Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

83. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Question No. 97 of 29 February 2024, for an update on the recruitment drive for the children's disability network teams, CDNTs, as referenced in the reply; to specifically outline how many staff have been recruited into the CDNTs in Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19208/24]

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am taking this question on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Tully. The question is for the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and relates to a previous parliamentary question, namely, Question No. 97 on 29 February 2024. She is seeking an update on the recruitment drive for the CDNTs as referenced in the reply to the previous question of 29 February. My colleague is looking for a specific outline of how many staff have been recruited into the CDNTs in Cavan and Monaghan and asks the Minister of State to make a statement on the matter.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by children and young people with disabilities and their families in accessing essential therapy services in Cavan and Monaghan. It is important to say that along with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and Deputies Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth, I visited Monaghan in the past month and met the families concerned. Lead agencies are experiencing ongoing challenges recruiting across a range of disciplines and grades to fully staff their teams to maximum capacity. The Government is committed to facing these challenges and delivering real and tangible solutions to enhance disability services to better support children with special needs and their families across Ireland.

The most recent figures available indicate that the staff vacancy rate for the Enable Ireland team in Cavan is currently 58% with a total of 11.96 whole-time equivalent staff in situ. The staff vacancy rate for the HSE team in Monaghan under community healthcare organisation, CHO, 1 is 39.97%, with a total of 17.34 whole-time equivalent staff in situ.

I am pleased to report positive progress regarding the recent nationwide CDNT recruitment campaign, Be part of our team, be part of their lives, which received 495 applications. In CHO 1, 87 valid applications were received as part of the nationwide recruitment campaign. Lead agencies are conducting interviews with candidates and a report on the outcome of these interviews is awaited. It is important to say the campaign ran until nearly the end of January and closed then. It was at that stage candidates were shortlisted.

Now they are actually at their final stages. A lot of the interviews have happened, and they are at the stage of finalising and making offers available.

The HSE is also driving initiatives to provide the support so urgently needed for waitlisted children such as the children’s disability service grant fund. The HSE advises that the fund is now in the final stages of the assessment and evaluation process, which it expects to conclude imminently. In fact, before I came in here this evening, I met with Mr. Bernard O'Regan to discuss where exactly we are in ensuring that grant is made available as quickly as possible.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

When the Minister of State says that it is a 58% staff vacancy rate, is she saying that the recruitment drive she is talking about is that to fill that 58%? Is she saying that there is a 58% shortage of staff, and is the recruitment drive she is talking about - which was at the end of January and is now in the final stages - to fill that? Okay. Perfect.

As we know, there is a major issue with the pay disparity that exists between HSE-run services and those run by section 39 organisations. We have come across some areas that were waiting on the money. I know there was, for example, a strike averted late last year. Are those issues all resolved now? I know from my own south-east area that we came across an area in Tipperary that was still waiting on money that we all thought was signed off on. I would appreciate an update on that. I know that is a bit vague, and sorry, I keep going over time.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for bringing me on to my specialist topic, which is unions. It is important to say with regard to the pay talks concluded last year that while it was very welcome, it has really highlighted the fact that we need the employers, which are the lead agencies of the section 39 organisations, more involved when it comes to pay negotiations and talks. The question is where it is at at this moment in time. There are 1,300-odd section 39 organisations that fall in under disabilities, and they are under the KOSI Corporation mechanism. Would you believe it, only 200 section 39 organisations have responded, which means there is a huge unmet financial piece there. We have the funds. They have been secured. They have been given to the HSE but there is a process involved in claiming that money, and it means the section 39 organisations have to fill out the forms in order to draw down the money.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair. I promise I will not go over time in this minute. When the KOSI mechanism was raised with us, there were some people who were not fully aware of exactly what that process is. Basically, KOSI is the middleman, for want of a better word. That is good to know.

I know the Minister of State touched on the disability services grant in the first part of the answer. Did she say that it has been launched?

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

No, it has not been launched yet.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Do we have a timeframe? I know the Minister of State said she was talking to Mr. Bernard O'Regan but there is no timeframe for that yet, or is there?

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There is. I will tell the Deputy in my response.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Okay, that is grand. I will give the Minister of State an extra 25 seconds to make up for everything else.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As there was over €40 million worth of applications into the respite grant application form, which is absolutely massive, they had to spend a lot of time going through it and validating. In fact, the whole purpose of the respite grant is to provide a balance where we have a shortage in our CDNT teams, the local organisations that have the capacity to support through music, art or equine activities and other providers that are able to do the likes of OT or physiotherapy. This is done through various alternative methods. It is completely new to the HSE in that it involves looking away from the medical model completely with a piece that is more about social intervention. He has worked his way through, and we are within a fortnight of that money being launched out, and it will be going nationwide. There is not €40 million in that, trust me. However, at the same time, what is there is all required and supported by the local HSE pieces.