Monitor Published: 20 January 2014 Contents

1. This Week in the Houses of the Oireachtas 20-24 December 2013 2. Oireachtas Questions and Debate 13-17 January 2014 Asylum/Immigration Education: including special needs, ECCE, minorities, disadvantage, literacy and numeracy, school staffing, school buildings, school patronage, curriculum Child Services/ Children in Care: including foster care and social work services, HSE staffing, youth services Child Abuse/Child Protection: including vetting, child abduction Family: including adoption Health and Wellbeing: including disability, mental health, substance misuse, primary care, health services, hospital services, obesity, sports facilities Child Benefit/Social Welfare/Poverty Justice Issues/Human Rights/Equality

1. This week in the Oireachtas (20-24 January 2014) http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=25269&&CatID=60 2. Oireachtas Questions and Debate (13-17 January 2014) Asylum/Immigration

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (15 Jan 2014) Patrick Nulty ( West, Independent) To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will give consideration to introducing a single procedure to decide on protection claims as a matter of urgency in order to reduce the amount of time persons will be obliged to spend in the direct provision system; if he will ensure that the new legislation in this regard complies with various human rights instruments including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which forbids discrimination against children on the basis of the status - including immigration status - of their parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.1514

Education: including special needs, ECCE, minorities, disadvantage, literacy and numeracy, school staffing, school buildings, school patronage, curriculum Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (15 Jan 2014) Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action that can be taken to assist returning emigrants who have difficulty in getting their children back into their local school after being abroad (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.667

Written Answers — Early Child Care Education Issues (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills Information on Ruairí Quinn the criteria that qualifies as early educational intervention for pre-school children with autism.http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/da il2014011500060?opendocument#WRL02925

Written Answers — School Meals Programme (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that school canteens providing meals on school premises are adequately regulated; his Department's current responsibilities in terms of the regulation of the school canteens system/service; if he is considering any new regulations in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20140 11500060?opendocument#WRL02750

Written Answers — Book Rental Scheme (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills Information on Ruairí Quinn the reason fairer scheme for book rentals cannot be put in place; if he proposes to determine the details of rental schemes being operated in individual schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011500063?opendocument#WRO00950

Written Answers — Book Rental Scheme (16 Jan 2014) Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn if he will review the eligibility requirements for the book rental scheme with particular reference to the exclusion of schools which had already established their own schemes; if he will take into account the circumstances pertaining to a school as outlined in direct correspondence to him (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011600056?opendocument#WRF01550

Written Answers — School Transport Provision (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn if he will indicate the circular which states that fees for school transport may be paid in two instalments. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011500063?opendocument#WRO01150

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications (16 Jan 2014) Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn if he will indicate the circular which states that fees for school transport may be paid in two instalments. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011600056?opendocument#WRF00450

Written Answers — Teaching Redeployment (16 Jan 2014) Deputy asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn if it is possible for a permanent teacher to transfer from one Education Board to another; the mechanism to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011600056?opendocument#WRF00996

Written Answers — School Enrolments (16 Jan 2014) Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 12 December 2013, if he has considered the introduction of PPS numbers on enrolment forms for schools as part of his new reforms in the area of admissions so as to assist in managing supply and demand and in order to minimise the practice of place-blocking where parents place their children on multiple school enrolment lists. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011500062?opendocument&highlight=school%20transport#WRN01250

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn if he will provide an update on the implementation of the action plan on bullying for schools; the actions that have been taken to progress the implementation of the following recommendations contained within the plan; new national anti-bullying policy for schools, review of teacher education support service provision, co-ordinated training and resource development for Boards of Management and parents and a new national anti-bullying website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011500062?opendocument#WRN03750

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts (15 Jan 2014) Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the job share programme for special needs assistants has not been addressed by his Department since the 23 of October, when they promised a final draft for SIPTU; if the National Council for Speech Education and his Department guidelines have been modified towards the issues regarding the 32 hour week of an SNA being a full time post, with some SNA's who will be paid for their half post of 16 hours, based on their old contracts after 2005, and have not been modified since, but the new entrants who will jobshare will only be in receipt of 14 hours 10 minutes pay since the new contract will state only the school day, but not the same time as stated in the post holder SNA's contract; and when this matter will be resolved. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.493

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (15 Jan 2014) Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent of training in the bachelor of education courses for primary school teachers in the area of autism; if he is satisfied the teachers are sufficiently trained to teach autistic children in main stream primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.472

Child Services/ Children in Care: including foster care and social work services, HSE staffing, youth services Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jan 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout (Independent)

I, too, wish everyone a happy new year.

I warmly welcome the establishment of the Child and Family Agency and was surprised to learn this morning that it was to be branded with the new name Tusla, which apparently is a completely new word reflecting a shared desire for a new beginning and forging a new identity. I wonder why we cannot call things what they are. Why must we make up a word in order to brand the agency?

