1 July 2014 Written Answers. The following are questions tabled by Members for written response and the ministerial replies as received on the day from the Departments [unrevised]. Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, answered orally. Questions Nos. 9 to 60, inclusive, resubmitted. Questions Nos. 61 to 67, inclusive, answered orally. 01/07/2014WRA00600Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries 01/07/2014WRA0070068. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on his plans to set up a commission of investigation into mother and baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28014/14] 01/07/2014WRA00800Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Charles Flanagan): The Government has undertaken to establish a Commission of Investigation into concerns regarding conditions and related practices in Mother and Baby Homes. I have also publicly confirmed that the in- tended scope of this investigation will go beyond the home operated by the Sisters of Bon Sec- ours in Tuam, Co. Galway and these announcements have been widely welcomed. I wish to acknowledge the constructive contribution of Government Deputies and opposi- tion spokespersons with whom I have met in recent days. I look forward to continuing engage- ment across the House with a view to achieving all-party consensus as the necessary arrange- ments are finalised. I have also met with representatives of a number of key advocacy groups and Church lead- ers, including the Adoption Rights Alliance, First Mothers Group, Bethany Homes Survivors Group, Cúnamh, Adoption Loss and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. I also hope to meet with Archbishop Jackson at his earliest availability. The submissions made to me during these constructive discussions, together with those received through my Department’s dedicated e-mail facility, will feed into the process. I am confident that this inclusive approach in the essential scoping phase will assist in establishing an inquiry which is capable of effectively addressing these important matters in a sensitive and timely manner. I am consulting with Government colleagues in relation to the detailed approach to the Commission. We have been well served by the output of the Cross Departmental Review Com- mittee which concluded its output by the due date of the 30th June. In parallel I intend continu- ing engagement with Opposition spokespersons so that they too have an input into the process. I can assure the House that I am committed to taking the most appropriate approach to 105 Questions - Written Answers establish the truth in respect of these deeply tragic and disturbing events. It is my intention to bring a resolution before both Houses before the summer recess to facilitate the making of an order to formally establish the Commission. 01/07/2014WRA00900Bullying of Children 01/07/2014WRA0100069. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the ex- tent to which his Department is in a position to respond to concerns arising from cyber or other forms of bullying inside or outside the school environment; if he is satisfied regarding the extent to which victims can have access to support services at an early stage; if child psychiatric ser- vices are readily accessible or available in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27993/14] 01/07/2014WRA01100Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Charles Flanagan): As Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, I am committed to working with colleagues in Government to ensure that integrated policy responses to combat bullying are high on our agenda. I do not have spe- cific legislative responsibilities in this area. Where a crime may have been committed it falls to An Garda Siochana to investigate. The Department of Justice and Equality also has respon- sibility for the Office for Internet Safety which takes a lead responsibility for internet safety in Ireland, particularly as it relates to children. The Action Plan on Bullying is being led by the Department of Education and Skills. Na- tional anti-bullying procedures place a requirement on schools to record, investigate and ad- dress incidences of bullying and cyber-bullying, both in and out of school. The procedures highlight the need for parents and young people to understand how to protect themselves at home, in school, or in the community. The Minister for Communications Energy & Natural Resources recently published the Re- port of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group and announced the establishment of an implementation group to be chaired by his Department to oversee consideration of the re- port’s recommendations including on issues to do with bullying and harassment on line. There are a range of support services in place to support children and young people who are coping with bullying situations. Webwise.ie , a Department of Education and Skills initiative, provides information for parents and teachers about the risks involved and how to protect chil- dren against cyber-bullying. Many of the youth services, funded by my Department, provide services to address bullying issues, increase awareness about internet safety and social media and to promote young people’s wellbeing. Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children provides that serious incidents of bullying should be reported to the Child and Family Agency. Following assessment and where required, appropriate support will be put in place. In addition to support for the family and the child which can be provided by the Child and Family Agency in relation to serious incidents, there are also a range of services provided by the HSE, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health services which may be relevant depending on the nature of the condition being experienced by a child. Services provided by the HSE fall within the remit of the Minister for Health. I can assure the Deputy that my Government colleagues and I are actively engaged in ad- dressing the issues raised, as is evident in the Action Plan for Bullying and the very recently launched Report of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group. 106 1 July 2014 01/07/2014WRA01200Child Care Services Funding 01/07/2014WRA0130070. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to reinstate the 2009 cuts to the early childcare supplement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28006/14] 01/07/2014WRA01400Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Charles Flanagan): The Early Child- care Supplement was introduced in April 2006 to assist parents with the costs of caring for children in their pre-school years. Due to the need to reduce public expenditure, a number of reductions were made to the Early Childcare Supplement from 2009 and the then Government took a decision to abolish the Early Childcare Supplement with effect from the 31st December 2009. At its peak the payment cost €480 million in 2008. Some of the funding previously avail- able to support the provision of the Early Childcare Supplement was re-directed to provide for the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, or free pre-school year, at an annual cost of €175 million. The redirection of resources to this more targeted and child-centred policy is in line with the generally held principle that pre-primary education is a key determinant of student performance at all levels of education as it leads to improvements in motivation and the propensity to learn, which in turn raises the social and private returns from all future investments in their education. It also addressed the general criticism of the Early Childcare Supplement that it directed re- sources away from a more targeted and beneficial investment in early years care and education, in particular in the form of pre-school education. While I believe the last Government missed a great opportunity to re-direct more money from the Early Childcare Supplement into promoting greater quality and accessibility for early childhood care and education, this Government has no plans to re-introduce the Early Childcare Supplement. Even if such funding was available from the Exchequer, its re-introduction would not be a good use of resources which would yield much greater benefits if used to directly sup- port quality early years services. This Government has made a very significant commitment in maintaining the pre-school year on a universal and free basis despite the current budgetary situation. The Early Child- hood Care and Education programme, which represents an investment of almost €175 million annually, is funded by my Department through the provision of capitation grants paid directly to participating services. It is a fundamental principle of the programme that the pre-school provision is available to parents free of charge. In the region of 68,000 children benefit from the free pre-school provision each year. There is significant international evidence of the benefits for children’s outcomes of the pro- vision of quality education and childcare in the earliest years. The provision of targeted funding to support specific early years childcare programmes is considered the best option for the use of the available resources and the Government will continue to fund these programme with an emphasis on improving the quality of the services provided. 01/07/2014WRA01500Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries 01/07/2014WRA0160071. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the Magdalen laundries and Bethany homes including Ovoca House, Westbank Orphanage and the Church of Ireland Magdalen home, Leeson Street will be included in the terms of reference of the statutory inquiry into mother and babies homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27897/14] 107 Questions - Written Answers 01/07/2014WRA01700Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Charles Flanagan): The Government has undertaken to establish a Commission of Investigation into the disturbing revelations on conditions and related matters in Mother and Baby Homes.