Results 3,201-3,220 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (15 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. The total figure of 42 for the number of children availing of the After School Childcare (ASCC) programme provided to the Deputy in the Parliamentary Question reply on 30 April 2014 was correct. However, when the table was being compiled, two entries for Donegal, Wexford and Limerick City were inadvertently included. The total number...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (15 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: In 2013 the Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Ltd. incurred expenditure of €2.022 million and had income amounting to €1.960 million resulting in a deficit of €62,000. The Centre employs approximately 100 staff, including Community Employment participants. I understand that the Centre has been experiencing cash flow difficulties over recent weeks and that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (15 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The development of Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy for children aged from birth to 6 years, is being progressed in my Department. The objective is to create an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland’s early years sector and a coherent approach to seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to 6 years. The Department of Children and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (15 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is located in Mespil Road, Dublin 4. A number of staff have been trained and are qualified to operate the two defibrillators located in the building. Both defibrillators were acquired prior to the establishment of the Department in July 2011. The defibrillators are available during normal office hours only. The use of defibrillators in agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 991 and 992 together. The School Completion Programme (SCP) aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of its target cohort. The SCP is a targeted intervention aimed at those school communities identified through the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 993, 998, 999 and 1008 together. I am happy to provide an update for the House on the position in relation to Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Ltd. The Centre has been experiencing widely reported cash flow difficulties over recent weeks. The Centre incurred expenditure of €2.022m in 2013 and received funding amounting to €1.96m,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Funding for the service described by the Deputy is a matter for the Department of Health. I will arrange for officials from my Department to notify the Deputy's concerns to my colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 995 to 997, inclusive, together. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides for one free preschool year for all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. The programme is normally provided for 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, over 38 weeks. The Government has made a very significant commitment in maintaining the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Funding of €0.25 million is being provided in 2014 to support the Parent and Toddler Initiative which is administered by the City and County Childcare Committees. This Initiative provides grants to parent and toddler groups with a particular focus on disadvantaged areas. Requests for information about the Initiative can be made to the local Childcare Committee.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Lottery Funding Applications (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Details of the National Lottery Grant Scheme 2014 have been available on my Department's website since Friday, 2 May, 2014. An initial closing date for applications has been set for Friday, 6th June, 2014. The amount available under the scheme this year is €910,000. The four main priority areas under this year's scheme are as follows:- Culture, play and recreation. - Children and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Capital funding grants to child care services for major developments were discontinued following a review by Government of all capital expenditure in 2009. In 2012 and 2013 capital funding totalling €9 million was secured by my predecessor under two capital programmes to support ongoing improvement of established child care services participating in one or more of the child care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Capital funding of €2.5 million is being provided in 2014 under the Early Years Childcare Capital 2014 programme for the maintenance and upgrade of community/not-for-profit child care services. The objective of this funding is to ensure that previously-funded community facilities remain fit-for-purpose, maintain and improve quality, and to make community services more efficient and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides one free preschool year to all eligible children before the commence primary school. The programme includes a number of additional provisions to take account of children with special needs. These include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the programme where a child is developmentally delayed and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: As part of the child care quality agenda aimed at improving the quality of child care services, new qualification requirements for child care staff working directly with children were announced last year. A minimum qualification of Level 5 (or equivalent) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) will be required for all staff working with children in preschool services. The minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1006, 1009 and 1010 together. Almost all the preschool services in this country are provided by commercial or community providers. A small number are provided in workplace locations. All of these services are developed in response to local or employment needs and the ongoing viability of such enterprises is a matter for the service providers. My...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Child and Family Agency that it adopts a common sense approach to its corporate parenting responsibilities. Children are not allowed to smoke and/or consume alcohol in any Child and Family Agency establishment. Where a child has been smoking and or consuming alcohol, engagement in smoking cessation and alcohol awareness programmes are encouraged.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Health Services Staff (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I am informed by the Child and Family Agency that this matter continues to be part of a Labour Relations Commission conciliation process which is ongoing. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment at this point in time.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (27 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: As part of the child care quality agenda aimed at improving the quality of child care services, new qualification requirements for child care staff working directly with children were announced last year. A minimum qualification of Level 5 (or equivalent) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) will be required for all staff working with children in preschool services. The minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (28 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: Almost all the pre-school services in this country are provided by commercial or community providers. A small number are provided in workplace locations. All of these services are developed in response to local or employment needs and the ongoing viability of such enterprises is a matter for the service providers. My Department has no responsibility in relation to the sustainability of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Semi-State Bodies (28 May 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I can confirm that there are no semi-State companies currently in operation under the aegis of my Department.