Written Answers Nos. 380-400
380. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the planned excavation on the site of the mother and baby institution in Tuam, Galway; and the date on which exhumation will commence. [38535/24]
View answerIn October 2022 the Government made an Order, under the Institutional Burials Act 2022, to direct the establishment of an independent Office to lead an intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam.
In March 2023, I formally established the Office of Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam and in May I appointed Mr Daniel MacSweeney as the Director to head up that Office and to oversee the excavation, recovery, identification (if possible) and reburial, in a respectful and appropriate way, of the remains of the children at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam.
Following his appointment, the Director’s initial priority has been engagement with key stakeholders, including families and survivors of the Tuam institution. The Director has also been building the necessary foundations to deliver a project of this unique complexity, difficulty and scale in line with international standards and best practice. He has focused on the necessary preparatory works, including the recruitment of staff, establishment of administrative structures, site preparation, the securing of lab premises and the engagement of experts, all of which allows for the excavation to commence.
The Director has recently appointed a multi-disciplinary consultant to design the civil and structural engineering part of the excavation work and to assist in the process of procuring the services of a works contractor. I understand from the Director that preliminary works at the Tuam site will take place over the coming months, followed by the commencement of full excavation works in early 2025.
The Director will consult with family members, survivors and local residents about planned works and the details of the excavation.
381. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of disabled persons resident in a congregated setting, by county, local age and type of residence from 2020 to date, in tabular form. [38536/24]
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.
382. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will release the necessary funding to continue to fund transitioning those under 65 years out of nursing homes and into appropriate accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38537/24]
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.
383. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of respite centres that stopped being operational in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and to date in 2024; and the name, address and CHO area of each of these respite centres, in tabular form. [38560/24]
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.
384. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE forensic accountants employed by his Department in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [38602/24]
View answerMy Department has not employed forensic accountants in the period to which the Deputy refers. Since April 2023, the Ukraine Division in my Department has engaged an accountancy firm to assist in supporting the payment function for my Department's costs incurred in the Government's response to the Ukraine crisis. This mostly related to costs of temporary emergency accommodation sourced by and for my Department. Earlier in 2024, this work was extended to include forensic accounting services to support the Compliance function within the Ukraine Division and to assist in investigation and reconciliation. I cannot provide the WTE breakdown of forensic accountants involved in the work in tabular form as requested.
385. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE staff, by grade, within his Department that are dealing with applications under the mother and baby homes institutions payment scheme, in tabular form. [38603/24]
View answerThe Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme opened on 20 March.
In terms of staffing for Scheme delivery, a blended operating model was developed. This provides for the Chief Deciding Officer to be supported by a core Executive Office operating independently but based in my Department and also by experienced third party support, appointed after a procurement process. This blended approach facilitates efficiencies in application processing and payments through the ability to scale staff numbers involved in the Scheme as necessary depending on applicant numbers at any given time.
All staff in the Executive Office, as well as the third party support team, operate under the direction and supervision of the Chief Deciding Officer and a comprehensive training programme for all staff involved in Scheme administration has been delivered.
|
Executive Office |
Third Party Support Team |
||
|
Principal Officer |
1 |
Management |
7 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
5 |
Team Leader |
3 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
3 |
Agents |
56 |
|
Administrative Officer |
3 |
||
|
Executive Officer |
8 |
||
|
Clerical Officer |
9 |
||
|
Total |
29 |
66 |
386. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the projected cost of expanding the in-school therapy pilot scheme to include five additional schools. [38626/24]
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.
387. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if assistance will be provided to a family for transport of a person with special needs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38681/24]
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.
388. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a crèche (details supplied) will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38690/24]
View answerAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.
389. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason temporary letters of practice for a childcare setting have an expiry date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38721/24]
View answerUnder the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, all staff working directly with children in a pre-school service must hold at least a Level 5 major award in early childhood care and education on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or a qualification that has been deemed to be equivalent.
On a temporary basis, the Department had arranged to reopen the accelerated process for assessment of equivalence with the level 5 minimum qualification requirement for students currently enrolled on a recognised level 6, 7 or 8 course for the summer of 2024. This measure was provided to help services with short-term staffing challenges over the summer period.
To be approved for a letter of qualification recognition of equivalence with the level 5 qualification requirement, a student:
• Must be currently enrolled on a course that is on the list of DCEDIY Early Years Recognised Qualifications at level 6, 7 or 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications.
• Must have successfully completed at least the first year of the course.
• Must have successfully completed a practice placement in-person in an ELC service.
