Results 2,621-2,640 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Inter-County Adoptions: Inter-County Adoptions (17 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 213 together. The Adoption Act, 2010, commenced on 1 November 2010. This coincided with Ireland's formal ratification of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The purpose of the Adoption Act, 2010, is to improve standards in both domestic and inter-country adoption. The regulatory...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (17 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department does not directly lease any property. The details of the leasing arrangements for my Department's office location at Mespil Road, Dublin 4, are dealt with directly by the Office of Public Works.

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (17 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. In a recent debate on this issue in Seanad Éireann, on 12th October last, I gave a commitment to work with relevant Departments and agencies to establish this Hotline in Ireland in 2012. I also announced my intention to establish a cross-sectoral Project Team to...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (17 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive for the information in question which I will forward to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (17 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive for the information in question which I will forward to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (17 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive for the information in question which I will forward to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Pre-school services are currently regulated under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006, as provided for under Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991. Under the Regulations, pre-school services, including childminding services, are required to notify the Health Service Executive (HSE) of their services. It should be noted, however, that under Section 58 of the Child...

Written Answers — Corporal Punishment: Corporal Punishment (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the issue of the introduction of a ban on corporal punishment in all settings including the home/family setting must be considered in the context of the prohibition by the State of physical punishment of children in all other settings in recent years such as schools, crèches, detention, public care settings etc introduced under the Children Act 2001. While a...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 551 and 552 together. Appointment of a guardian ad litem (GAL) is provided for under Section 26 of the Child Care Act 1991. Under this provision the court may, if it is satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of the child and in the interests of justice to do so, appoint a guardian ad litem. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I do not have...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme was introduced in September last year and is implemented by my Department. The CETS programme provides free childcare places to qualifying FÁS and Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) trainees and students. Under the CETS programme, funding is provided by my Department to participating childcare services in return for the...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Vietnamese authorities deposited the instrument of ratification of the Hague Convention earlier this month. Therefore, the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption will enter into force for Vietnam on 1 February 2012. As provided for in Section 72 of the Adoption Act, 2010, the Adoption Authority may establish administrative arrangements concerning the processing of applications with...

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The IT services for my Department, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children are provided by the Department of Health on a shared service basis. I understand my colleague, Dr James Reilly T.D., Minster for Health, will take account of these offices in his overall reply to the Deputy. There are no leased computer servers in the remaining two agencies under...

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The IT services for my Department, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children are provided by the Department of Health on a shared service basis. I understand my colleague, Dr James Reilly T.D., Minster for Health, will take account of these offices in his overall reply to the Deputy. IT services for the Family Support Agency are currently provided by the...

Written Answers — Infrastructure Investment Plan: Infrastructure Investment Plan (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme, 2012 - 2016, €8 million has been allocated to my Department for each year from 2012 to 2016. €6.5 million of this funding will be allocated to the Childcare area of my Department. €0.25 million will be used to continue to provide small amounts of grant funding to assist Parent and Toddler groups, particularly in areas of...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The negotiation of bilateral agreements on intercountry adoption with non-contracting states is governed by Section 73 of the Adoption Act 2010 which states that "the Authority, with the prior consent of the Minister, may enter into discussions with any non-contracting state concerning the possibility of the Government entering into a bilateral agreement with that State." Ethiopia, as it...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Details of the resource allocations made available to my Department in 2011 under Vote 43 which are supported by National Lottery funding are set out in the table. Subhead Title Allocation D Grant-in-Aid Fund for General Expenses of Youth Organisations and other Expenditure in relation to Youth Activities (Part Funded by the National Lottery)The funding under this Subhead supports certain...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The application based funding scheme administered by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs under Subhead G of Vote 43 provides grant funding to individuals, groups and organisations involved in the provision of services to children and young people. The current value of applications received by my Department since its establishment in June last amounts to just over €2.4 million and...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme was introduced in September last year and is implemented by my Department. The CETS programme provides free childcare places to qualifying FÁS and Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) trainees and students. Under the CETS programme funding is provided by my Department to participating childcare services in return for the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Nov 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme was introduced in September last year and is implemented by my Department. The CETS programme provides free childcare places to qualifying FÁS and Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) trainees and students. Under the CETS programme funding is provided by my Department to participating childcare services in return for the...