Results 20,001-20,020 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (17 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: I want to thank the Deputy for his question. The Deputy will appreciate that this is an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the matter raised. My Department has, however, referred this to Tusla for attention and asked that they liaise directly with the person concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (17 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: In Budget 2016, I announced an €85 million package of additional investment for childcare. This includes funding for: - An extension to the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme so that children can enrol in the programme at age three and continue in the programme until they make the transition to primary school. This will reduce childcare costs by an additional...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (17 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: At present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015. Children who turn 3 from 1...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (17 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The funding previously provided to Rape Crisis Network Ireland by Tusla was to develop and maintain a database of information recorded by workers in Rape Crisis Centres. Tusla had concerns that this database did not capture information from all 16 Rape Crisis Centres as not all centres were affiliated with the Network. In addition, Tusla did not always have timely access to the data...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (17 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual or gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. In 2015, Tusla will have provided over €19 million euro in funding to the provision of domestic and sexual violence services. This funding is allocated to specialist organisations...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (17 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: As the Deputy is aware, the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2015 is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Bill is primarily concerned with aftercare – the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him or her in making the transition to independent living. The Bill obliges the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (17 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: One of Tusla’s key priorities is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic violence are being met in the best way possible. For this reason, the 2015 budget was directed towards front-line services and working towards ensuring that no potential service user is disadvantaged because of geography. Tusla recognises that organisations providing services to meet the needs of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: I facilitated a meeting with Respond on 3rd November to hear from them with regard to the nature of the service provided, the reasons for the intended cessation of the service, and to get a better understanding of Respond’s previous interaction with state bodies in relation to the Cuan Álainn facility. The Cuan Álainn Centre, in the main, provides second stage residential...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Persons Supports (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has included young adults leaving care as a priority group for the allocation of social housing. Additionally, Tusla has had meetings with Focus Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and Dublin City Council in relation to vulnerable families. Tusla intends to create a multi-agency protocol to be clear...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Care Services (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Under the Child Care Act, 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. When a child cannot live with their parents and is received into care, it is Tusla policy to place them in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Under the current National Leaving and Aftercare Policy of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, all young people leaving care who have been in care for 12 months on their 16th birthday or for 12 consecutive months prior to their 18th birthday are entitled to an aftercare plan. I have recently brought legislation to the Oireachtas to put this entitlement to an aftercare plan, with some...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: As these are operational matters, I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Aftercare is the term used to describe the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age. It is essential that all young people leaving care and provided with the type of transitional support that their individual situation requires. The most important requirements for young people leaving care are for continuity of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: As the Deputy is aware, the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2015 is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Bill is primarily concerned with aftercare – the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him or her in making the transition to independent living. The Bill obliges the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Since 2014, the Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA) has inspected a number of children's residential centres with particular attention on the management of challenging behaviour exhibited by young people resident in the centres. The most recent inspection report was published on the HIQA website on the 5th November 2015. Of the seven standards inspected in the centre,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Disability Services Provision (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The eligibility of children, including children with a disability, to supports and services is not determined on the basis of whether a child is in care but on the basis of need. As the Deputy is aware, disability services are provided by the HSE. The Child and Family Agency, Tusla, works closely with other care providers including the HSE, in respect of access to primary care services,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Programme (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures:The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People,2014 – 2020, contains a commitment to review and reform, as necessary, the Child Care Act 1991. My Department has initiated work to pursue this commitment, including initial engagement with the Child & Family Agency. In that context, all matters relevant to safeguarding the well-being...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The Deputy should note, that the information requested on young parents with care experience who have children in care is not collected nationally by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Aftercare is provided to all eligible young people leaving care which includes advice, guidance and practical (including accommodation and financial) support. The additional needs would be taken into account...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Reports (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (The Ryan Report) was published in 2009 and detailed disturbing and significant levels of historic abuse of Irish children who were placed, by the State, in residential institutions run by religious orders. The Government accepted all of the recommendations of the Ryan Report, and in response developed an Implementation Plan. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (18 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The placement of children in care is governed by Regulations which provide, inter alia, for the welfare of the child, the care practices, care records, accommodation and safety precautions. A care plan for each child who is received into care is required under the Child Care Regulations, 1995. The regulations stipulate that all care plans are to be reviewed and updated on a regular basis and...