On the Child and Family Agency, the good news is that at the Joint Committee on Health and Children I established with the Minister for Health that no historic deficit will be transferred to the new agency. However, that is where the good news ends. The agency has a budget of €545 million. We established yesterday that the budget does not meet the anticipated costs for 2014 and we are not giving the agency a fighting chance. It has not even got off the starting line. There is an agency that is to herald a new start with a €545 million budget and we are not giving it a fighting chance. In parallel, there is Irish Water where several Ministers and officials have defended, and even supported, the establishment costs which, according to the briefing document of September 2012, are €180 million. Establishment costs are important. The Child and Family Agency got zero for establishment costs. It has no start-up budget. Its funding is not sufficient. No doubt it will have a deficit this year. Are we throwing out the baby with the bath water? I would ask that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs clarify what is the budget, where are our priorities and will we wait until January next year when we will have a furore over what happened in the Child and Family Agency. http://www.kildarestreet.com/sendebates/?id=2014-01-15a.7#g33 Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (15 Jan 2014) Simon Harris (Wicklow, ) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will roll out the crisis intervention service emergency out of hours social work service for children and young people under the age of 18 nationwide; if her Department has costed the national roll out of this service; if she will provide details of the current CIS and how many referrals were made to the service in 2012 and 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2020

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Appointments to State Boards (15 Jan 2014) Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide in tabular form year on year the number of commercial and non-commercial State agency board positions, under the aegis of her Department that have been filled since March 2011 to December 2013; the number of these positions that were publically advertised; and the number of female appointments. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2030

Written Answers — Youth Café Provision (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Information on Frances Fitzgerald if she will provide details of the assessment process for the awarding of youth café capital funding; the criteria involved; and the reasons for ineligibility and so on. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20140 11500094?opendocument#WRUU00950

Written Answers — Youth Work Projects Funding (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald her views on the number of positions arising in the youth work sector that are exclusively for community employment scheme applicants only; her further views that specialised youth workers who do not qualify for CE have very little employment opportunity as a result; if she will examine the issue with a view to finding a solution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20140 11500094?opendocument#WRUU01150

Written Answers — Youth Café Expenditure (15 Jan 2014) Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Information on Frances Fitzgerald the total amount of state funding allocated to the Attic youth café since it was first established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20140 11500094?opendocument#WRUU01950

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Expenditure (16 Jan 2014) Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details on the allocation of the €1.75m in capital funding for youth services in 2013 as set out in the estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-16a.847

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (15 Jan 2014) Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of any websites or online resources which her Department funds to provide information to young people on youth work, youth services or other information of use or interest to young people; the amount of funding provided to each organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2016

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Voluntary Sector Funding (16 Jan 2014) John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of each allocation from her Department’s expenditure budget to registered charities in each of the past three years. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-16a.863

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Bodies (16 Jan 2014) Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of quangos, State agencies or organisations under the remit of her Department that have been merged, reformed or abolished since 2011; the details of each of these measures in tabular form; the cost saving or service delivery improvement which has resulted; how many more she expects to be merged, reformed or abolished and the timeline for same; if she will provide a full list of all agencies and organisations under her remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-16a.857

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Young People’s Policy Framework (15 Jan 2014) Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she plans to publish the children and youth policy framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2042

Child Abuse/Child Protection: including vetting, child abduction

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services (15 Jan 2014) Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if child protection social workers will operate a service 24 hours a day seven days per week under the remit of the newly established Child and Family Agency. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2036

Written Answers - Child Care Services Provision (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald the number of children currently on the waiting list for a special care placement; the average waiting time for such a placement; her views on recent reports that up to 40 children are waiting for a special care placement. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20140 11500094?opendocument&highlight=child%20care#WRUU01550

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (15 Jan 2014) Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the applications to date to the Magdalen Laundries Redress Scheme by country of residence. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.1642

Family: including adoption

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jan 2014) (Independent) I will come to that point. The law has changed to enable single fathers to obtain guardianship in a much easier way. That is welcome. It is a point we might well raise during the debate on the children and family relationships Bill which the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs have promised, which I hope will come before the House in this term. That is a debate which will cover a whole range of issues that, hitherto, have been neglected in Irish law, including rights on assisted human reproduction, issues around surrogacy, parentage and so on. We would all welcome the introduction of that Bill. http://www.kildarestreet.com/sendebates/?id=2014-01-16a.7#g46

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (15 Jan 2014) Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 386 of 3 December 2013, the number of additional staff that will be deployed to the adoption information and tracing service to address the task of organising and storing files transferred from former adoption societies and mother and baby homes to the State; when these appointments will be made; and if she will confirm that the adoption information and tracing service comes within the remit of the newly formed Child and Family Agency. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2012

