Results 3,421-3,440 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Adoption Legislation: Adoption Legislation (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 197 together. The Adoption Act, 2010, consolidated previous adoption legislation and gave force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The purpose of the Adoption Act, 2010, is to improve standards in both domestic and intercountry adoption. The regulatory framework governing...

Written Answers — EU Conventions: EU Conventions (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The compatibility of the European Convention on the Adoption of Children with Irish law, as well as with adoption policy and practice in this country, is receiving attention in my Department. Once all the relevant issues arising in that context have been fully examined, I will be in a position to make a recommendation to the Government as to the signing and ratification of the Convention.

Written Answers — Post-Adoption Contact Register: Post-Adoption Contact Register (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department was established on the 2nd June, 2011. The Deputy will be aware that a gross funding allocation of €427 million has been made available to my Department under Vote 40 to support a range of programmes and services in respect of children and youth affairs. Details of the allocation are included in the Revised Estimates of the Public Service 2012 which was published by the...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I presume the Deputy is enquiring about the use of agency or contract staff engaged to meet a short-term service need or where some flexibility in staffing a service is required. In that regard, I can confirm that my Department, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Family Support Agency and the Children's Detention Schools do not presently engage such services. There are 4 agency staff...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (13 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy that the position in respect of public bodies under the auspices of my Department is that there are four agencies funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Family Support Agency, the National Educational Welfare Board and the Ombudsman for Children. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (14 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: With effect from 1 November 2010, inter-country 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 (the Hague Adoption Convention) or with countries with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement. Kazakhstan has ratified the Convention. Over the past 18 months the Adoption...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (14 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Currently there are 10 children, on High Court detention orders, detained in specialised units overseas, 8 in the UK, 2 in Nebraska. These placements allow for access to specialised therapeutic services or where a secure place is urgently needed and one is not available here. Three children are in Scotland, four children are in Northampton and one child is in Peterborough. The cost is...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (14 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The total funding available under the programme was €6 million and following an appraisal process 290 applications were approved for funding. All programme funding is considered in the context of the annual estimates and budgetary process and it is not possible to advise the Deputy in advance of these discussions in relation to programmes that will be funded in 2013.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (14 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Adoptions from Russia, 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). Under the provisions of the legislation, such adoptions may take place up to the end of October 2013. As regards adoptions thereafter, Russia has not ratified the Hague...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (19 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 554 together. As the Deputy is aware, my Department is currently developing an overarching Children and Young People's Policy Framework for 2012 – 2017. This new Policy Framework will, in the first instance, provide the basis for more detailed strategies including an Early Years Strategy and a new Youth Policy Framework. It is envisaged that the...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (19 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 562 together. Belarus has ratified the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. However, adoptions between Ireland and Belarus cannot take place due to compatibility issues between the laws of Ireland and Belarus. This arises because the Belarussian requirement for legislative underpinning...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (19 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The maximum grant available was €50,000 (including VAT). The aim of the funding is to provide support to childcare settings to address remedial, maintenance and renovation work, or to purchase equipment. The successful applications were those that represented the most complete, coherent, precise and compelling cases for funding. The investment has been directed, to the greatest extent...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (19 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 557 to 560, inclusive, and 564 together. The 33 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) were established in 2001 to advance the provision of childcare facilities in their local areas. They comprise local representatives from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors, social partners, childcare providers and parents. The role of the CCCs was expanded...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (19 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to assure the Deputy that early years services are already familiar with the national practice guidelines of Síolta and Aistear. Pobal carry out an annual survey, the Annual Beneficiary Questionnaire, to capture information about childcare facilities funded under the National Childcare Investment Programme. For the 2010 survey, Pobal added a number of questions to assess...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (19 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy that the position in respect of my Department is that four agencies are currently funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Family Support Agency, the National Educational Welfare Board and the Ombudsman for Children. The Deputy might note that following enactment of the Child Care Amendment Act...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (19 Jun 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which is implemented by my Department, provides funding to community-based childcare services to enable them to provide childcare at reduced rates to parents in receipt of social welfare payments and working parents who may also qualify. For the purpose of the CCS programme, eligibility is determined by reference to a range of means-tested...