Results 2,281-2,300 of 7,823 for speaker:Jim Daly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: Before I take questions from members and in the interests of everybody present, I wish to obtain clarity from Ms Ward on one point? Can she explain what she meant by saying that there are 6,500 children in care and that 50% of them have the possibility of a guardian ad litembeing appointed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: So that is a quarter. And who decides which children are appointed a guardian ad litem? Is it the judge?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: That is perfect. Thank you. I just wanted to get clarity. Deputy O'Sullivan is the first to indicate.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: Mr. Finlay said it costs €5,000 a week to keep a child in care and sometimes up to €10,000. To balance that statement and put it in context, however, more than 90% of the children in State care cost €300 a week. I have many issues with the guardian ad litemsystem. I am a foster carer but it is disgusting that up to €15 million a year is paid to people to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: Has the organisation published the funding it receives for them in a year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: Does Mr. Finlay have the figures?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank Ms Ward. Deputy Neville indicated that he wished to speak.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: If no other members wish to contribute, I will revert to what we discussed with Mr. Finlay. He referred to it being an either-or choice but that was not my point. Previous committees to this one did not do their work. That is why we are where we are and €15 million or €16 million per year is being spent on GALs, who are unregulated and unaccounted for. In any language, that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: The point I am making is that that money would provide 300 children with the care they need 365 days of the year, and 800 would get a voice in court. When I talk about choices I am asking if we, as a State, are happy to allow that kind of wanton waste and exaggerated costs and fees to give the child a voice in court when we neglect so many other areas? To put that in context, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: There are many other stakeholders doing that very same job for a fraction of the cost, including social workers, foster parents, psychiatric professionals and others. However, I will leave it at that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: I tend to agree with Deputy O'Sullivan also. I do not want to see the entire debate overshadowed by the finances.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: Ms McKittrick mentioned that in County Louth, in two jurisdictions, judges appointed GALs in 16% of cases and 80%-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: I am sorry, the figures are 30% and 82%. I presume none of us can do anything about this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: At the judge's discretion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank the delegates for their contributions. We have a long way to go in these pre-legislative hearings, but it is appreciated that the delegates have given of their time to answer the questions asked so frankly and clearly.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: Is Deputy O'Sullivan happy with the Minister's response?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: We will now move onto programme B, which is the sectoral programme for children and young people to continue to support the provision of both universal and targeted services for the care, development and well-being of children and young people.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: Are there any specific questions on programme B?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank Deputy Funchion for her brevity.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017)

Jim Daly: Certainly, we could support revisiting it.