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (15 Jan 2014) Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of domestic adoptions and the number of inter-country adoptions which took place here in 2013; the number of social workers working in the area of adoption. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2024

Health and Wellbeing: including disability, mental health, substance misuse, primary care, health services, hospital services, obesity, sports facilities

Joint Committee on Health and Children Debate: Health Service Plan 2014: Minister for Health and HSE Tuesday, 14 January 2014 http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/committeeta kes/HEJ2014011400003?opendocument#

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Expenditure (15 Jan 2014) Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) To ask the Minister for Health the reasons for the disparity in the budget allocation for primary care as outlined in the 2013 and 2014 Health Service Executive Service Plans; the way the 2013 €400 million primary care allocation as set out in the 2013 service plan became €514 million as detailed in the 2014 service plan and was further revised to €727.3 million; if any services not previously bracketed under primary care are now being described as such and the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2423

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Reform (15 Jan 2014) Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the reconfiguration of governance and administration structures of community health services planned for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2189

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Guidelines (15 Jan 2014) Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the implementation of A Vision for Change; if he will provide in tabular form the current status of each recommendation or action in the policy document in terms of whether it is completed, in progress or not commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2261

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (15 Jan 2014) Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Health the number of child and adolescent inpatient beds available in psychiatric hospitals for young persons experiencing mental health difficulties; the location of these inpatient beds; the number of inpatient beds at each location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01- 15a.2266

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Funding (15 Jan 2014) Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Health if the €35 million in ring-fenced funding for the development of mental health services in budget 2012 and the further €35 million in ring-fenced funding in this area in budget 2013 has now been fully spent in this area; the way this €35 million in 2012 and the €35 million in 2013 was spent; the number of additional staff that have now been employed in the delivery of mental health services as a result of this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2272

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Bodies (16 Jan 2014) Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Health the number of quangos, State agencies or organisations under the remit of his Department that have been merged, reformed or abolished since 2011; the details of each of these measures in tabular form; the cost saving or service delivery improvement which has resulted; how many more he expects to be merged, reformed or abolished and the timeline for same; if he will provide a full list of all agencies and organisations under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-16a.919

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (15 Jan 2014) Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail) To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of early intervention teams for children in each local health area; the total number on each team; the numbers of children in each area waiting for an appointment with a team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01- 15a.2530

Child Benefit/Social Welfare/Poverty/Housing

Written Answers — Budget 2014 (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection Information on when she will publish the social impact assessment of budget 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011600060?opendocument#WRK02250

Written Answers — Poverty Data (15 Jan 2014) Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton when the next edition of the Social Inclusion Monitor will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014 011600060?opendocument#WRK02450

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (15 Jan 2014) Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the anticipated reduction in spending of €1.7 million on domicilliary care allowance next year; and if she anticipates a reduction in the number of applications made. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.1111

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (16 Jan 2014) Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent) To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce a tax credit to help parents who have to deal with high crèche fees and after school fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01- 16a.157

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Universal Social Charge Application (15 Jan 2014) Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent) To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to reduce the universal social charge or to reform it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.386 Justice Issues/ Human Rights/Equality Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (15 Jan 2014) Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department collates statistics on the number of children who are or have been in the care of the State who have entered the criminal justice system and are or have been detained in Oberstown or St. Patrick’s. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.2009

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Appointments to State Boards (15 Jan 2014) Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide in tabular form year on year the number of commercial and non-commercial State agency board positions, under the aegis of his Department that have been filled since March 2011 to December 2013; the number of these positions that were publically advertised; and the number of female appointments. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.1612

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Tom Arnold (16 Jan 2014) http://www.kildarestreet.com/sendebates/?id=2014-01-16a.51

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Bodies (16 Jan 2014) Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of quangos, State agencies or organisations under the remit of his Department that have been merged, reformed or abolished since 2011; the details of each of these measures in tabular form; the cost saving or service delivery improvement which has resulted; how many more he expects to be merged, reformed or abolished and the timeline for same; if he will provide a full list of all agencies and organisations under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-16a.645

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Equality Proofing of Budgets (16 Jan 2014) Pádraig MacLochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) To ask the Minister for Finance if following the the recent analysis by Social Justice Ireland which stated that Ireland’s poorest 10% lost 18.4% of their disposable income since the start of the crash in 2008, by contrast the richest 10% lost 11.4%, if he will support the introduction of equality budgeting or the equality impact assessment of all future budgets. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-16a.43

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (15 Jan 2014) Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons granted the recovery and reflection period as victims of trafficking under his Department's administrative arrangements for the years 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.1554

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reports (15 Jan 2014) Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide the work of An Garda Síochána Analysis Service (GSAS) in relation to youth crime; if their reports in this area will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-01-15a.1659