Government approach to homelessness, my Department is working closely with Tusla to provide supports for families in emergency accommodation in order to mitigate the challenges faced by parents and children in this situation.
As the Deputy will know, Tusla has agreed a joint protocol with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE). This covers child welfare protection matters for children in emergency accommodation. It is fully operational in the DRHE area and it is intended to extend it to Galway, Limerick and Cork this year.
It is important to note that the State only intervenes in family life in exceptional cases. Children who are with their families in emergency accommodation remain in the care of their parent or guardian. If there is a specific child protection concern, Tusla can investigate and take the child into care if necessary. The reporting of any such concerns to Tusla is governed by Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. Where there are no welfare or protection concerns, Tusla’s role is to provide family support, where this is required.
Tusla is providing additional supports to assist families in emergency accommodation. It funds child support workers for this purpose and has also appointed a Homelessness Liaison Officer. My own Department is providing free child care for homeless children in the Dublin area for up to 25 hours a week. Our Family Resource Centres (FRCs) are working with people who are experiencing homelessness. Many FRCs have already developed a local response to the needs of families in emergency accommodation. These include, for example, family fun days, homework support, after-school programmes, play therapy and transport services. Tusla will be developing a reporting mechanism this year to record the extent of homeless work in the Family Resource Centres.
In recognition of the difficulties associated with homelessness and school attendance, the Educational Welfare Office (EWO) offers a number of supports to children and their families. The DRHE has also arranged Leap cards for homeless families in Dublin to facilitate family days out and for school journeys.
It is of the utmost importance that we minimise the impact of homelessness on children and offer families comprehensive supportive measures, while ultimately working towards eradicating homelessness in Ireland.
569. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has satisfied herself regarding the adequacy of the child counselling services available to children that are at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31548/17]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides family support services to children and families at risk when a need is identified. These services can be provided directly by Tusla through its family support services, social work or social care services, or through play therapies, as appropriate. Tusla also provides funding to voluntary organisations offering a range of counselling and support services to children and families, including marriage and relationship counselling, child counselling, bereavement counselling and peer support programmes.
Key elements of the support provided to children at risk may include referral and advocacy for access to specialist services to meet the child’s identified needs as part of their care plan, such as speech and language therapy, counselling and psychology services. Children may need to be referred to the child and adolescent mental health teams (CAMHS) and primary care psychology services provided by the Health Service Executive. Additionally, there are a number of services commissioned by social work departments around psychotherapeutic supports. In special cases Tusla may procure private psychology services where the waiting time for the HSE service is considered to be detrimental for the child's welfare.
Tusla will continue to strive to meet the requirements of the children and families they serve, and I will continue to support them in doing so.
570. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to support an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31549/17]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country.
I am pleased to confirm that I have allocated an extra €5.5m in current funding to support the provision of youth services in 2017. This will bring the total youth funding by my Department to €57.4m, an increase of 10% over last year's allocation. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services.
In 2017, an amount of €525,425 was allocated for the projects and services under Kildare Youth Services, which operates under Youth Work Ireland. My Department provides funding to Kildare Youth Services under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme in respect of six local youth projects in Athy, Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, the Curragh and Kildare town and a Youth Information Centre in Naas.
571. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of civil servants in her Department who have requested a transfer to a location outside County Dublin; the number of civil servants in her Department who have requested a transfer from a location outside of Dublin into County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31774/17]
View answerWith regard to applications for transfers to or from other Departments or State Agency offices, my Department does not operate a transfer list. Staff may have their interest in a transfer listed with other Departments which hold a transfer list, or they may seek a possible transfer by means of a "Head to Head" transfer by directly contacting a person willing to transfer with them. My Department only becomes aware of such possible transfer requests when staff have identified suitable opportunities. At such time, it is at the discretion of the Departments concerned to agree to the transfer arrangements, having regard to sick leave and performance assessments. Accordingly, my Department has no information on the number of staff seeking transfers to or from other locations.
Action 15 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan has a commitment to develop a mobility scheme within the Civil Service and work is ongoing with the Civil Service Management Board, Departments and staff interests. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is currently developing Phase 1 of the scheme for the general service grades of Clerical Officer and Executive Officer which is planned to be launched later this year. Phase 2 of the scheme will be developed following the implementation of Phase 1 and will include the general service grades of Higher Executive Officer, Administrative Officer and Assistant Principal Officer.
The scheme will be centralised and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will have the facility to report on numbers on lists per Department and location following its successful launch.
572. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance appeal can be expedited for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31021/17]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18 April 2017. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
573. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the withdrawal of the provision of school lunches in a primary school (details supplied) in Dublin 11; if she will instruct her Department to intervene to ensure that funding is made available for this school to continue providing meals to children in a very disadvantaged area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31067/17]
View answerThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to 1,460 schools and organisations benefiting over 200,000 children at a total cost of some €47.5 million in 2017. As part of Budget 2017, the funding for the scheme was substantially increased this year by an additional €5.5 million (13% over the previous year’s allocation) which will benefit over 50,000 children.
The school referred to by the Deputy has been funded for a breakfast and lunch based on the Department of Education and Skills enrolment figures to the end of the 2016/2017 academic year. It received €49,680 in total, which represents a small decrease on the previous year’s funding as pupil numbers had decreased. The school was notified of its allocation and is expected to manage within the funding provided. The Department is in contact with the Principal regarding this matter.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
574. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons refused a State pension (non-contributory) in 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30809/17]
View answerThe statistics the Deputy has requested are not readily available. The data are being assembled and will be sent to the Deputy as soon as possible.
575. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to a person (details supplied); if the case can be examined with a view to ascertaining the most suitable support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30822/17]
View answerAccording to the records of the Department, the person concerned has not submitted an application for income support. If the person concerned is not currently fit to resume work, he should contact his doctor to obtain the MC1 and MC2 forms, for submission to the Illness Benefit section of the Department. Should he not have sufficient means to meets his needs in the interim, he should contact the Community Welfare Service in Naas.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
576. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of dietary supplement under 18 years of age; the number of persons in receipt of dietary supplement under 22 years of age in full-time education; the number of persons over 18 years of age in receipt of dietary supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30825/17]
View answer577. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reinstate diet supplements for persons suffering from coeliac disease and throat cancer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30826/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 576 and 577 together.
Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition. The Government has provided €4.6 million for the scheme in 2017.
There are currently approximately 3,100 persons in receipt of the diet supplement of which 15 are aged 22 years and under (of which 3 are aged 18 years and under). Department records do not indicate the education status of these young people. Diet supplement can be paid to a recipient in respect of a qualified child or qualified adult, however, statistics are not available on these cases, including details of their age or education status.
Following the outcome of a review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute commissioned by the Department during 2013, the scheme has been closed to new applicants from 1 February 2014. This independent research showed that the average costs across all of the retail outlets of the diets supplemented under the scheme can be met from within one third of the minimum personal rate of social welfare payment, i.e. the SWA rate which was then paid at €186 per week. The weekly rate of SWA has recently increased to €191 further to Budget 2017. The diet supplement scheme was discontinued for new applicants on the basis of this evidence and I have no plans to reverse this decision.
Existing recipients continue to receive the diet supplement at the current rate of payment for as long as they continue to have an entitlement to the scheme or until their circumstances change. This measure ensured that nobody was immediately worse off by the closure of the scheme.
In cases of particular hardship, officials continue to have the legislative power to award a SWA payment in cases of exceptional need. Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to financial support should contact the Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo centre who may be able to offer assistance.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
