Written Answers Nos. 601-619
601. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of playgrounds developed annually since 2012 under the capital grant scheme for play and recreation; the details of new or refurbished playgrounds by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21546/19]
View answerMy Department administers a Capital Grant Funding Scheme for new and existing play and recreation facilities for children and young people. The purpose of the play and recreation capital grant is to support refurbishment of play and recreation amenities for children and young people. Since 2013, my Department has contributed to the provision of new equipment, the development of natural play areas and the refurbishment of existing play facilities. There is no record of any funding for playgrounds from my Department in 2012.
Number of Playgrounds developed annually since 2012 under the capital grant scheme
|
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
|
14 |
21 |
23 |
22 |
33 |
35 |
The details of new or refurbished playgrounds by county
|
County |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
|
Carlow |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
Cavan |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Clare |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
Cork |
1 |
|
2 |
|
1 |
3 |
|
Donegal |
|
1 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
|
Dublin |
2 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
5 |
|
Galway |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
Leitrim |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
Limerick |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Laois |
|
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Longford |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Louth |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Meath |
1 |
|
2 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
Monaghan |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Offaly |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Roscommon |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Sligo |
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
Tipperary |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
Waterford |
|
|
1 |
3 |
|
1 |
|
Westmeath |
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Wexford |
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Wicklow |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
602. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of refuge places available in Tusla-funded accommodation in each of the years from 2013 to 2018, and to date in 2019. [21547/19]
View answerUnder the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the provision of care and protection to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV). In discharging its statutory responsibility, Tusla supports 59 organisations nationally that deliver a range of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
Prior to the establishment of Tusla 1 January, 2014, the Health Service Executive (HSE) provided funding to domestic violence services.
I have asked Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the number of refuge places available in Tusla funded accommodation in each of the years 2014 to 2018 and to date in 2019.
603. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of applications made under the access and inclusion model, AIM, in each county since 2015, by AIM level and year, in tabular form. [21548/19]
View answerThe Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a programme of supports designed to enable children with a disability to access and meaningfully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. It was introduced in June 2016 and is administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. AIM is a child-centred model, involving 7 levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child in the context of the pre-school setting they are attending.
AIM Level 1 includes the new higher education programme in Leadership for Inclusion in the Early Years (LINC), established in 2016 with the first intake of students graduating in October 2017. Pre-school settings employing an Inclusion Coordinator (who has graduated from LINC and has agreed to take on the role of Inclusion Coordinator (INCO) in the pre-school setting) can apply for an increase of €2 per child per week in the rate of ECCE capitation payable to that setting. Applications for this increased rate of ECCE capitation were accepted from 2017.
AIM Level 2 provides information for parents and pre-school providers. A dedicated website has been launched under this level - www.aim.gov.ie - and an AIM Communications Strategy is also being developed.
AIM Level 3, in recognising the requirement to continue to develop a qualified workforce that can confidently meet the needs of all children wishing to participate in the ECCE programme, provides for a multi-annual training programme for pre-school practitioners.
AIM Level 4 provides access to mentoring for pre-school practitioners from a team of dedicated AIM Early Years Specialists.
AIM Level 5 provides for access to specialised equipment, appliances, assistive technology and/or minor alterations capital grants for early years’ settings to ensure children with a disability can participate in the ECCE programme.
AIM Level 6 provides access to HSE therapeutic services where they are critical to enable the child to be enrolled and to meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme.
AIM Level 7 provides additional assistance in the pre-school room where this is critical to ensuring a child’s participation in the ECCE programme. In line with emerging best practice to support the integration and independence of children with a disability, AIM does not fund Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). Rather, it provides financial support to the pre-school provider, which can be used either to reduce the adult to child ratio in the pre-school room or to buy in additional assistance to the pre-school room. Accordingly, Level 7 assistance is a shared resource for the pre-school setting.
