Results 2,701-2,720 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Commissions of Inquiry (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I appreciate the fact the recent publication of the six diocesan reviews has served as a very painful reminder to many victims of the abuse and cover-ups they suffered. However, in responding to the publication of these reviews, it is my view that it would be rash and ill-considered to immediately establish a new commission of inquiry, as the Deputy suggests, when we know an audit of all 24...

Commissions of Inquiry (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I do not consider that an appropriate response to what is happening at present. It is important to realise that there have been quite a number of investigations. There has been the Cloyne report, the Murphy report and other reports. There has been a series of four reports. There have been the 1,000 victims who had their cases heard. It is important for me to point out to the House that,...

Children in Care (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 4 together. Young people in all care settings are deserving of the highest standard of care. Regrettably, this was not the case in Gleann Álainn. In view of the serious nature of the report, I have written to Mr. Gordon Jeyes, National Director of Children and Family Services, HSE, underlining my concerns as to the report's findings and asking him for...

Children in Care (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can only agree with most of the Deputy's points. What happened is unacceptable, as is the standard of management in the unit. However, the report found evidence of good relationships and warmth between the staff and children. The children told inspectors that their being placed in the unit was of benefit to them. They stated they had built positive relationships with individual members...

Children in Care (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is unfortunate that the previous Government neglected special care. There is a great deal of work to be done to address the deficits I have inherited; that is the reality. I am determined to address the deficits, however, because the needy group of young people in question deserves the very best the State can offer. A recommendation was made to close the unit in Ballydowd. I visited the...

Children in Care (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: If the Deputy would like to communicate with me on the matter, I will respond to him.

Foster Care (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: In March 2011, the social services inspectorate of the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, carried out an announced follow-up inspection of the foster care service provided by the Health Service Executive, HSE, in the Dublin North-Central local health area. The inspection was carried out under section 69(2) of the Child Care Act 1991 and was done to assess progress in...

Foster Care (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The deficiencies in the system are being addressed. We are increasing the number of cases assigned social workers beyond the 88% of cases identified in the report. The assessments are ongoing. Clearly the level of family support required cannot be determined without assessments. If the Deputy wishes to bring individual cases to my attention or discuss them directly with the local HSE...

Foster Care (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department funds a number of projects targeted at families with drug issues. That will continue in the coming year. I am reforming the funding provision for youth groups to allow greater flexibility in grant applications.

Departmental Expenditure (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government has completed and published the results of a detailed comprehensive review of expenditure. This review examined all areas of Government expenditure in order to meet the Government's overall fiscal consolidation objectives and realign spending with the priorities set out in the programme for Government. Central to the review process has been the need to consider new ways of...

Departmental Expenditure (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: Every Department faced a difficult budgetary outlook. No Department was exempt. What I and my Department had to do was to examine the various spending areas. The saving to which the Deputy referred is across a range of areas and is part of the reform programme, including various budgetary controls that have been established. It relates to a number of areas, which I can correspond with the...

Departmental Expenditure (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: To answer the Deputy's question about the establishment of the new agency, January 2013 is the indicative date at this stage, assuming we are in a position, during the course of 2012, to disaggregate from the HSE and pass the legislation to establish the new agency. With regard to children coming into the care system due to financial pressures on their families, it is hard to separate out one...

Child Protection (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I noted with interest the report Letting Children be Children, which was published in the UK earlier this year. I am also aware of, and indeed share, Irish parents' concerns regarding the increasing sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood. Since becoming Minister I have repeatedly stressed the need for a cross-community approach to protecting children and preserving the space of...

Child Protection (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I accept the points the Deputy makes. It is interesting to note, for example, the contrast between the UK and Ireland in the retail sector. The British retail consortium has already established basic guidelines on responsible retailing of children's wear, which has been signed up to by major retailers including Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams and TK Maxx, all of which operate in the Irish...

Child Protection (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 12 together. The HSE, which has statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection, has been conducting a national audit of all Catholic dioceses and religious orders. It expects to be in a position in the spring of 2012 to furnish a report to me on the diocesan element of this audit. The need for follow-up action will be informed by the...

Child Protection (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I already explained, if the previous Ministers had published this report earlier, as they said they would, we would not be in this situation. The reason I am in this position regarding the publication of the report is that a range of changes have been implemented, which were outlined in the dioceses report. To have an up-to-date report from the HSE that is relevant and speaks to the...

Child Protection (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is five years versus four months.

Child Protection (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: I did at that time.

Child Protection (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a difference between five years of looking at an audit and not publishing it and four months. That is the contrast and the Deputy's party must take responsibility for that. I have certainly taken hold of this issue. I have had a great deal of discussion about it. I am anxious to ensure that when the report is published it will be up to date and defensible in terms of the data it...

Child Protection (15 Dec 2011)

Frances Fitzgerald: A great deal of work has been done on the Children First legislation. I said previously that the heads of the Bill would be referred to the Oireachtas committee in the next Dáil term. I will do that because it is important to get a response. As the Deputy would expect, it is proving to be complex legislation, but much progress has been made. I will be submitting a further memorandum to...