Results 3,321-3,340 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Government has undertaken to establish a commission of investigation into the issues relating to mother and baby homes. While I have confirmed that the intended scope of this investigation will go beyond the home operated by the Sisters of Bon Secours in Tuam, County Galway, the process to develop specific terms of reference is being advanced in collaboration with relevant colleagues...

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: It is not my intention to prejudge the outcome of the Government's deliberation on the commission to investigate mother and baby homes. I hope the detailed terms of reference could be formulated in the coming weeks. It is my intention that the commission will commence work during the summer and that prior to 17 July, the last Dáil sitting day, the formal terms of reference will be...

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge the Deputy's contribution on this. As I said earlier, there is a wide range of documentation before the interdepartmental committee. I agree that a social historian or archivist should be involved to ensure all documentation is appropriately logged. Issues exist relating to burial arrangements and high mortality rates at mother and baby homes. There are other issues too,...

Other Questions: Early Child Care Education (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: International evidence indicates that raising the qualification levels of staff working with children is key to improving the quality of services. As part of the ongoing progression of the early years quality agenda, it was announced last year that by September 2015 all early years services staff working directly with children in the zero to six years age category would have to have a...

Other Questions: Early Child Care Education (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I agree with Deputy Troy that the object of the exercise must be to ensure a level of quality. The Deputy speaks of consistency, and there needs to be an element of balance. He is aware a panel of more than 50 training providers has been approved to deliver the training programmes following the completion of the expression of interest process. More than 2, 200 staff have already applied....

Other Questions: Early Child Care Education (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The first and most important objective for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is to ensure that there is a level of competency on a mandatory basis in order that all existing staff are in a position to meet an appropriate level of qualification.

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The right to privacy has been firmly established as a constitutional right through a series of legal cases beginning in 1974 with McGee v. the Attorney General, which concerned marital privacy, and culminating in the Kennedy v. Ireland case in 1987 where a general constitutional right to privacy was fully recognised. The right to privacy was also recognised in the IO'T v. B case, a Supreme...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I accept what Deputy Troy has said. However, I again advise him as to the complexity involved and I do not make this point lightly. Earlier, I referred to the Supreme Court case and if Members will indulge me, I must state the advice from the Attorney General indicates that any right to know one's own identity, such as was found in a legal judgment in the case I mentioned earlier, flows...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: On the commission of investigation, whose terms of reference I expect to be approved by the Dáil before we rise for the summer, it is not my intention that it will in any way hamper, curtail or delay the process under way between my Department and the Office of the Attorney General in advancing the heads of the Bill for further discussion. The Deputy referred to an individual case....

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: My Department is continuing work on the adoption (information and tracing) Bill and I hope to be in a position to seek Government approval to publish heads of the Bill as soon as possible. While I am anxious to improve the legal basis for access to adoption records, proposals to government must reflect the constraints on the Legislature in providing such access if it is not to fall foul of...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I agree with Deputy Keaveney. I also remind Deputies from all sides of the existence in the Adoption Authority of Ireland of a dedicated section that provides assistance, including appropriate information, records, access, advice and guidance. I urge Deputies, through their constituency clinic network or otherwise, to alert constituents and interested parties to the existence of this unit...

Topical Issue Debate: Early Child Care Education (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I thank my constituency colleague, Deputy Corcoran Kennedy, for raising this important matter. Members will be aware that my Department provides approximately €260 million annually to support the parents of preschool and after-school children with the cost of child care. This funding is provided through approximately 4,300 child care service providers, both community and commercial,...

Topical Issue Debate: Early Child Care Education (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I will communicate with the Deputy in so far as the review she mentioned is taking place. In 2012 and 2013, my predecessor secured capital funding totalling €9 million to support the ongoing improvement of established child care services participating in the child care support programmes as implemented by my Department. A further €2.5 million already has been secured in 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Government has undertaken to establish a Commission of Investigation into concerns regarding conditions and related practices in Mother and Baby Homes. I have also publicly confirmed that the intended scope of this investigation will go beyond the home operated by the Sisters of Bon Secours in Tuam, Co. Galway and these announcements have been widely welcomed. I wish to acknowledge the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bullying of Children (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: As Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, I am committed to working with colleagues in Government to ensure that integrated policy responses to combat bullying are high on our agenda. I do not have specific legislative responsibilities in this area. Where a crime may have been committed it falls to An Garda Siochana to investigate. The Department of Justice and Equality also has...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Early Childcare Supplement was introduced in April 2006 to assist parents with the costs of caring for children in their pre-school years. Due to the need to reduce public expenditure, a number of reductions were made to the Early Childcare Supplement from 2009 and the then Government took a decision to abolish the Early Childcare Supplement with effect from the 31st December 2009. At...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The Government has undertaken to establish a Commission of Investigation into the disturbing revelations on conditions and related matters in Mother and Baby Homes. I have publicly confirmed that the intended scope of this investigation will go beyond the home operated by the Sisters of Bon Secours in Tuam, Co. Galway and will include the Bethany Home. The incorporation of any further...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Death Review Group Report (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: The National Review Panel was established in 2010 to review serious incidences and deaths of children in care in order to identify any areas for improvement. It is chaired by Dr Helen Buckley and is independent in its functions. All cases of the death or of a serious incident concerning children in care, in aftercare or known to the Agency child protection services, in keeping with Health...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: I have provided the House with regular updates on issues regarding the services delivered by Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Ltd. It is a matter of record that this Centre has been experiencing cash flow difficulties. The Centre incurred expenditure of €2.022m in 2013 and received funding amounting to €1.96m, resulting in a deficit of €62,000....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (1 Jul 2014)

Charles Flanagan: There are three Special Care Units in the country which are operated by the Agency under a single national governance arrangement. They are Ballydowd in Dublin for girls and boys, Gleann Alainn in Cork which is for girls only and Coovagh House in Limerick for boys only. These Units are inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority, who reported positively on the level of care...