Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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309. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he proposes to take to address any or all inequalities affecting children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43873/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Addressing inequalities affecting children requires a cross government response.

That said my Department has taken steps to contribute to the addressing such inequalities.

Young Ireland, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, which I launched in November last year, envisions an Ireland which fully respects and realises the rights of all children and young people. The Framework was informed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the concluding observations of the Committee published in February 2023 following the submission of Ireland’s fifth and sixth State Reports, and the hearing in Geneva in which I led a delegation of officials from Ireland in January 2023.

The Framework sets out actions to ensure that children and young people are a central part of everyone’s agenda. This requires a number of changes at a systemic level to place their rights and well-being as a core part of policy and decision-making. These actions are guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the General Measures of Implementation set out by the Committee to guide State’s implementation of the Convention.

The development of a child rights online training module for civil and public servants is one such action and work has commenced on this with a view to piloting in early 2025. Training on Children’s Rights Impact Assessments and their implementation in an Irish policy context is also currently under development by officials in my Department.

In its concluding observations on the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Ireland, the United Nations Committee recommended that the Ireland “fully incorporate the Convention into national legislation, conduct a comprehensive review of all its legislation to align it with the Convention.” This work is now underway following a procurement process and the award of contract to Prof Ursula Kilkelly in the Child Rights Centre in UCC who will carry out this review and determine Ireland’s standing in relation to the convention.

Hearing the voice of the child is an essential part of ensuring their rights and the achievement of good outcomes, and my Department recently published the Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making Action Plan which aims to develop participation structures that are inclusive, accessible and safe for all children and young people including those who need additional supports in order to engage and participate.

Young Ireland identifies five National Outcomes which, if achieved, give a good indication that children and young people are doing well in Ireland. The framework sets out a number of actions which will be achieved to improve these outcomes for all children and young people.

Importantly, Young Ireland recognises that there are key areas where focused cross government attention is required. These areas have been highlighted by children and young people, as well as by data and research. We expect that by focusing attention on these Spotlight areas we can have a profound, positive impact on children and young people, especially those who are vulnerable.

My Department is also committed to tackling disadvantage through high quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible. The Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) which enjoys uptakes rates in excess of 95% - has removed barriers to accessing preschool education- with data from Growing Up in Ireland showing that more than 60% of low income families would not have been able to send their child to preschool without this programme. A recently published independent review of ECCE indicates the impact of the Programme in tackling disadvantage. 90% of childcare providers surveyed agreed that the ECCE Programme has helped narrow the gap between more advantaged and less advantaged children.

In addition, the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) – through a combination of universal and targeted subsidies, as well as sponsorship arrangements for vulnerable children, is substantially reducing the out of pocket early learning and childcare costs for families – with the highest levels of subsidies available to families on the lowest incomes. As of September, the NCS sponsor subsidy was increased to €5.30 per hour for all children over 1. This change will make it easier for families in receipt of an NCS sponsors subsidy to find a childcare place.

In September 2024, my Department commenced the roll-out of Equal Start, a major model of supports to ensure children experiencing disadvantage can access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare.

Equal Start includes a suite of universal supports, child-targeted supports, and setting-targeted supports to ensure every child and every early learning and childcare setting will benefit from a continuum of supports that reflects a continuum of need.

Targeted measures include a specific focus on key groups including children living in disadvantaged areas, Traveller children, Roma children, "sponsor" children availing of the National Childcare Scheme, children experiencing homelessness and children in the International Protection system.

790 services have been targeted with over 721 services have completed the sign-up process thus far.

For the 24/25 programme year this includes additional staffing supports providing for a 15% increase in staffing hours for Tier 1 services, and 8% for Tier 2 services based on the minimum staffing required under regulation.

I have also made provision for additional supports for Traveller and Roma families delivered through Better Start and Tusla, language and literacy measures including the roll-out of Early Talk Boost.

I was pleased secure a second wave of funding in Budget 2025 to provide for:

• An additional Nutrition Programme in priority ECCE only services that will target current gaps in provision in those services by replacing lunchboxes from home with a substantial meal to be provided in the target services.;
• The development of a Parent Community Coordinator post to enhance parental engagement in services;
• The update and roll-out of Diversity Equality and Inclusion guidelines and training.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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310. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which his Department continues to receive updates in respect of children at risk and act upon same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43874/24]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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313. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is satisfied that adequate support exists for all children insofar as is possible as regards those who might be subjected to a threat from any quarter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43878/24]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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314. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which services affecting the welfare and wellbeing of children continue to be readily and effectively available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43879/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 310, 313 and 314 together.

As the Deputy is aware, statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla and An Garda Síochána are the two agencies in the state with statutory responsibility for assessing (Tusla) and investigating (An Garda Síochána) allegations of child abuse and promoting the safety and welfare of children.

Tusla has a statutory duty obligation under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. In doing so, it relies heavily on individuals reporting concerns about children, in accordance with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017 and the Children First Act 2015.

The Children First Act 2015 places a legal obligation on certain people, many of whom are professionals, to report child protection concerns at or above a threshold to Tusla. These mandated persons must also assist Tusla, on request, in its assessment of child protection concerns about children reported to Tusla.

Following receipt of reports, Tusla has the statutory responsibility to assess all reports of child welfare/protection concerns. Tusla social workers carry out assessments in line with Tusla Standard Business Process an integrated child welfare and protection system to manage cases from receipt of referral to outcome of assessments/ case closures.

All referrals received by Tusla are screened within 24 hours of receipt of referral and assessments are made to determine next steps and safety of children remains of paramount concern throughout the process. If children are deemed to be at immediate risk measures are taken immediately to safeguard children, this can include applications to court for care proceedings etc.

Tusla work with many different services with children who come to the attention of the agency and this can include, CAMHS, Mental health services, disability services etc. Interagency co-operation plays a significant role in safeguarding children who are open to Tusla.

Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children sets out the steps which should be taken to ensure that children and young people are protected from harm. This also outlines the roles of the main statutory bodies involved in child welfare and protection: Tusla - Child and Family Agency, and An Garda Síochána. The guidance is just one of the resources available to assist with child protection and Tusla have a number of additional child protection and safeguarding information resources.