Results 3,721-3,740 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act 1991, the Health Service Executive has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The policy of the HSE is to place children in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community. A total of 6,259 children were in the care of the state in July 2012, the vast majority of whom...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: We accept that on occasion we must send children abroad for highly specialised care in medically complex cases, for example to Great Ormond Street Hospital, because it and others are global centres of excellence. Other countries also send children there. We must accept that for children with highly complex and challenging behavioural difficulties sometimes their best possible care can be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer to the Deputy's point on care. What these young people are receiving is not simply residential care. The reason I compared it to Great Ormond Street is that they are getting the kind of treatments and care and psychological interventions that are simply not available to them here. I assure the Deputy the social workers are in contact with the children and do visit them. The reason...

Other Questions: United Nations Conventions (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 8 together. When the third optional protocol to the convention was opened for signature by member states in February 2012, I announced that it was my intention to sign the protocol on behalf of Ireland as soon as possible. My Department is currently finalising the State’s combined third and fourth reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the...

Other Questions: United Nations Conventions (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Deputy for the question. It is on our agenda. We intend to ratify the second protocol as quickly as we can and move to the third one. I would think we will be in a position to do this in the coming months. On the second protocol, I am waiting for some legislation on which the Department of Justice and Equality is working. I will bring a memorandum to the Government on it with...

Other Questions: United Nations Conventions (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The legislation is being actively worked on by the Department of Justice and Equality. I have had a discussion with the Minister about the protocol and it is something I would be very keen to do. It complements the work we are doing at a constitutional level, yet it is a practical measure that we need to sign. We await the legislation the Minister will bring forward. I do not have a...

Other Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is a similar question to the one Deputy Robert Troy asked earlier on the establishment of the child and family support agency. I did not get to make a number of points in reply on the back-drop to the establishment of the agency and the other issues we need to pursue as we establish it. One I have mentioned is the consistency of the child protection services in that the assessments and...

Other Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The task force recommended that the new agency have a board structure, although it made a number of recommendations regarding the powers of the Minister and a strengthened role for the Department in undertaking policy development and performance oversight vis-à-vis the new agency. We will have an opportunity to discuss that issue when I bring the legislation to the House. The core...

Other Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The date of transfer of services is 1 January 2013. We will have work to do in the Dáil in advance of that date, but we have said all along that the agency will begin as a separate entity from 1 January 2013. It should progress, depending on the introduction of legislation in the House and the making of decisions on the governance structure and its development. It is clear that the...

Other Questions: Child Care Services (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The inter-jurisdictional protocol for the transfer of child care cases between Northern Ireland and the Republic was launched on 2 February 2012. This protocol is designed to formalise cross-border information-sharing practice when agencies learn that families of children at risk are moving, or have moved, across the Border, thereby ensuring that children and families moving between the two...

Other Questions: Child Care Services (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Other Questions: Child Care Services (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: This protocol is in place. It relates to thresholds for the sharing of information and taking agreed action - when such information is shared - in the context of protecting children. The relevant front-line staff are aware of its existence and when families are moving between the two jurisdictions, information sharing is actually taking place. The Deputy's point in respect of the...

Other Questions: National Play and Recreation Policies (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The development of the play and recreation policy is an important objective for my Department in view of the positive social and developmental impact of play in the lives of children and young people and its significance in promoting healthy lifestyles. In that regard, research indicates that some 25% of three year olds are either obese or overweight. National play and recreation policies...

Other Questions: National Play and Recreation Policies (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is worth noting that in 2004, there were 168 public playgrounds in the country and now there are 900 spread throughout the country. There is now a much greater awareness of the benefits of such facilities on the part of local authorities. As Deputy Buttimer said, there is a need for joined up thinking on this matter. There is a need to focus on this area and all Deputies can play a part...

Other Questions: National Play and Recreation Policies (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer to Senator Eamonn Coghlan's points for life initiative. This is a pilot project for assessing and improving physical fitness among Irish primary school students and also the Department of Education and Skills' active school flag programme, which is the promotion of physical fitness in Irish primary and secondary schools. I have seen in schools in my local area the value of that...

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Leanaí) 2012: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The amendment was put in.

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Leanaí) 2012: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: No, the amendment on adoption.

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Leanaí) 2012: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Guardianship is the best route.

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Leanaí) 2012: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: He meant in regard to the changes in fostering.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am firmly committed to the transformation of Ireland's child protection and welfare services and to the establishment of a new child and family support agency. The necessary legislation is being prepared by my Department as a priority. It is anticipated the Bill will be published and enacted in the course of this session. It is my intention that the child and family support agency will...