These letters were given an expiry date of the 1st of September 2024 to minimise disruption to courses and to students prior to the academic year recommencing.
Should a student wish to apply for a general (not time-limited) letter of qualification recognition they should submit a full application to the Department at EYQualifications@equality.gov.ie and include the following documents:
• Completed, signed Application Form (a typed name will not suffice).
• Transcripts for each year of the course completed so far.
• A letter from the college/institution confirming that they are continuing their studies.
• Evidence of work practice/experience in an Early Years setting with children aged 0 – 6 years.
My officials are currently in the process of developing a separate application process for current students of a recognised programme at level 6 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications and are engaging with Further Education and Training Providers and Higher Education Institutions in relation to this.
390. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the baby bundle initiative; the number of sets of new parents that benefitted from the initiative; the number of applicants; the total cost of the scheme; and if his Department has plans to expand the scheme. [38738/24]
View answerMy Department launched the Little Baby Bundle pilot in February 2023.
The Little Baby Bundle is designed to be a gift from the State for new parents, welcoming a new arrival to their family. The gift is an acknowledgement by the State of this very significant and special moment for parents. It includes key items to support parents after the birth of their baby, to support parent-infant bonding, and to promote parent and infant health and wellbeing.
Through that pilot 500 bundles were provided for participating parents. 350 bundles were available for women receiving prenatal care at our pilot site at the Rotunda Hospital Dublin, and 150 for University Hospital Waterford.
Signups were on a first-come, first-serve basis in order to capture a representative sample of the parents attending the two pilot sites.
In total, 480 women signed up, 8 of whom were having twins making a total of 488 babies due to be born. 330 out of 350 women from the Rotunda Hospital Dublin and 150 out of 150 women from University Hospital Waterford signed up. The take-up rate for this pilot scheme was 96%.
The cost of the delivery of the scheme was €200,000. An independent research evaluation cost €87,000. The last bundle was delivered in September 2023. Leftover bundles from the pilot were donated to domestic violence services.
Decisions on a national rollout will be taken in the context of future Budgets.
391. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is concerned that there is no family resource centre serving the people of Dungarvan and west Waterford; and the steps his Department will take to address this issue. [38739/24]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme, which supports 121 FRCs throughout the country. My Department allocates core funding for the FRC Programme through Tusla, which has advised my Department that the current level of funding is to sustain existing services operating in the FRC Programme.
I can inform the Deputy that at present there are no plans to expand membership of the FRC Programme given the available funding. The commissioning of Family Resource Centres is an operational matter for Tusla, and subject to availability of funding.
However, building on my announcement of the funding equalisation scheme in April, it is my intention to seek funding in Budget 2025 to increase the numbers of FRCs. Any expansion of the Programme will, however, be dependent on the success of my Budget negotiations.
A central feature of the FRC programme is the involvement of local people in identifying needs and developing needs-led responses. Organisations that wish to join the Family Resource Centre Programme are advised to contact Tusla in the first instance to highlight their interest in the Programme. As you will appreciate, the Tusla National Commissioning Office receive frequent requests to become members of the Family Resource Centre Programme from organisations in various parts of the country. In the event the Family Resource Centre Programme is expanded the Tusla Area Commissioning Plan will be a critical contribution to the decision-making process. Tusla’s aim is to utilise the total resources available to it in the most efficient, equitable, proportionate and sustainable way in order to improve outcomes for children, young people, and families.
392. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the case of a person (details supplied) who has applied for residential placement; when such a placement will be offered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38758/24]
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.
393. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 1358 and 1359 of 9 September 2024, if he will investigate the fact that Tusla was made aware of an issue (details supplied) in November 2023 but stopped working with the organisation in February 2024; and the cause of this three-month delay. [38776/24]
View answer394. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update in respect of the work to ensure that the supply of early learning childcare and school-aged childcare meets demand in Kildare north. [38777/24]
View answerImproving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government.
Data available to my Department demonstrate that, overall, early learning and childcare provision is expanding, specifically:
• Data from the Early Years Sector Profile Survey shows that, between 2021/22 and 2022/23, the estimated number of enrolments in services rose by 8% from 197,210 to 213,154.
• Core Funding application data shows that between Year 1 (from September 2022-August 2023) and Year 2 (from September 2023-August 2024) of the scheme, annual place hours increased by 7.4%.
• Data from Tusla on service closures and new service registrations shows a net increase of 129 in the overall number of services in 2023 and a five-year low in the number of net ELC services closures – with pre-school service closures falling by 18% in the first year of Core Funding.
