14 February 2017 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 9, inclusive, answered orally. Questions Nos. 10 to 39, inclusive, resubmitted. Questions Nos. 40 to 46, inclusive, answered orally. 14/02/2017WRA00600Child Care Services Staff 14/02/2017WRA0070047. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by the operators of private creche facilities in recruiting and retaining staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6714/17] 14/02/2017WRA00800Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Katherine Zappone): I am very much aware of the difficulties being reported regarding the recruitment and retention of early years staff. The matter has been discussed at the Early Years Forum which I chair, and in other fora with my Department. We are working with the Department of Education and Skills to develop a new Early Years workforce plan. This will examine workforce supply issues. I am also aware that pay and conditions of staff is a significant barrier to retaining staff in the sector. Whilst my Department is not an employer of childcare workers, we are a signifi- cant funder. I am committed to the development of high quality services in this country and it has been proven that high quality care is dependent on a workforce that feels valued. My Department is working with the sector to explore how we can improve retention rates. The Programme for Government contains 14 commitments to improving access to high quality, af- fordable childcare. The Affordable Childcare Scheme I am introducing this year will provide an important infrastructure for future investment in the Early Years sector. It is clear that we need to focus collaboratively on how best to make the early years sector as attractive and personally rewarding place in which to work. I think that pay is only one issue, although, clearly an important one. The fact that we are investing considerably increased re- sources in the sector will also be important. In Budget 2017 I secured a 35% increase in child- care funding, up by €120m to €466m. This was on top of a 35% increase in Budget 2016 also. These increases reflect the emphasis I am placing on developing a quality service with ap- propriately supported staff. In this regard, the City & County Childcare Committees are assist- ing services who experience difficulties in recruiting or retaining staff, and the Learner Funds are in place to support staff in achieving minimum qualification requirements, both regulatory 139 Questions - Written Answers and contractual. Childcare workers are part of a growing sector, which the Government is strongly support- ing. I believe that by working together we can ensure that it is a viable and strong sector which makes a significant contribution to the care and personal development of our children. Questions Nos. 48 to 52, inclusive, answered orally. 14/02/2017WRA01000Youth Services Funding 14/02/2017WRA0110053. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the cuts in funding that many organisations in the youth services sector have experienced since 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6754/17] 14/02/2017WRA01200Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Katherine Zappone): I am pleased to confirm that I have allocated an extra €5.5m in current funding to support the provision of youth services in 2017. This will bring the total youth funding by my Department to €57.4m, an in- crease of 10% over last year’s allocation. The additional funding will be used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disad- vantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. They involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. I acknowledge, and very much regret, the cuts that were made to youth funding in earlier years. My Department, along with all government departments, was required to deliver substantial savings on all funding programmes in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure 2012 – 2014. My Department sought to ensure that front line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people, were protected as far as is possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding. I am pleased that we have turned the tide of these cuts now, with a 10% increase this year over 2016. My Department has carried out a Value for Money and Policy Review of a number of schemes supporting youth services. The review involved an in-depth scrutiny of the impact youth service provision has on young people’s lives and made a number of recommendations for the future operation of the youth schemes and their development in the years ahead. I want to streamline the various funding schemes for youth services so that we maximise their benefit and target money to best effect. I have prioritised the work on developing a new integrated funding scheme as recommended by the Value for Money and Policy Review. Con- sultations with youth services are continuing with a view to introducing the new youth funding programme in line with the Value for Money and Policy Review of Youth Programmes in a planned way. Finally, I am committed to continuing to seek additional support for youth services in Bud- get 2018 and beyond. 140 14 February 2017 14/02/2017WRA01300Child and Family Agency Services 14/02/2017WRA0140054. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps that can be taken to increase resources to the Tusla specialist team for separated children. [7020/17] 14/02/2017WRA01500Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Katherine Zappone): I am very con- scious of the need for additional resources for the Separated Children Seeking Asylum team in Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to allow us to respond to the current crisis facing all of us in Europe. I saw this for myself when I met with Greek ministers and with vulnerable families being assisted by our efforts in Greece under the Irish Refugee Programme. I want to acknowledge the work of the Tanaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality and the support of our Cabinet colleagues in pushing forward the work of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme and the Dail resolution on Calais . I have asked Tusla to expand the Separated Children’s team to progress the Dail resolution on unaccompanied minors who were previously in unofficial camps near Calais. Tusla is put- ting in place a project office and increasing the number of staff on this team. The additional staff will include a senior social work practitioner, social workers and social care staff. I un- derstand that Tusla is examining how best to manage the required psychological support for the young people, including the recruitment of a psychologist into the team. I have been assured that residential accommodation being sourced will be homely in nature and in line with national standards. I have committed to making sure that this service is properly resourced, and that the high standard of the current service continues. Estimates of the cost involved will be kept under review as the situation evolves. For example, the range of therapeutic and legal supports to be provided will only become clear once the young people have arrived and been assessed. I am closely monitoring the emerging situation and am determined to ensure this humanitarian effort will be successful. 14/02/2017WRA01600Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries 14/02/2017WRA0170055. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the additional matters that are delaying the publication of the second interim report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. [7021/17] 14/02/2017WRA0180066. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the second interim report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be published; when the final report will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6804/17] 14/02/2017WRA01900Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Katherine Zappone): I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 66 together. As I have previously outlined to the House, it is my intention to publish the Second Interim Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in conjunction with the Government’s response to the Report. Given the broad scope of the Commission’s work a number of issues in the Report extend beyond the remit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Therefore, it has been nec- essary for me to consult with Cabinet colleagues and the Attorney General on these matters. I also needed to seek additional information from the Commission to assist in these deliberations 141 Questions - Written Answers and I am due to meet with the Commission again this month. I do acknowledge that this process has taken longer than I initially envisaged and I am sensi- tive to the expectations of former residents and their advocates in this regard. For this reason, I also want to assure the Deputies that the Government’s consideration of this Interim Report is not affecting progress of the Commission’s investigations.