Written Answers Nos. 310-316
310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he and his Department continue to meet the needs of people with disabilities of all ages and gender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26267/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that disabled people are supported to live full lives of their own choosing, on an equitable basis with all others in society.
Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in March 2018. The Convention expresses disability rights as human rights and is extremely comprehensive in scope, capturing most aspects of daily life and going well beyond the remit of a single Department or Minister.
Coordination of the necessary whole of government work to advance the rights under the Convention is done my by Department but it falls to each of my ministerial colleagues to develop and implement specific measures on the basis of their ministerial portfolio. In that context, all public bodies must each ensure, on a "mainstream first" basis and in line with the Convention, that they are meeting their obligations under the UNCRPD and in relevant national legislation.
The Deputy can be assured that as Minister for Disability, I will continue to work to fulfil our commitments under the UNCRPD.
Under my own ministerial remit and addressing the needs of children, the Progressing Disability Services Roadmap for Service Improvement (2023-2026) was launched by the HSE on Tuesday 24th October 2023 and is a targeted Service Improvement Programme which sets out to achieve a quality, accessible, equitable and timely therapy services for children with complex needs and their families.
The Action Plan for Disability Services was approved by Government in July 2023, and was published on 14th December 2023. The Action Plan arises out of a Government commitment to work towards implementing the recommendations of the Disability Capacity Review to 2032. €74m in funding for new measures was allocated to disability services in the recent Budget. This will provide for new residential placements for children and adults, day services for 1250-1400 school leavers in 2024, extra respite and personal assistance services, as well as neurological community supports.
Finally, work is underway to develop the next National Disability Strategy. The next National Disability Strategy will be a fulfilment of a key Programme for Government commitment and will coordinate the continued implementation of the UNCRPD in Ireland. It will operate as a whole-of-government blueprint for disability policy, and facilitate coherent work across government to support disabled people of all ages and genders.
311. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he continues to liaise with youth group representatives in County Kildare, and throughout the country, to establish supportive dialogue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26268/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department officials and I regularly meet with representatives of the youth sector, including young people, youth service providers and the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) who administer a number of the key funding schemes on behalf of my Department.
The national youth representative network, made up of Comhairle na nÓg, Dáil na nÓg and the National Youth Assembly, also provides opportunities for my Department regularly to engage with young people throughout the country, including those from Co. Kildare.
With regard to meetings with youth sector representatives in Kildare, my officials have recently met with the youth service director and youth officers of Kildare and Wicklow ETB, as part of a series of bilateral meetings with each ETB. These meetings have given my officials the opportunity to explore the key issues of concern with each ETB.
My officials are in regular contact with Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), the representative body for all of the ETBs. ETBI acts a conduit for information between the ETB youth divisions and my Department, providing advice and guidance to ETBs on my Department's funding schemes, and updating my officials with the issues of concern of the ETBs.
My officials also maintain regular contact with the 30 national youth organisations funded under the Youth Service Grant Scheme as well as with Gaisce, the President's Award. This includes the National Youth Organisations Meeting which I attend twice a year to hear directly from the sector. The next meeting takes place later this month. These organisations provide volunteer-led youth services on a national basis, including to the young people of Kildare.
Officials from my Department meet with various youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises.
312. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which his Department liaises with the Department of Education with a view to putting in place integrated after-school child care facilities for children in their school buildings to ensure appropriate care is available for children whose parents work full-time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26269/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnsuring that quality accessible early learning and school age childcare is available to families is a key priority of Government.
The Programme for Government commits to increase the range of after-school services in schools or community hubs to offer a range of education and family-focused measures.
Currently, approximately, 15% of all early learning and care (ELC) and school age childcare (SAC) services are located in schools.
The scope for wider use to be made of school buildings is a matter for the Department of Education and the various patrons that govern schools across the country. The Department of Education policy is to encourage the use of school facilities, where possible, for community, training and education-related activities, including ELC and SAC.
The Department of Education has recently published "Procedures on the use of school property and school sports facilities outside of school hours".
Officials in my Department responded to a request for input and provided observations to the Department of Education on a draft of this document. A follow up meeting has been sought with the relevant section.
313. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he proposes to use equality as a means of ensuring proper and adequate services for those deemed to be in need of such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26270/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll public bodies have responsibility under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of their employees, customers, service users and everyone affected by their policies and plans. The public sector duty assessment and implementation for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth was published in 2021 and the Department will continue to report on developments relating to the implementation of the Duty in its Annual Reports.
Discrimination on specified grounds is prohibited by law in the supply of and access to goods and services under the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2018. Complaints regarding breaches of equality legislation may be pursued before the Workplace Relations Commission. The Workplace Relations Commission publishes statistics regularly on its decisions in regard to equality complaints, disaggregated by discriminatory ground.
