Results 11,201-11,220 of 15,917 for speaker:Robert Troy

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Family Resource Centres (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: I am glad the Minister values them and I remind him politics is all about choices. Even though we were in difficult economic times, the Government chose to cut funding to an agency that provides much-needed services and which works in the most disadvantaged parts of the community to support and help those communities and the families concerned. I again ask the Minister whether he will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Family Resource Centres (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: The Government is cutting them and telling the services they are being rationalised.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Family Resource Centres (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 4. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will commit to providing adequate resources to put family resource centres, FRCs, on a sustainable financial footing to protect their essential services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36664/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Family Resource Centres (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: A total of 109 FRCs provide invaluable services in their communities throughout the country, ranging from early intervention and prevention to enhancing families and helping to rebuild communities. Despite this, they have suffered a 5% cut year-on-year to their funding since 2011. What measures will the Minister and the Government introduce in light of the increased funding to Tusla in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Family Resource Centres (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: I am glad the Minister values the work of FRCs. He confirmed that funding has been maintained at 2014 level, but I alluded to a 15% cut in funding since 2011. FRCs are primarily located in disadvantaged areas. They have versatile and responsive staff who respond to the needs of their community, and they often intervene before problems manifest. During the summer, I met representatives of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: The Minister did not address capacity.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 1. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for details of the changes to the early childhood care and education scheme announced as part of budget 2016; a breakdown of the number of children his Department estimates will benefit from a full second free preschool year of an additional 38 weeks; and the level of consultation he has had with preschool providers regarding extending the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: As someone who has campaigned in recent years for additional funding for the early years sector, I welcome the increase in funding for this area as announced in the 2016 budget. Will the Minister give a breakdown of how many children his Department estimates will benefit from a full second free preschool year, that is, an additional 38 weeks? Will he outline the level of consultation he has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: While it is welcome that additional resources are being allocated to this sector, there was widespread common ground on the need for issues of quality to be addressed across the sector. I hope that will still be a priority before the introduction of these additional weeks. From the Minister's reply, it is obvious this is not, in fact, a full second free preschool year, given the existing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: I ask this given that, in reply to a parliamentary question I asked earlier in the year, the Minister said a full second preschool year would cost in the region of €180 million. However, for next year, the Minister has allocated only an additional €47 million, of which €11 million will be taken up with the restoration of the capitation grant. Therefore, as I understand...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: Does the Minister believe this will suffice? In regard to the capacity issue-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: Will the Minister confirm that he has allocated enough money? As I said, in his reply to me earlier in the year, the Minister said the cost of a full second preschool year would be €180 million but he has only allocated €36 million for 2016, which is 20% of the cost. How does the Minister expect to be able to fund the scheme adequately if he has not put by adequate resources?...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Autism Support Services (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 11. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the early education supports available to children diagnosed with autism; and the reason these children cannot avail of early education through the early childhood care and education scheme, in conjunction with one-to-one home schooling by a home tutor. [35531/15]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Detention Centres Provision (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 19. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs how he is dealing with the deteriorating safety situation at Oberstown Youth Detention Centre, where staff and children in care have been put at risk, with numerous physical assaults in recent months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35530/15]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 27. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has warned the Government, in an unpublished briefing document, of serious risks to children in child protection services due to pressure placed on underfunded services, as outlined by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (details supplied); and the action he is taking to respond to this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 41. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the annual Pobal early years sector survey which found that children with special educational needs face a huge challenge in participating in preschool education due to the reduction in the number of special needs assistant hours per child care provider during the reporting period, which was 2014; the solutions he will put in...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Applications (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 71. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reinstate the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme which was cut by 50% given that this is directly penalising good farmers who wish to join; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36736/15]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 90. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the €16 million cost of 800 low-cost child care places announced in budget 2016 is a full-year cost estimate; how this cost was estimated by this Department; and if there is an expectation that all of these places will be filled in September 2016. [36696/15]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 91. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if all private providers will be eligible to provide low-cost child care places under the changes announced to the community child care scheme in budget 2016, or only providers in areas with a low coverage of community providers; if the latter, how areas with low coverage will be identified; and if his Department considers the capitation...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

Robert Troy: 107. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of the €47 million for the expansion of the early childhood care and education programme announced in Budget 2016 will be spent on higher Capitation rates; the amount on higher participation numbers; and the full-year costs of both initiatives. [36778/15]