• Data from the Early Years Sector Profile Survey showing that, between 2021/22 and 2022/23, the estimated number of staff in the early learning and childcare workforce rose by 8% from 34,357 to 37,060.
• Data from the NCS showing that since 2022, there has been a 22 per cent increase in the number of providers offering the Scheme, a 100 per cent increase in the numbers of children benefitting from the Scheme and a 52 per cent increase in the number of sponsored children.
At the same time, there are also instances of underutilisation of capacity with some services reporting vacant places and others not operating to the maximum of their Tusla capacity.
There is also evidence that demand for places is increasing and, for certain cohorts and in certain areas, outstripping supply. This is partly driven by the significant improvements in affordability that have been achieved in recent years and I acknowledge that some families experience challenges in accessing places, particularly for younger children.
My Department has in place a range of supports and funding schemes to support the delivery of early learning and childcare places but services are independently operated, either by community not-for-profit or by private for-profit providers. It is important also to note that demand can vary significantly in line with families’ individual composition, circumstances and preferences; employment patterns and income; and the price and availability of services.
An important project that I have initiated this year is the development of a forward planning model to develop a better understanding of the nature of supply and how it relates to demand and in order to support the delivery of more early learning and childcare places in the parts of the country where they are needed.
The model will identify the quantum and volume of different types of early learning and childcare places across the country, whether or not those places are occupied and how that aligns with the numbers of children in the corresponding age cohorts at local area level.
My Department also oversees the administration of capital investment under the National Development Plan, through the Building Blocks Capacity Grant. The primary focus of the Building Blocks Capacity Grant Schemes is to increase capacity in the 1-3 year old, pre-ECCE, age range for full day or part-time care. Appraisal of applications for this scheme considers the supply and demand in the area around the proposed projects and seeks to prioritise funding for areas with the biggest supply/demand mismatch. I hope to announce further details of the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme in the coming weeks.Additionally, my Department is currently engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to examine and review the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings with a view to updating them.In addition, under the National Action Plan for Childminding, I have committed to opening up access to the National Childcare Scheme to parents who use childminders following the extension of regulation to childminders. From 30 September, following the commencement of the Childminding Regulations, it will be possible for childminders to start applying to Tusla to go through the registration process. Once registered by Tusla, childminders can then also apply to take part in the National Childcare Scheme. This will increase the numbers of funded and regulated early learning and childcare places available.In individual cases where parents in Kildare are having difficulty finding a suitable early learning and childcare place, Kildare County Childcare Committee may be able to assist in identifying vacant places. The Committee will also support services in that area that are considering applying under the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme.
395. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding and resources his Department has provided to Kildare County Childcare Committee in 2023 and to date in 2024. [38778/24]
View answerIn 2023, my Department provided Kildare County Childcare Committee with a core operational funding allocation of €488,149. In addition to this, Kildare County Childcare Committee received funding relating to a number of Departmental initiatives and programmes as set out below:
|
Access and Inclusion - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training |
€10,000 |
|
Other Access and Inclusion Supports |
€23,625 |
|
National Síolta Aistear Initiative |
€1,500 |
|
Learner Fund |
€11,250 |
|
Parent and Toddler |
€11,672 |
|
National Childminding Action Plan |
€2,500 |
|
Ukraine Response |
€30,450 |
|
Childminding Development Officer |
€73,000 |
|
Core Funding Supports |
€22,000 |
The total funding amount provided to Kildare County Childcare Committee in 2023 was €674,146.
In 2024, my Department provided Kildare County Childcare Committee with a core operational funding allocation of €525,383, an increase of 6% on the previous year. In addition to this, for 2024 Kildare County Childcare Committee received funding relating to a number of Departmental initiatives and programmes as set out below:
|
Access and Inclusion - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training |
€10,000 |
|
Other Access and Inclusion Supports |
€24,570 |
|
Learner Fund |
TBA* |
|
Parent and Toddler |
€16,644 |
|
Quality Supports Funding including: - the National Síolta Aistear Initiative; - the National Child Safeguarding Programme: - Core Funding Quality Action Plan; Co-ordination and Supports to Settings; - Regulatory Supports; - Irish Language Supports; - Outdoor Play and Learning Supports; - School-Age Childcare Supports; - Childminding Supports. |
€7,500 |
|
Ukraine Response |
€36,937 |
|
Childminding Development Officer |
€73,000 |
|
Core Funding Supports |
€22,000 |
* CCC allocation in relation to the Learner Fund is based on demand and the number of applications submitted. The application process for 2024 closed on the 27th September and submitted applications are currently being reviewed. As such, the amount allocated to Kildare CCC in relation to this programme is not yet available.
