Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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15. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide the full year effect of all expenditure reductions for her Department as set out in the expenditure report 2014 as was provided for in the expenditure report 2013; the areas in which cuts are to be effected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47827/13]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I seek detail from the Minister on the impact of reductions in her Department's funding for 2014 across the various areas of its responsibilities. I am particularly interested in the youth programmes, the school completion programme, the national longitudinal study, the national children's strategy, the early intervention programme and the child and family support agency and why it has been signalled in regard to 2014, given that we are looking at an entirely different structure. When will that come about?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Estimate provision for my Department in 2014 will amount to €449 million. The allocation consists of €414 million in current expenditure and €35 million in capital expenditure. This level of investment demonstrates that while operating within difficult budgetary constraints, this Government is strongly committed to delivering important reforms and service developments for children and families. The overall resource allocation is especially significant when account is taken of the €8 million in savings which are built-in as a result of commitments made in the comprehensive review of expenditure 2012-14. Details of these savings to which the Deputy referred and the programmes' savings to which they refer are set out fully in the 2014 expenditure report published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on 15 October last in the context of budget. As the Deputy said, these include a reduction in commitments under existing contracts in the national longitudinal study and national children's strategy, savings as a result of completion of the pilot stage of the early intervention programme, a targeted reduction on the school completion programme and savings in administration and programme costs associated with the operations of the Family Support Agency.

Unfortunately, there is a reduction in funding for various youth programmes but I have succeeded in getting a large scaling-back of the proposed reductions in the comprehensive expenditure review required in this area.

The reductions will now be far less than those proposed in that review. My Department is finalising the proposed allocations for youth programmes in 2014. I emphasise that to the greatest extent possible, savings are being achieved through increased efficiencies, operating efficiencies and value for money to protect front-line initiatives. Like Deputy Ó Caoláin, I clearly value the front-line work that is being done. Of course we have to live within our budget. Given the allocation for 2014, I believe we will be able to provide a significant level of public services in this area, including a number of new policy initiatives that have been funded in the budget.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I am particularly concerned about the indicated cutback of €3 million in youth programmes. There is no doubt it will have a serious impact. It is unquestionable that this needs to be revisited. The Minister indicated in her reply that a total of €8 million will be saved. The 2014 expenditure report shows that the actual figure will be €9 million. Can the Minister clarify whether €1 million has been restored? My supplementary question relates to the proposal to make savings of €2.1 million in 2014 with regard to the Family Support Agency. We are currently dealing with the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013. I presume we will conclude the passage of that Bill this week. We had hoped to finish addressing the legislation 12 months ago or earlier, but here we are. As I have said, the Minister is providing for savings with regard to the Family Support Agency. When can we expect the child and family agency to come into being? Why would there be savings under the Family Support Agency in 2014 if the Minister did not expect that agency to continue into 2014, at least in part?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy knows, the legislation is going through the House. I expect the agency to be established in January following the successful enactment of the Child and Family Agency Bill, which we are currently considering. I thank Deputies Ó Caoláin and Troy for their support for the passage of that legislation. I know everybody is committed to ensuring the agency works effectively. Despite the current economic situation, the budget, including the HSE element of the budget which has been maintained, will enable quality services to go ahead. As the Deputy knows, savings for my Department and every other Department were earmarked in the comprehensive review of expenditure. While that remains the situation, I have managed to secure a significant scaling-back on that. For example, an extra €1 million was allocated for youth services in the budget. I believe that will make a quality difference and will ensure not only that the reductions will be few in number, but also that they will be relatively minor. I would prefer if there was no reduction in the youth budget, but there has been a significant scaling-back on the reductions that were initially proposed.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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As the Oberstown project is a capital project, it would not show up in the 2014 expenditure report. When does the Minister expect to see that project completed? I note that no provision has been made for extra staff in 2014. Can the Minister elaborate on the expected recruitment of additional staff to operate the new facilities at Oberstown? Some €6.7 million has been allocated for the reform of child welfare and protection services upon the establishment of the child and family agency. Can the Minister elaborate on the reforms that will be provided for as a result of that allocation? Finally, is funding being provided for the recruitment of crèche inspectors? Is that something we will see early in 2014?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Yes. Five inspectors are being recruited at present. A budgetary allocation of €500,000 for extra inspectors is being made in the budget for next year. Extra inspectors will be recruited in 2014. Decisions on where they will be based will be made by the national director who is managing that service at present. A capital allocation has been made in the case of Oberstown.

The construction has started. All of the planning issues have been dealt with. The construction started approximately one month ago and the buildings are on target. In line with that, I previously got a commitment on the recruitment of 60 additional staff who will be needed in Oberstown.

Deputy Ó Caoláin had a further question on the €6 million for child protection services. I was pleased to get that allocation because, as I stated to Deputy McLellan, the services are under pressure and I imagine that money will be primarily used to deal with the level of referrals and to assess what extra staff are needed to deal with the kind of numbers that are turning up to the child and family services.