John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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1448. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the cost of the increase in the minimum wage from €9.15 per hour to €9.25 per hour and the cost of sleepovers on assignments from €9.15 per hour to €13.49 per hour will be fully implemented by her Department; if the difference in the costs will be passed on to companies providing specialised services under contract to her Department to enable those companies meet their obligations; if her Department is in negotiations with such service providers at present; if service providers have applied for an increase in rates to meet the rising costs of providing such care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20164/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that there are no contracted services providing sleepovers on assignment or other similar specialist services directly to my Department. In relation to the minimum wage, the Deputy will be aware that the increase to €9.25 per hour came into effect on the 1st January 2017 and that it is a matter for individual service providers to ensure that their employee's hours rates are consistent with this requirement.

I have requested clarification from Tusla - The Child and Family Agency as to whether the issues raised by the Deputy have a bearing on the services provided to the Agency and I will be in touch with the Deputy further on this in the near future.