Pobal has provided the following information regarding the number of AIM applications for Levels 1, 4, 5 and 7 received by county since 2016. As the 2018-19 programme year is not yet complete, the number of applications in relation to 2018-19 may rise further during the final weeks of the programme year.
|
County |
Level 1 - INCO Capitation |
Level 1 - INCO Capitation |
Level 4 - Mentoring from Early Years Specialists |
Level 4 - Mentoring from Early Years Specialists |
Level 4 - Mentoring from Early Years Specialists |
Level 5 - Alterations & Equipment |
|
ECCE programme year |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2016-17 |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2016-17 |
|
Carlow |
12 |
26 |
29 |
53 |
66 |
1 |
|
Cavan |
4 |
23 |
49 |
47 |
73 |
13 |
|
Clare |
31 |
46 |
100 |
100 |
127 |
13 |
|
Cork |
104 |
171 |
345 |
437 |
546 |
42 |
|
Donegal |
47 |
55 |
113 |
126 |
131 |
16 |
|
Dublin |
117 |
281 |
507 |
721 |
945 |
30 |
|
Galway |
36 |
99 |
120 |
158 |
188 |
13 |
|
Kerry |
51 |
60 |
92 |
130 |
114 |
21 |
|
Kildare |
44 |
72 |
104 |
163 |
179 |
16 |
|
Kilkenny |
17 |
33 |
38 |
55 |
69 |
9 |
|
Laois |
18 |
26 |
57 |
78 |
102 |
11 |
|
Leitrim |
6 |
10 |
17 |
22 |
19 |
7 |
|
Limerick |
63 |
73 |
135 |
156 |
204 |
13 |
|
Longford |
5 |
16 |
26 |
19 |
29 |
2 |
|
Louth |
17 |
32 |
77 |
112 |
171 |
9 |
|
Mayo |
25 |
49 |
50 |
99 |
103 |
7 |
|
Meath |
28 |
67 |
98 |
182 |
197 |
21 |
|
Monaghan |
13 |
19 |
27 |
24 |
43 |
5 |
|
Offaly |
11 |
20 |
42 |
58 |
98 |
7 |
|
Roscommon |
20 |
32 |
30 |
46 |
49 |
2 |
|
Sligo |
18 |
22 |
21 |
29 |
42 |
8 |
|
Tipperary |
25 |
63 |
88 |
119 |
143 |
15 |
|
Waterford |
19 |
34 |
54 |
62 |
87 |
9 |
|
Westmeath |
17 |
27 |
47 |
58 |
78 |
5 |
|
Wexford |
23 |
56 |
87 |
111 |
139 |
3 |
|
Wicklow |
12 |
43 |
42 |
92 |
91 |
6 |
|
Total |
783 |
1,455 |
2,395 |
3,257 |
4,033 |
304 |
table contd.
|
County |
Level 5 - Alterations & Equipment |
Level 5 - Alterations & Equipment |
Level 7 - Additional Assistance in the preschool room |
Level 7 - Additional Assistance in the preschool room |
Level 7 - Additional Assistance in the preschool room |
|
ECCE programme year |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2016-17 |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
|
Carlow |
4 |
10 |
18 |
48 |
75 |
|
Cavan |
10 |
10 |
43 |
64 |
82 |
|
Clare |
16 |
26 |
90 |
111 |
124 |
|
Cork |
89 |
82 |
263 |
516 |
667 |
|
Donegal |
27 |
14 |
91 |
137 |
173 |
|
Dublin |
49 |
71 |
323 |
750 |
1,126 |
|
Galway |
16 |
17 |
99 |
186 |
231 |
|
Kerry |
23 |
34 |
71 |
141 |
153 |
|
Kildare |
17 |
7 |
90 |
160 |
214 |
|
Kilkenny |
11 |
5 |
30 |
59 |
90 |
|
Laois |
14 |
10 |
41 |
83 |
114 |
|
Leitrim |
3 |
3 |
12 |
23 |
29 |
|
Limerick |
27 |
14 |
118 |
182 |
247 |
|
Longford |
|
6 |
20 |
21 |
33 |
|
Louth |
8 |
18 |
59 |
123 |
206 |
|
Mayo |
22 |
23 |
35 |
105 |
137 |
|
Meath |
26 |
30 |
50 |
173 |
255 |
|
Monaghan |
4 |
2 |
25 |
36 |
52 |
|
Offaly |
11 |
7 |
28 |
71 |
106 |
|
Roscommon |
7 |
2 |
20 |
50 |
61 |
|
Sligo |
9 |
6 |
19 |
35 |
56 |
|
Tipperary |
15 |
20 |
69 |
138 |
183 |
|
Waterford |
4 |
7 |
48 |
64 |
102 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
8 |
32 |
58 |
87 |
|
Wexford |
4 |
12 |
69 |
139 |
178 |
|
Wicklow |
7 |
2 |
29 |
85 |
102 |
|
Total |
425 |
446 |
1,792 |
3,558 |
4,883 |
604. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount paid in fees to companies (details supplied) by her Department in each of the years from 2011 to 2018, inclusive. [21575/19]
View answerMy Department has utilised Deloitte’s services on a yearly basis since 2012. Deloitte provided audit services for a number of youth programmes operated by my Department. Details of the funding provided are listed in the table below.