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, which is independent in the exercise of its statutory functions, includes among those functions keeping under review the adequacy and effectiveness of law and practice in the State relating to the protection of human rights and equality, including in relation to the provision of goods and services.
The ongoing review of the Equality Acts is examining the operation of the Equality Acts from the perspective of the person taking a claim under its redress mechanisms. It is further examining the degree to which those experiencing discrimination are aware of the legislation and whether there are practical or other obstacles which preclude or deter them from taking an action. In July 2021, my Department undertook a public consultation process as part of the review of the Equality Acts to examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality. A report summarising the key issues raised in the public consultation was published last year and can be accessed here:www.gov.ie/en/press-release/cafb4-minister-ogorman-publishes-report-on-the-submissions-to-the-public-consultation-on-the-review-of-the-equality-acts/
It is hoped that legislative proposals arising from the review will be brought forward in the coming weeks.
314. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which the concerns of parents of children with mental health problems are regularly monitored with a view to ensuring the availability of adequate residential places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26271/24]
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.
315. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children currently in the various forms of care, institutional or otherwise; the degree to which he is satisfied with the level and quality of the care in all such situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26272/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question of total number of children currently in various forms of care has been interpreted to refer to children in alternative care. Tusla’s latest available Monthly Service Performance and Activity Report informs that there were 5,781 children in care at the end of April 2024. 87.6% (5,063) of all children in care are in foster care (3,593 general foster care, and 1,470 relative foster), 8% (468) are in residential care (453 general residential care and 15 special care) and 4% (250) are in “other” care placements (including at home under a care order, detention centre, disability unit, mental health unit, drugs/alcohol rehabilitation unit, hospital, special emergency arrangement, supported lodgings etc.).
In respect of quality of care in these settings, the Child Care Act 1991 is the primary piece of legislation providing for alternative care and child protection policy in Ireland. The Act is a wide-ranging piece of legislation, which, at its core, seeks to promote the welfare of children who may not be receiving adequate care and protection.
Consequently, the Act sets out a detailed statutory framework, which includes but is not limited to provisions requiring Tusla to have regard to the best interests of the child, the criteria for bringing children into care, the types of placements where they may be placed, and the responsibilities of the State to children in alternative care. The child protection and welfare landscape in Ireland has changed greatly since the Act’s commencement, and there are areas of the legislation that require updating to reflect this, our improved understanding of children’s rights, and to allow for positive practice developments to be enshrined in law where needed. In April 2023 I published the Heads and General Scheme of a Bill to amend the Child Care Act 1991, following a comprehensive review of that legislation. On 23 April 2024, Government agreed to separate the proposed legislation into two Bills and that amendments relating to child welfare and protection will follow in a separate Bill later in this session.
The placement of children in alternative care is also governed by Regulations and Standards for Foster Care, Residential Care, and Special Care. These Regulations and Standards set out the detailed criteria against which Tusla is inspected, in its provision of alternative care services. The application of these Regulations and Standards promotes safe and high quality practice in alternative care.
In November 2023 the Government published Young Ireland: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2023 – 2028. This national policy identifies Foster Care, Care and Aftercare as a priority under National Outcome 3: Safe and Protected from Harm. In this regard, the national policy details concrete steps to be taken by my Department, Tusla and other stakeholders across Government in order to improve provision of services to all children in care and in receipt of aftercare services.
Tusla has statutory and operational responsibility for the provision of alternative care services. Since its establishment in 2014, it has led a comprehensive reform of child protection, alternative care, and family support services. Central to their vision is the development of services that ensure children are safe and achieving their full potential. In this regard, Tusla has developed a Strategy on Alternative Care. The Strategy comprises Strategic Plans for Residential Care, Foster Care, and Aftercare, each of which identifies key recommendations to further reform and improve service delivery in alternative care.
Further, Section 41 (1) of the Child and Family Act 2013 stipulates that I as Minister shall develop a performance framework to provide Tusla with policy guidance, direction and prioritisation parameters for the preparation of its corporate plan, and provision is also made for the development of a performance statement to inform Tusla’s annual business plans.
The Government is committed to supporting the provision of high quality and safe services to children in care, which will help them to reach their full potential. Officials in my Department meet regularly with their counterparts in Tusla to discuss a range of issues, including availability of placements, workforce planning and interagency issues, with a view to supporting the continuous improvement of services delivered to children in care.
I will continue to engage closely with relevant stakeholders, including Tusla, to improve the delivery of high quality care to children and young people.
316. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of a facility in County Cork (details supplied). [26303/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.
