Results 2,001-2,020 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Estimates for Public Services 2007: Motion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am very pleased to have this opportunity to outline the proposed financial allocation for 2007 for the Office of the Minister for Children. Following the Government decision of 7 December 2005, I announced that staff working on child care from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, on child welfare and protection from the Department of Health and Children, and from the National...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Where a Question relates to a service provided by the HSE on a national basis or requests statistical information in relation to a service covering a period of years, it may require the collation of...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (22 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated as a matter of urgency and to have a reply issued directly to the...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (22 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. My Office has received various correspondence from this individual and has been in regular contact with HSE in this regard. All the correspondence has been forwarded to the HSE who has been requested to...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (22 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Current legislation severely restricts the type and amount of information that can be released from an adoption file. However, any medical or "non-identifying information" (i.e. information that does not specifically identify a third party or would allow that third party to be identified) that is contained in an adoption file will be released to the child's adoptive parents if requested. If...

Written Answers — Child Protection Systems: Child Protection Systems (22 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As I have indicated to the House previously the Government attaches a very high priority to the Report of the Ferns Inquiry and to following up on the Report's recommendations in the context of ensuring that effective child protection and welfare systems are in place to protect children. Before the publication of the Ferns Report I sought the advice of the Attorney General on the Report...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (22 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I commissioned a review of "Our Children, Our Church" the Catholic Church Guidelines on Child Protection in April of this year. The review was to assess the compliance of the "Our Children, Our Church" with the National Guidelines on Child Protection, "Children First". The report of the review has recently been forwarded to my Office and its recommendations and conclusions are currently...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Early Childhood Supplement (ECS) was introduced by the Government with effect from 1 April 2006 and is being paid in quarterly instalments of €250. The final payment in 2006 is due to be paid on 11 December and some 275,000 families are benefiting. The funding allocated for the ECS in 2006 is €265 million, covering three payments, which equates to full year funding of €353.3...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the opportunity to address Dáil Éireann on Second Stage of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006, which provides that a foster parent or a relative who has had a child in his or her care for a period of five years, the child having been placed with him or her by the Health Service Executive, may apply for a court order for...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have already written to the Deputy. My door is open.

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: We accepted an amendment on that in the Seanad.

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It was accepted.

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: We accepted it on the continuity issue.

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My expertise is becoming outdated.

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I may be exercising a comprehensive right of reply in order to reassure the public that we are at our business. I thank Deputies for the generous welcome that has been extended to this Bill. It is a measure of the understanding Members have for those who undertake fostering and foster care. The debate illustrated a deep understanding of the nature of the difficulties that people who engage...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am not sure whether it is in order for a mere Minister of State at the Department to join in the chorus but it is essential the HSE implements its obligations under the legislation and I am confident it will do so. One of the advantages of the legislation is that a great deal of unnecessary work will be obviated for social workers, permitting them to focus on more important work relating to...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: We must reflect on this issue and be careful in our debate on the referendum. I agree with Deputy Durkan that the rights and authority of parents under the Constitution must be safeguarded and respected. This is not a matter of a block transfer of rights. Several Deputies referred to difficulties that have arisen with social workers in other jurisdictions. We must proceed with great care...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I will revert to that matter. Section 37 of the Act is the primary legislation governing this amending Bill. The position of the grandparent is safeguarded — I will confine myself to that narrow point at this stage — under section 37. Deputy Lynch turned to the question of the constitutional amendment and raised the issue of the best interests of children. When children are taken into...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Referral to Select Committee (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Health and Children, in accordance with Standing Order 120(1) and paragraph 1(a)(i) of the Orders of Reference of that committee.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (23 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The number of voluntary notifications made by Childminders to the City and County Child care Committees (CCCs) since the introduction of the Child care Services Relief in December 2005 has been monitored by my Office on a regular basis. The latest figures available as of 1 September 2006 are summarised in the following table. The first tax year for which this Relief applies is 2006 and tax...