The total funding amount allocated to Kildare County Childcare Committee in 2024, excluding any amount allocated in respect of the learner fund, is €716,034.
396. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the supply management unit in his Department, and if this unit provides resourcing and funding in respect of the delivery and fit out of premises that are used for early learning childcare and afterschool care. [38779/24]
View answerThis year, my Department established a Supply Management Unit within its Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare division. A key part of the Supply Management Unit’s remit is to develop a better understanding of the nature of supply and how it relates to demand and to develop policy to support the delivery of more early learning and childcare places in the parts of the country where they are most needed.
This unit is currently developing a forward planning model which will identify the quantum and volume of different types of early learning and childcare places across the country, whether or not those places are occupied and how that aligns with the numbers of children in the corresponding age cohorts at local area level.
There are a number of levers available to my Department to seek to align supply with anticipated demand, having regard to the fact that demand can vary significantly in line with families’ individual composition, circumstances and preferences; employment patterns and income; and the price and availability of services.
The unit is also designing and delivering capital investment under the revised National Development Plan, through the Building Blocks Capacity Grant. My Department has a capital allocation of €89 million between 2023 and 2026 under the National Development Plan. The Building Blocks Capacity Grant schemes will operate over 2024 and 2025. The Building Blocks Capacity Grant has two strands, an Expansion scheme (now closed) and an Extension scheme to support existing services to increase capacity.Under the Building Blocks Expansion Grant scheme, which is operating in 2024, grants of between €25,000 and €100,000 were awarded to projects to undertake renovation or upgrades to existing space to cater for more children. Funding has been paid to twenty two services and will deliver 290 new places, primarily in the 1-3 year old cohort.Under the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme, some €25 million will be available in 2025 to deliver additional capacity. Under the scheme, community and private providers may apply for funding between to physically extend their premises. In addition, community providers may apply for funding to purchase or to construct new premises. The Extension Scheme will have minimum requirements of numbers of places for 1-3 year olds to be delivered but will not preclude places for other age groups also being delivered.
Both build and fit out costs are eligible expenditure in the capital schemes.
I hope to announce details of the Extension scheme in the coming weeks.
397. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if, when the legislation allowing ill women to defer maternity leave is passed, this will be backdated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38780/24]
View answerFollowing approval by Cabinet last week, it is my intention to now publish the Maternity Protection Bill 2024 and bring this Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas to enactment as soon as possible.
This Bill will allow women undergoing treatment for a very serious physical or mental illness to postpone their maternity leave.
Under the Bill, anyone still on maternity leave at the date of commencement will, if eligible, be able to postpone any remaining maternity leave, but it will not be possible to backdate these entitlements.
This reform follows on from a commitment I made at the end of last year, following a campaign by the Irish Cancer Society. I commend the work done by the Irish Cancer Society and others to highlight this important issue, and I am very pleased to be able to progress this reform.
398. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine a case for funding for a school (details supplied). [38790/24]
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.
399. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has been in consultation with the owners of the property (details supplied) in County Cork regarding this property being used as IPAS accommodation. [38800/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.
400. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the need to safeguard institutional archives; and if his attention has been drawn to the legislative framework in Northern Ireland on the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38801/24]
View answerIn March 2022, Government approved high-level proposals for a National Centre for Research and Remembrance, to be located on the site of the former Magdalen Laundry on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin 1. This Centre will stand as a site of conscience to honour equally all those who spent time in Industrial Schools, Magdalen Laundries, Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, Reformatories, and related institutions.
The National Centre will stand as part of our national institutions. In addition to a museum and exhibition space, and a garden for reflection and remembrance, it will include a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century, which will form part of the National Archives (NAI). Most of the records to be contained in the National Centre will transfer to NAI from a government department or State body who created, received or held the records in the course of their own business functions. A process has commenced across departments to prepare these records for transfer to the National Centre under the provisions of the National Archives Act 1986.
Other organisations and institutions have also been identified such as private/religious institutions and/or individuals that may hold relevant records not subject to the National Archives Act. As part of its ongoing work, NAI is engaging with these institutions and bodies to address how such records could be appropriately made available over time, and accessible for research purposes in the context of the new archive given the complementarity of such holdings.
I am aware that legislation in relation to the preservation of institutional records is in place in Northern Ireland. The issue of further legislative provisions to safeguard privately held records in this State is something which is currently being examined under the Legal and Legislative workstream of the National Centre initiative.
