Results 2,121-2,140 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: When we debated this issue on Committee Stage, I pointed out that the word "placement" was not appropriate because every child who was the subject of a care order was placed somewhere and that special care had to be distinguished from ordinary State intervention on behalf of a child. Fine Gael suggested the word "housed" which also does not have pleasant connotations. HIQA conducted a study...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: The above amendments are for the purpose of bringing greater clarity and precision to these sections. For example, in regard to amendment No. 43, the subsection has been reformatted for ease of reading and clarity.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: The purpose of these amendments is to provide specifically that there is nothing to prevent the Health Service Executive from applying for an extension to a special care order or an interim special care order or providing care under any such extension to a special care order or interim special care order. The amendments are to ensure there is no doubt in this regard.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: The purpose of the amendments is to ensure the Health Service Executive informs any court hearing of a criminal charge that the child is the subject of an application for a special care order or interim special care order or if an order has been made and the duration of that order.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: Amendment No. 19 is a consequential amendment following the amendment of section 19. In other words, the amendments will result in there being only one subsection in section 19 and amendments Nos. 23 and 42 are for the correction of the numbering.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: There are situations where it might not be in the best interests of the child to consult one of those categories which the Senator seeks to delete. I cannot argue with any of the points that he is making, but if Senator Cannon will look at subsection (8) on the following page, page 25, it says: "Where the Health Service Executive applies for a special care order and, in accordance with...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: Subsection (3), prior to the subsection the Senator proposes to delete, expresses a positive obligation on the HSE to consult with the categories of people we are talking about, namely, the child, parent, guardian and, where appropriate, the relatives of the child. Therefore, if this decision is taken by the HSE for the protection of life, health and safety, not to consult with one of those,...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: Amendment No. 26 is concerned with the re-formatting of section 23F relating to family welfare conferences for the purpose of clarity, precision and ease of reading. The remaining amendments are concerned with renumbering and cross-referencing consequential on amendment No. 26.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: As I stated previously, I am in agreement as regards the views of the child being regarded prior to the HSE taking steps under this section. However, section 3 of the Child Care Act 1991, as amended, provides that in the performance by the HSE of its functions to promote the welfare of children, it shall, in so far as is practicable, give due consideration, having regard to the child's age...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I am certainly open to the principle, but there is no point in inserting an additional safeguard where the existing safeguard is, in my view, if not in Senator White's, sufficiently robust. If this had not been provided for in the 1991 Act, it would be a vital addition to improve the legislation. In all special care orders the child is represented by a guardian ad litem, the obligation of...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: Situations arise where parents, guardians or other persons acting in loco parentis are not available to give consent. Section 23ND(2) ensures that in such situations the HSE has the right to consent to a medical or psychiatric assessment, an examination and treatment. However, I brought forward an amendment to insert a new subsection (3) in section 23ND which ensures any consent given, had...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: Amendments Nos. 50 to 52, inclusive, make it clear that section 36 of the Child Care Act 1991 does not apply to a child who is the subject of a special care order or an interim special care order.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: As Senators said, we have had a widespread debate on this issue which continues to be a subject of analysis on my part. As I said previously, it is at the cutting edge of developments in this area for all the reasons we have discussed. I have received legal advice which confirms the view that we expressed in the implementation plan arising from the Ryan report, that the section 45...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: Things have moved on from when we started to debating the Bill in the Seanad. I have received advice from the Attorney General that it is in the nature of being mandatory. There are two stages. An assessment must be carried out of whether there is a need and once the need is established, the obligation is on the HSE to deliver a service. That is a long way from a simple discretionary...

Seanad: Job Losses. (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I thank Senators Wilson and O'Reilly for raising this matter which I take on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. In recent weeks the Minister has been in close and regular contact with the State agencies, the Quinn Group employee representatives and local public representatives, including Senator Wilson, across the political...

Seanad: Job Losses. (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills has already agreed that €1 million of the special fund for activation measures will be ring-fenced. It is part of the existing fund that will be ring-fenced to fund upskilling and activities for the Quinn Group employees affected. As Senator Wilson pointed out, the key will be ensuring the UK business is allowed to return to the greatest...

Seanad: Community Enterprise Centres. (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I thank Senator John Paul Phelan for raising this matter on the Adjournment which I am taking on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. Enterprise Ireland's community enterprise centre scheme has provided significant funding to facilitate the development of community enterprise centres aimed at providing a physical and human support...

Seanad: Community Enterprise Centres. (6 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I undertake to do so. The community enterprise centre draws on the concepts of social entrepreneurship and social capital which were buzz words some years ago but are still relevant today. The Senator has acknowledged that there are priorities, but we would be foolish to ignore the benefits that have accrued in this area. I will relay these messages to the Minister.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (11 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide a substantive response to your Parliamentary Question. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (11 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has provided the statement below, of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors from January 2000 to the end of March 2010. Asylum applications from Unaccompanied Minors 2000-2010 (31/3) Year Applications Received 2000 302 2001 600 2002 ...