Results 241-260 of 8,814 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Child Protection Services: Child Protection Services (27 Sep 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 will continue to advise HIQA on the draft standards, prior to a wider...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 80 together. My Department, together with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and service providers engaged in addressing the problem of youth homelessness met at the end of May, to assess and review the current demand for services, the progress made to date under the Youth Homelessness Strategy 2001 and the need to...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The introduction of a missing children's hotline has been the subject of discussions between my Department, other Government Departments and prospective service providers including NGOs. The notification of a missing child is a matter for the Garda Síochána, and accordingly I am in contact with my colleague Mr Alan Shatter TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence in seeking to...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (27 Sep 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 Government programme sets out a framework to achieve real...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 45 of the Childcare Act 1991 places a statutory duty on the HSE to form a view in relation to each person leaving care as to whether there is a "need for assistance" and if it forms such a view to provide services in accordance with the section and subject to resources and that all young people who have had a care history with the HSE, be it foster care, residential care or high...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The approved Employment Control Framework for the HSE exempts social worker posts from the current moratorium on recruitment and the filling of vacancies. An additional 60 social workers are due to be recruited by the HSE in 2011. In reviewing its overall appointment and recruitment the HSE, last week, prioritised some key development posts and decided to process the recruitment of these...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 71 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 People's Facilities and Services Fund and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres, European...

Written Answers — Departmental Strategy Statements: Departmental Strategy Statements (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 78 together. My Department is developing a new strategy for children and young people. The strategy will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland's first children's strategy which was published in 2000 and it will cover the period from 2012 to 2017. The new strategy is being developed in a holistic way to comprehend the continuum of the life course...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Unaccompanied minors seeking asylum are in need of care and protection under the Child Care Act, 1991 and are entitled to the same treatment and rights as indigenous young people. The immediate and the ongoing needs of separated children seeking asylum (SCSA) relating to accommodation, medical and social needs as well as their application for refugee status are the responsibility of the...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: In 2011, the Health Service Executive (HSE) commissioned a review of the capacity for alternative care services, including Aftercare services. An audit was undertaken last March and the HSE has provided the following information based on this audit. A total of 1,051 young people were in receipt of aftercare nationally at March 2011. The breakdown between male and female was 46% and 54%...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 People's Facilities and Services Fund and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres, European Youth in Action Programme (administered by Léargas –...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 and protection services, separate from the HSE and reporting...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am addressing the Special Needs Parents Association's Annual Conference on Saturday 1 October 2011.

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Arising from the publication of the Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Diocese of Cloyne in July 2011, the Government 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, be it clerical, institutional, within or...

Written Answers — Child Protection Services: Child Protection Services (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: In July 2011, I launched the revised Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. The Guidance deals with the recognition, reporting and management of child safety concerns. It emphasises the need to safeguard and to protect children. Among these are that the safety and welfare of children is everyone's responsibility, that children will have safer lives...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 464 and 465 together. As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has received an application for funding from the 2011 National Lottery allocation from the organisation in question. The Deputy might note that this is one of a large number currently being assessed by my Department and I will keep him informed of the outcome of the application as soon as a decision has been made.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: To date 13 people in my Department have expressed an interest in retiring ahead of the changes to the public sector pension schemes that are to come into force on 1 March 2012. Of these 13 employees only one person has formally decided to retire.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have responsibility for implementing a number of programmes to support parents with the cost of childcare. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which was introduced in January 2010, provides for a free pre-school year for children aged more than 3 years 2 months and less than 4 years 7 months at 1st September in the relevant year. Under this programme, in return for...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (27 Sep 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have responsibility for implementing the free pre-school year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which 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 that it is available to children in all...