Results 3,021-3,040 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Skills Development: Skills Development (28 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Workforce Development Plan for the Early Childhood Care and Education sector set out the key areas that emerged from an extensive programme of research and consultation: These key areas are: · The necessity for clearly articulated professional pathways into and across professional domains of practice related to the care and education of children. These include occupational role...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (28 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Access to flexible, affordable and nationally accredited learning opportunities at all levels of qualification for pre-service and in-service professional development is, as the Deputy points out, a key area of the Workforce Development Plan for the Early Childhood Care and Education sector. The initiatives under way to provide flexible learning opportunities include an on-line course which...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (28 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. My Department established and led a cross-sectoral Project Team, including representatives of my own Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, ComReg and An Garda Síochána to advance this matter. The position is that Comreg, who have responsibility for...

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (28 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to the responses provided recently on 14 February 2012 to Parliamentary Questions 8059/12 and 8061/12. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (28 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested is not immediately to hand within my Department and is being collated at present. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded directly to the Deputy when this process is complete.

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (28 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 — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (29 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 168 together. The Government currently supports the provision of early childhood care and education through three support programmes - the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme. These programmes are implemented by my...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Feb 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The numbers employed by grade at my Department are contained in the following table: Secretary General 1.00 Deputy Secretary 1.00 Assistant Secretary 1.00 Director 1.00 Special Advisor to the Minister 2.00 Principal Officer & Equiv Grades 12.30 Assistant Principal & Equivalent Grades 24.93 Personal Secretary to the Minister 1.00 Personal Assistant to the Minister 1.00 Higher...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (1 Mar 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 where...

Written Answers — Foster Care: Foster Care (1 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Health Service Executive (HSE) compiles and publishes monthly performance reports which include statistics in relation to children in foster care. Information in relation to the number of foster carers is published on a quarterly basis and the HSE reported that there were 3,769 foster carers, of whom 3,138 were approved by the Foster Care panel under Part III of the Child Care (Placement...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (1 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are no commercial semi-State companies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As previously advised, this appeal under the Community Child care Subvention (CCS) programme against the initial determination of subvention, was under consideration by my Department. This process has now been completed and the appeal has been upheld. The child care service in which these children are enrolled has been advised of this outcome.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 471 and 476 together. The Adoption Authority 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. Information relating to inter-country adoption from specific countries can be obtained from the Adoption Authority and...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department implements the Community Child care Subvention (CCS) programme which provides funding to community child care services to enable them to charge reduced child care rates to low income and disadvantaged families. Community child care 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 (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department implements the Community Child care Subvention (CCS) programme which provides funding to community child care services to enable them to charge reduced child care rates to low income and disadvantaged families. Community child care 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 — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. My Department established and is leading a cross-sectoral Project Team, including representatives of my own Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, ComReg and An Garda Síochána to advance this matter. The position is that ComReg, who have responsibility...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Adoptions from Ethiopia, effected under the transitional arrangements provided for in the Adoption Act 2010, are ongoing and are currently being examined, and recognised, by the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI). These transitional arrangements may lead to adoptions from Ethiopia taking place up to the end of October 2013. Adoptions from Ethiopia which are not covered by the...

Written Answers — Health Service Inspections: Health Service Inspections (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information provided in my response to Parliamentary Questions numbers 81 and 102 of 14 February 2012 is correct. The HSE has confirmed that no child has been confined to their bedroom and one child was restrained for a period of one minute since the publication of the HIQA report. The HIQA report published on 28 February refers to three physical restraints in relation to three children...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: From the establishment of my Department on 2 June, 2011, 10 requests under the Freedom of Information Act were received by my Department in 2011. Four of these requests were processed by the Department of Health on my Department's behalf while the Freedom of Information Unit within my own Department was in the process of being established. Fees were payable in respect of nine of these...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (6 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: From the establishment of my Department on 2 June, 2011, 10 requests under the Freedom of Information Act were received by my Department in 2011. Four of these requests were processed by the Department of Health on my Department's behalf while the Freedom of Information Unit within my own Department was in the process of being established. In respect of nine of these requests, initial search...