Results 2,441-2,460 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald
- Written Answers — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (5 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (6 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: The 2011 budget allocation for the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department is â¬60.154m on current expenditure and â¬800,000 on capital expenditure. This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities through grants-in-aid. Foróige is currently in receipt of â¬6.037m from Youth Affairs Unit...
- Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (6 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has allocated â¬1.862 m in 2011 to support Youth Information Centres around the country. The programme funds 31 centres which are used by some 175,000 young people. The majority of the centres also act as relays for a European Information Service, Eurodesk. To date, three of the four annual instalments have been made to these centres through the grant administering...
- Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (6 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: Following the commencement of the Adoption Act, 2010, which took place on 1 November 2010, adoption in Ireland is now regulated by the Adoption Authority of Ireland which is an independent quasi-judicial statutory body appointed by Government. The functions of the Authority are set out in Section 96 of the Adoption Act, 2010. These include functions of an operational, judicial and...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together. The Ryan Report Implementation Plan committed to the recruitment of an additional 270 social workers. 200 of these new posts were in place by the end of 2010 in addition to the backfilling of other vacancies which occurred. An additional 60 social workers are due to be recruited by the HSE in 2011. These posts are at various stages of...
- Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (6 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: My Department expects to spend approximately â¬24,000 on consultancy fees in 2011.
- Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: The EU Commission in its communication "A budget for Europe 2020" has proposed a single programme for education, training and youth â "Education Europe" â under the multi-annual financial framework (2014-2020). The proposed programme will focus on providing targeted transnational learning opportunities, matching skills and labour market demand, strengthening volunteering as well as...
- Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: Children who are in the care of the state and who have challenging behaviour are usually cared for in high support units. When considering the appropriate placement for a child, social workers consider the milieu into which a young person is being placed. The choice of placement is not solely on the basis of presenting behaviours, but can be for a multitude of other reasons such as, those...
- Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 436 together. The table shows the number of Youth Officers employed in VECs and details of where vacancies exist. Under the current embargo on recruitment in the public service, no post in the public sector, however arising, may be filled by recruitment or promotion. Due to the current vacancies, it is expected that there will be savings in the...
- Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: The 2011 budget allocation for the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department is â¬60.154m on current expenditure and â¬800,000 on capital expenditure. This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities through grants-in-aid. Foróige is currently in receipt of â¬6.037m from Youth Affairs Unit...
- Written Answers — Child Poverty: Child Poverty (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: Tackling child poverty is a priority for Government and a key goal of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007- 2016, coordinated by the Department of Social Protection. Children are more likely to be poor if they are living in lone parent households with low labour market participation and dependant on income support. The departments of Social Protection, Enterprise, Jobs and...
- Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme was introduced in September last year and is implemented by my Department, on behalf of FAS and the Vocational Educational Committees (VECs). The CETS programme replaces the previous childcare support programmes implemented by FAS and the VECs under which qualifying students and trainees were paid a weekly Childcare Allowance of...
- Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 and 435 together. Agency WTE Adoption Authority of Ireland 25.50 Family Support Agency 37.24 National Educational Welfare Board 94.00 Office of the Ombudsman for Children 9.00 These agencies are subject to Employment Control Frameworks which provide for progressive and permanent reductions in the numbers employed across the public service. While...
- Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (11 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (12 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. Almost every pre-school service in the State is participating in the ECCE programme, ensuring that it is available to children in all areas, and 63,000 children, or 94% of the eligible age cohort,...
- Seanad: Missing Children Hotline: Motion (12 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senators for tabling this motion and welcome the opportunity to discuss with them the issue of the 116000 hotline. I also acknowledge the keen interest and commitment of many Members of the House on this matter. The issue of missing children is understandably an emotive one. I hope, in my contribution, to begin to unpick what is envisaged in the missing children hotline service,...
- Seanad: Missing Children Hotline: Motion (12 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senators for their contributions to the debate which has been extremely helpful. The first thing I will do is ensure the members of the project group receive a copy of the debate because every aspect of the setting up of the hotline has been raised in the contributions made. All of the key questions have been asked and the key points made about how we need to progress the issue. I...
- Seanad: Missing Children Hotline: Motion (12 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: I have put some money aside under the comprehensive review of expenditure to begin this work. I will further it and will be happy to return to this House to respond to the many detailed points raised by Senators. I thank them all for their contribution.
- Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (13 Oct 2011)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which is implemented by my Department, was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. Almost every pre-school service in the State is participating in the programme, ensuring it is available to children in all areas. An application on behalf of...