Results 2,561-2,580 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act 1991, a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) provides a service to the Courts. This happens where a judge requests that a Guardian Ad Litem be appointed to a child to represent the interests of a child who is the subject of care proceedings. They are always appointed where a child is subject to Special Care proceedings. The service is funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE)....

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has convened a Standards Advisory Group to advise on the development of National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children. The Advisory Group, which comprises a wide representation of people from the health and social care sector has met several times and continues to advise HIQA on the draft standards, prior to a wider public...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Draft Heads of Bill for a National Vetting Bureau were developed by my Department and following consultation with my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality we agreed that this legislation will be brought forward by Minister Shatter. A working group to progress this legislation has been established on which my Department is represented. In addition there continues to be regular and...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) was introduced in January 2008 under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) to enable community not-for-profit childcare service to provide childare at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income families. Under the CCSS, community services were required to make an annual return to the Childcare Directorate which recorded the...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I established the Task Force on the Child and Family Support Agency in September 2011 under the chairmanship of Ms Maureen Lynott. The Task Force will advise my Department in regard to the necessary transition programme to establish a Child and Family Support Agency, and will base its work on best practice in child welfare, family support and public administration; consistent with the...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE compiles monthly performance reports which provide an overall analysis of key performance data from finance, HR, hospital and primary and community services. These reports include a range of statistics in relation to children in care. A new performance indicator was introduced in 2011 to collect information on the number of young adults aged 18-21 years in receipt of an aftercare...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The 2011 budget allocation for the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department is €60.154m on current expenditure and €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 €6.037m from Youth Affairs Unit...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148, 149 and 150 together. My Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. These include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres,...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151, 152 and 154 together. The Government is committed to a series of measures designed to significantly strengthen the existing legislative, policy and practice framework in the area of child protection. The intention is to ensure that child abuse in Ireland is strongly and decisively tackled and that children are properly safeguarded. A number of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Employees of my Department have access to an electronic Employee Self Service (ESS) feature as part of the payroll system. A limited number of hard copy payslips are provided to employees in circumstances where an employee does not have access to ESS through illness, off-site assignment or not being connected to the intranet network. As part of a shared service arrangement, the Department...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised that the majority of staff employed in agencies under the aegis of my Department utilise electronic payslip facilities. The majority of staff at the Adoption Authority of Ireland for example, are on secondment from other public service organisations and utilise the payslip facilities provided by their parent organisation. The National Educational Welfare Board has advised me...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Following talks with the HSE, the Sacred Heart Order and officials from my Department, the HSE agreed to take responsibility for the adoption files of the Sacred Heart Adoption Society located in Bessborough, Blackrock, Co. Cork. I have been advised by the Office of the National Director, Children & Family Services HSE that the files have now been transferred to the HSE in their entirety. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department was formally established on the 2nd of June 2011 and since then it has not established or abolished any State agencies, independent statutory bodies, State boards or other quangos. It should be noted that following enactment of the Child Care Amendment Act 2011, which was guided through its final stages in the Oireachtas in July by myself, the Children's Act Advisory Board was...

Written Answers — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: There have been no such meetings to date. I have had discussions with my colleague the Minister for Health on a range of policy issues which impact on both Departments including the issue of mental health. This is an important policy area for the Departments. My Department is presently considering the arrangements to be put in place.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I established the Task Force on the Child and Family Support Agency in September 2011 under the chairmanship of Ms Maureen Lynott. The Task Force will advise my Department in regard to the necessary transition programme to establish a Child and Family Support Agency, and will base its work on best practice in child welfare, family support and public administration; consistent with the...

Written Answers — National Children's Strategy: National Children's Strategy (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is developing a new strategy for children and young people for publication in mid 2012. It will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland's first children's strategy ,which was published in 2000 and the goals, that children will have a voice in matters which affect them, that their lives will be better understood and that they will receive quality supports and services to...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: In line with the Programme for Government I am committed to delivering on the Ryan Report Implementation Plan. Earlier this year I personally took over the chair of the Ryan Report Implementation Group and I laid the Second Annual Progress Report before the Houses of the Oireachtas in July. While there are significant financial pressures on child and family services, my Department is...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 473 to 477, inclusive, together. The Government is committed to fundamental reform and transformation of the delivery of our children and family services. A number of significant structural and legislative changes are key to effecting such reform. This includes the establishment of a new agency with dedicated responsibility for the delivery of child welfare...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 478 to 480, inclusive, together. As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (8 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is responsible for matters relating to the formulation of adoption legislation, including Regulations, and public policy issues on adoption. The Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) was established in November 2010. The Authority is an independent statutory body charged with implementing the Adoption Act, 2010. The Authority has responsibility...