|
|
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
|
Deloitte |
€8,911 |
€7,488 |
€7,488 |
€8,781 |
€8,781 |
€8,781 |
€8,781 |
In addition, my Department made a once off payment to Ernst & Young in 2016, amounting to €1,918 for the provision of internal audit services. The Deputy might note that my Department has not provided funding to PwC and KPMG during the period specified.
605. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding allocated to domestic violence emergency refuges and step down accommodation for 2019. [21631/19]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency provides funding and coordination supports to some 59 organisations that deliver a range of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence throughout the country.
In 2019, €25.3 million is being allocated to Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence services, an increase of €1.5 million over 2018.
I have requested Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy regarding the amount of funding to be allocated to domestic violence services in 2019.
606. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of teenage girls who became pregnant while in residential care in each of the years from 2015 to 2018, inclusive. [21653/19]
View answerI have been informed that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, does not collate data on the number of pregnancies experienced by young people in residential care.
When a young person in residential care becomes pregnant, a review of their statutory Care Plan is arranged, which aims to assess all of the needs of the young person. The planning process takes into consideration the current and future needs of the young person, and their child. The views of the young person are paramount to the process.
607. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there will be a formal investigation into a person (details supplied) and his or her work with Tusla. [21685/19]
View answerI am aware that media reports have issued recently with regard to the individual to whom the Deputy refers.
I have been advised by Tusla that it cannot comment on individual employment matters.
608. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason she has not made herself available to receive in person a petition from a service provider (details supplied) in County Donegal; if she will be available in future to meet representatives of the organisation with a view to discussing service provision, funding and other related matters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21698/19]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that a representative from the organisation in question recently contacted my office with regard to a meeting and a presentation of a petition on two specified dates. My office advised the representative of the organisation in question that I would not be available to attend a meeting on those dates due to the pressures of scheduled business. My office will follow up on this matter with the organisation in question in due course.
Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the provision of care and protection to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV). In discharging its statutory responsibility, Tusla supports 59 organisations nationally that deliver a range of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
Two specific services, Donegal Women’s Domestic Violence Service and Donegal Women’s Centre, are funded by Tusla to provide services to domestic violence victims in County Donegal, including Inishowen. At this time, Tusla is not seeking to commission additional services in County Donegal.
A wide range of Tusla services are provided and commissioned across County Donegal, mindful of the rural nature of the county. Accessibility is an issue for service users in many rural areas across the country, and Tusla has been supporting services in developing and enhancing outreach services in order to improve access to services.
Many organisations have moved from a clinic-based response to more flexible responses, where services arrange to meet service users at times and places that are safe and convenient for them. Tusla-funded services in County Donegal have demonstrated this approach in providing an outreach service to service users in different areas of the county, including Inishowen.
In 2018, Tusla provided €3,200 in funding to the organisation in question for the delivery of counselling to both adults and children.
I am committed to the development of domestic violence services. Tusla will continue to work with service providers throughout the country to improve services for victims of domestic violence.
609. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if an outreach worker to deal with County Carlow specifically has been appointed to a refuge (details supplied) ; and if so, when this post will be commenced. [21848/19]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the provision of care and protection to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV).
As the Deputy will be aware, I secured an additional €1.5m in funding for DSGBV services in 2019.
On Thursday 25 April, 2019, I announced that the additional €1.5 million in funding will be used to provide:
- A 10% increase in funding to sexual violence services;
- 12 new outreach workers for women and children affected by domestic violence to improve access to support services;
- National roll out of a 12 week healing programme for children who have been impacted by domestic abuse, which also helps parents/guardians to understand their child’s experiences and support their recovery;
- Opening in the Autumn of a new refuge in South Dublin; and
- A specific initiative to reduce the waiting times for counselling for victims of sexual violence.
