Results 2,881-2,900 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald
- Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (7 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: In relation to Russia, a limited number of adoptions are currently being processed under transitional arrangements as provided for in the Adoption Act 2010. Such adoptions may take place up to the end of October 2013. Russia has not ratified the Hague Convention and there appears to be no immediate prospect that this will happen. Therefore, future adoptions from Russia, beyond those...
- Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (7 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: In accordance with the Adoption Act, 2010, which came into effect on 1 November 2010, intercountry adoptions can be effected with other countries which have ratified the Hague Convention or with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement. Ireland currently has no bilateral agreements in respect of intercountry adoption. With regard to non-Hague countries, a number of adoptions are being...
- Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (7 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: In accordance with the Adoption Act, 2010, which came into effect on 1 November 2010, intercountry adoptions can be effected with other countries which have ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption or with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement. Ireland currently has no bilateral agreements in respect of intercountry...
- Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (7 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: In accordance with the Adoption Act, 2010, which came into effect on 1 November 2010, intercountry adoptions can be effected with other countries which have ratified the Hague Convention or with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement. The Republic of Kazakhstan has ratified the Hague Convention on International Adoption and is in the process of reforming its legislation to bring it in line...
- Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (7 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: My Department implements the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to charge reduced childcare rates to low income and disadvantaged families. Community childcare services qualify for grant aid on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service....
- Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (7 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: In line with the Programme for Government, my Department has made a significant commitment to maintaining the universal free pre-school year. In this context the funding for the pre-school year has been increased from â¬163 million in 2011 to â¬175.8 million in 2012 to cater for changing demographics, which means that there is an increased number of children in the relevant age cohort....
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (8 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Act already provides that an individual habitually resident in the State, or a couple married to each other, each of whom is habitually resident in the State, may apply to the Health Service Executive for an assessment of eligibility and suitability to adopt. It is currently not possible for two unmarried persons to jointly adopt a child in Ireland. At present there are no...
- Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (8 Feb 2012)
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 — Children in Care: Children in Care (8 Feb 2012)
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 — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (9 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: I am in ongoing consultations with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on the funding of the proposed National Children Detention Facility in Oberstown, Lusk, Co Dublin and I have recently written to him emphasising the priority that should be attached to this project. I do not propose to comment further on these consultations, except to say that the Deputy can be assured that I...
- Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (9 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.
- Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (9 Feb 2012)
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. I very much welcome the positive assessment of the ongoing developments in the early childhood care and education sector by the Children's Rights Alliance. Their Report recognises in particular the...
- Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (9 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Years Strategy will be developed during 2012 and will cover a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life. There will be a consultation process later in the year and I can assure the Deputy that key stakeholders will be consulted. The details of who is to be consulted and how the process will be managed is currently under consideration.
- Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (9 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Act already provides that an individual habitually resident in the State, or a couple married to each other, each of whom is habitually resident in the State, may apply to the Health Service Executive for an assessment of eligibility and suitability to adopt. It is currently not possible for two unmarried persons to jointly adopt a child in Ireland. At present there are no...
- Written Answers — Foster Care: Foster Care (9 Feb 2012)
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 — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (9 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: My Department was formally established on the 2nd of June 2011 and since then it has established and abolished the following groups: Groups Established Groups Abolished Children First Interdepartmental Group October 2011 Children & Young People's Participation Partnership CommitteeMarch 2011 Advisory Group on Youth Homelessness May 2011 The Task Force on the Child & Family Support Agency...
- Health Service Staff (14 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58, 60 and 62 together. The Health Service Executive, HSE, compiles a monthly census of employment in the public health and social care sector. The latest data available is in respect of December 2011. It shows the total number of social workers employed in the HSE and in directly funded agencies at that time was 2,442 whole time equivalents, WTEs. The...
- Health Service Staff (14 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Ryan report recommended an additional 270 workers. The agreement was that 260 would have been recruited by the end of last year. I am very pleased to say that I have lived up to that commitment. We have 260 social workers recruited, with another ten due to be recruited this year. That is what the implementation group has been working on and is what the Ryan report stated we needed....
- Health Service Staff (14 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.
- Health Service Staff (14 Feb 2012)
Frances Fitzgerald: I reject Deputy Boyd Barrett's interpretation and I will give my reasons. For a start, there were 37 extra social workers working in child and family services during 2011. An additional 60 social workers have been recruited. As Minister I have ensured that the monetary provision for child and family services went up by â¬21 million or 4% this year compared to the previous budget. The...