Results 2,981-3,000 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Order of Business (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: No.

Order of Business (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Is the Deputy seeking legislation on making the best use of public buildings?

Inter-Country Adoption: Statements (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As we have seen from the range of contributions to the debate, many questions arise about intercountry adoptions. As soon as I took up this brief I realised we were in a transition period with new adoption legislation and the signing of the Hague Convention. Many of the countries from which Irish people had adopted, for example, Russia and Ethiopia, had not signed the convention....

Inter-Country Adoption: Statements (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have sought to bring urgency to the situation. As Deputy McConalogue pointed out, that is important because there has been a long period of delay for the parents and families who were hoping to adopt from Vietnam. That is the reason I asked officials from my Department and the AAI to visit the country last year to do some preliminary work. When I thought it was appropriate I, too,...

Inter-Country Adoption: Statements (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand people looking for timeframes. It is what I would like to see. To arrive at a clear timeframe, we must look first at the situation between the two countries. If a country is not Hague-compliant, a bilateral agreement must be negotiated, as is the case with Russia, for example. I would not rule this out because it is a possibility. Given the large numbers of children who have...

Inter-Country Adoption: Statements (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will correspond with the Deputy regarding the detailed questions he has asked but, as far as I am aware, the three agencies have not begun carrying out assessments. The reason for that is a number of policy issues must be decided. For example, the agencies have to be financed and the issue is where the financing will come from. Will it, for example, be provided by the HSE or will there...

Inter-Country Adoption: Statements (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Members who contributed to this important debate. Clearly, there is huge interest in this area and, as Deputies McConalogue, Doyle, Harris and others said, people in every county have been affected and they are interested in inter-country adoptions. Ireland has wished to engage in such adoptions. Many children have been successfully integrated into families here from a range of...

Written Answers — Health Service Expenditure: Health Service Expenditure (21 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 — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Issues relating to the level of fees charged by an accredited body are a matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) and are covered in some detail by the Adoption Act 2010 (Accredited Bodies) Regulations 2010. These regulations set out the standards which must be met by accredited bodies in order to satisfy the requirements of the Adoption Authority under the Adoption Act, 2010 (No....

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (21 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. About 66,000 children, that is approximately 95% of children in the year before school, are availing of the free pre-school provision at this time. Children qualify for the free pre-school year...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) is an independent statutory body charged with implementing the Adoption Act, 2010. The Authority has responsibility for the direct operational implementation of legislation and Government policy. Under Section 41 of the Adoption Act, 2010, the Adoption Authority may extend by one year a valid Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability to Adopt. The...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) is an independent statutory body charged with implementing the Adoption Act, 2010. The Authority has responsibility for the direct operational implementation of legislation and Government policy. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the specific case raised by the Deputy as this is a matter for the statutory authorities. Accordingly, I have...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department was formally established on 2nd June 2011 and to date photographers were booked for the following events: Company/Photographer Date Event Amount Report Ltd 11/07/11 Launch of the report of consultations with young people on Reform of the Junior Cycle in 2nd level schools €590.20 Report Ltd 15/07/11 Children First Launch €493.72 Report Ltd 27/07/11 Launch of the report...

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I do not use a State car. In accordance with a Cabinet decision in May 2011, the use of State cars is now confined to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice & Law Reform. The transport arrangements applying to other Cabinet Ministers are in line with those already in place for Ministers of State. In that regard, I can confirm to the Deputy that I use my own personal car for...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (21 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy that there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI), the Family Support Agency (FSA), the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken responsibility for the children detention schools as...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (22 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. These include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund (Rounds 1 and 2) and the Local Drugs Task Force...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (22 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has sought the information requested by the Deputy from the HSE and I will provide the Deputy with the information as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (23 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Since my Department was established on 2 June, 2011, 10 requests under the Freedom of Information Act have been received. Four of these requests were processed on behalf of my Department by the Department of Health, as the Freedom of Information Unit had yet to be set up within my own Department. No search and retrieval fees were sought in relation to the 10 requests.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: A total of 4 people retired from either my Department or one of its agencies during 2011 with an associated cost of €279,778 in lump sums and €86,903 in pensions. A further 11 people from across the Department and its agencies are due to retire before the end of February 2012. The final cost of these lump sums and pensions is not yet available. The figures requested regarding loss of...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (23 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Of the 11 people due to retire before the end of February 2012, 7 are retiring without having reached minimum retirement age as follows: Department/Agency Grade No. Department of Children & Youth Affairs Principal OfficerAssistant PrincipalHigher Executive Officer 111 Family Support Agency Assistant Principal 1 Adoption Authority of Ireland Principal OfficerHigher Executive...