Tusla is responsible for the allocation and administration of funding to DSGBV services. Over the coming weeks, Tusla will work to implement the decisions made in relation to additional funding in 2019. I have asked Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to service provision in County Carlow.
610. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if additional funding has been provided for a refuge (details supplied). [21849/19]
View answerAs highlighted to the Deputy in response to her previous question (Ref PQ 21848/19), I secured an additional €1.5m in funding for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services in 2019 and have announced how this additional funding is to be used.
I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to respond directly to the Deputy regarding additional funding for the named organisation this year.
611. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of Tusla payments for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21926/19]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for direct reply to you.
612. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to request that Tusla maintains a record of the number of girls in residential care who become pregnant while in care, in view of the fact that Tusla does not keep such records. [22011/19]
View answerThe pregnancy of a girl in care will be recorded on an individual file and the care planning process is the key forum to ensure that robust plans are put in place to support young people who are pregnant.
National level data is not currently collated for all incidents of pregnancy. I thank the Deputy for her suggestion and will include the issue in future discussions of appropriate and helpful data that Tulsa might collect to assist policy monitoring and development.
613. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the safeguarding of children in residential care in view of the fact that young boys and girls are regularly housed together in residential care houses and 24-hour supervision is impossible. [22012/19]
View answerI thank the Deputy for her question and confirm that, as this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for direct reply.
614. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to provide enhanced funding to a group (details supplied) to carry out youth counselling work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22081/19]
View answerI understand that Youth Work Ireland Galway has not contacted my Department in relation to a request for enhanced funding for youth counselling work.
The total 2019 Targeted Youth Funding Scheme (TYFS) allocation for Youth Work Ireland Galway amounts to €370,260.
In 2019, €60.4m is allocated in current funding to support the provision of youth services. This is an increase of €1.5m on 2018. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people through the Targeted Youth Funding Scheme. The increase will also assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services.
The TYFS is overseen on behalf of my Department by the Education and Training Boards (ETBs).
Future development and investment in youth services will be informed by the mapping exercise completed in 2017, which mapped youth service provision across the State. This mapping will assist the Department and the relevant ETB in developing a detailed social demographic profile in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels. My Department is committed to working with ETBs to identify need and explore ways to address this need where it emerges.
615. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount spent by his Department on fees to companies (details supplied) in each of the years from 2011 to 2018, inclusive. [21586/19]
View answerMy Department has not incurred any costs or fees to the companies in question from the establishment of the Department in July 2017 to the end of 2018.
616. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development how persons can source information on a service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21875/19]
View answerIf the proposed location is secured, it is expected that new positions will be created and these will be advertised in due course through the media and on the website of the organisation concerned.
617. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on a matter that concerns community employment scheme supervisors (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21735/19]
View answerFirstly, I am delighted to note that the industrial action due to take place has been suspended following recent discussions I and officials held with Fórsa and SIPTU. The very many services provided by CE supervisors, assistant supervisors and every participant in community employment schemes in rural and urban areas are extremely valuable to every town and village in the country. All of these schemes are well embedded in community areas nationally and they are engaged in significant levels of service support and delivery.
Engagement will now commence between the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the unions over the next number of months. This provides an opportunity to address issues of concern to CE Supervisors. The date of the next meeting has been agreed with all parties with engagement commencing this week.
618. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of an increase in bands of employers' and employees' pay-related social insurance, PRSI, to reflect a minimum wage of €11.80 per hour. [21930/19]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and calculated by the Department and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.
619. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated revenue that would be raised by introducing a new employers’ rate of pay-related social insurance, PRSI, of 12.75%, 13.75%, 14.75% and 15.75%, respectively, on the portion of salary paid in excess of €100,000 per annum. [21950/19]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table.
|
Increase in Employer PRSI rate on earnings over €100,00 to: |
Yield |
Employments affected |
|
12.75% |
€127.0m |
251,592 |
|
13.75% |
€197.6m |
251,592 |
|
14.75% |
€268.1m |
251,592 |
|
15.75% |
€338.7m |
251,592 |
These estimates are based on PRSI Class A contributions. They use the latest available data and reflect macro-economic indicators.
It should be noted that these estimates do not take into account any possible changes in employer behaviour arising from changing rates of contribution.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
