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Improving Health Outcomes for ChildrenA Vision for Change Strategy8 additional Consultant Child Psychiatry teams will be recruited in 2008. Construction of two 20 bedunits for children and adolescents in Cork and Galway is expected to commence in 2008. 18 additionalacute children’s beds will be commissioned at St. Anne’s, Galway, St. Vincent’s, Fairview and St.Stephen’s Hospital, Cork. The provision of these beds will increase the acute bed complement from 12to 30. Service provision in Warrenstown has increased from 5 to 7 days per week.WHO TargetsAn additional €18m was allocated to the HSE in Budget in 2008 to implement changes recommendedby the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) to the Primary Childhood ImmunisationProgramme and to commence a Measles Elimination Programme as per the WHO commitment.Schools Meal ProgrammeDemand on the Schools Meal Programme exceeded expectation and total expenditure in 2007 wasapproximately €27m. Over 180,000 pupils benefited. An additional €1m was allocated to theprogramme for 2008 for the inclusion of a further tranche of DEIS schools.Income SupportChild Dependant Increases (CDIs) were increased to €24 per week as part of Budget 2008. ChildBenefit will increase by €6 and €8 (lower and higher rates respectively) from April 2008, bringing ratesto €166 per month in respect of each of the first two children and €203 per month for the third andsubsequent children. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will be increased to €200for children aged 2 to 11 years and €305 for children from 12 years of age.Family Income Support (FIS)The FIS study on the level of take up is expected to be completed mid-2008.Lone Parents/ parents on low incomeBudget 2008 increased the upper earnings limit for the One Parent Family Payment to €425 per week.The progress made in 2006 and 2007 in the re-focusing of family income support in favour of largerfamilies is maintained in Budget 2008. All weekly income thresholds were increased by €10 per child.This means that, for instance, the threshold for a family with two children has increased to €570,resulting in a net weekly FIS increase of €12. A family with five children can now earn up to €870(net) per week, corresponding to a weekly FIS increase of €30.Children and their FamiliesEnhanced Policies to Support Families‘The Agenda for Children’s Services’ was published in December 2007. The core principle of thepolicy is the provision of health and social services, based on the child being supported within thefamily and within the local community. In 2008 the OMC is to assist in the promulgation of “theAgenda” in partnership with the HSE through regional meetings.Family Support Services€10.95m has been allocated in 2008 to the Family Support Agency for the scheme of grants tovoluntary organisations providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling and related services.The Family Resource Centres Programme will be further expanded in 2008.9
Establishment of the New Irish Youth Justice ServiceGarda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDP)The target of establishing 100 GYDP by the end of 2007 in line with the National Development Planand the Programme for Government has been met. The budget allocation for GYDP’s for 2008 is€11,909m which represents an increase of 21%.Redevelopment of New Facilities for Offending Children Sentenced to DetentionThe expert group submitted its final report to the Minister for Children in December 2007. It isexpected that the Minister will now bring recommendations on the development of new facilities toGovernment in the near future.Community Sanctions – Young Person’s ProbationThe 2008 budget for the probation projects was transferred to the Irish Youth Justice Service in January2008. Estimated level of spending (ELS) for 2008 is €10.020m, which is a 44% increase over 2007.Young Person’s Probation has expanded to provide coverage to the Courts in respect of CommunitySanctions and other Orders under the Children Act, 2001, as amended, throughout the country.National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010The National Youth Justice Strategy is currently being finalised and will be submitted to Governmentshortly.31. People of a Working AgeEmployabilityIn 2008, additional funding of €1m will be provided to expand the adult literacy service by a further500 places. The DEIS family literacy project has also commenced.There is an increase in the 2008 Estimates for the expansion of part-time options under the Back toEducation Initiative (BTEI). This will increase the number of places by 500 costing an extra €0.75m.Access to EmploymentLone ParentsThe FÁS pilot scheme for Lone Parents has been completed and reviewed. Recommendations arecurrently undergoing discussion within FÁS and with Lone Parent groups. This will culminate with aRoundtable discussion in March 2008.ActivationA High Level Group jointly chaired by Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment andDepartment of Social & Family Affairs and with FÁS representation has been convened to drive theactivation process forward.A Social Partners Group on Activation for People of Working Age has been established. The processof implementing a wider activation agenda under the NDP is currently taking place in the Departmentof Social and Family Affairs. In addition, funding under the ESF has been secured to undertakespecific projects to support the progression of people with disabilities to social and economic activity.10
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