Results 3,781-3,800 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Strategy Statements (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is developing a new strategy for children and young people. It will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland’s first children’s strategy which was published in 2000 and it will cover the 5-year period from 2013 to 2017. The new Children and Young People’s Policy Framework is being developed in a holistic way to comprehend the continuum of the lifecourse...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Issues (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The findings of the latest seven reviews published by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church were shocking in nature, particularly in the context of the three Religious Congregations reviewed and the scale of alleged sexual abuse, the application of standards and the management of abuse allegations and alleged offenders. I have had recent discussions with Ian...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: HSE Reports (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the HSE that it expects to submit the Review of Adequacy of Services Report for 2011 to me next month.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency Remit (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The final report of the Task Force, which I established to advise on the necessary transition programme to establish a Child and Family Support Agency, made recommendations on a number of key issues. These include recommendations on a range of services, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, which, in the opinion of the Task Force, should fall within the remit of the new...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Health Services Staff Issues (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE compiles a monthly census of employment in the public health and social care sector. The figures indicate that the total number of WTE social workers employed in the Children and Families Service area of the HSE was 1,300 at the end of July 2012, which is the latest month for which data is available. The figures for the Children and Families Service area as broken down by HSE region...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Issues (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, which I published in 2011, provides clarity and guidance for individuals and organisations in identifying and responding appropriately to child abuse and neglect. It also sets out what organisations that care for or work with children should do to ensure they are safe whilst in the care of the organisation. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Guidelines (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The use of different systems of child abuse management is a legacy issue from the previous Health Boards. This issue is being addressed in the context of the Reform Programme in the HSE with a single, national, service delivery model in development. Since taking office last year, it has been evident to me that there is a particular need to improve the quality and accuracy of information...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The matter of disciplinary actions against employees of the Health Service Executive is one for the HSE to address as the relevant employer. I am seeking clarification from the National Director for Children and Family Services on the issues raised by the Deputy. It is important to note that the Independent Child Death Review Group conducted what was in essence a desktop review of HSE...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Court Procedures (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I indicated when I published the report of the Independent Child Death Review Group that I welcome the findings and recommendations of this report, and that I accept fully the need for action in the areas identified. It was my clear intention that the report would enter the public domain and inform debate and discussion about the level of State and other services being offered to children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency Funding (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: A dedicated new budget sub-head had been established for the first time in the HSEVote, in preparation for the planned establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency (CFSA) in 2013. A provision of €568m has been made for 2012. A process is currently underway to further review and refine the detailed components of this sub-head in advance of the establishment of the new Agency....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Rights Referendum (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The recruitment of additional social workers was included in the Ryan Report Implementation Plan. The commitments made to recruit an additional 260 social workers on foot of the Ryan Report have now been met.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Provision (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The provision of alternative care services appropriate to the needs of children and young people is an ongoing priority. There are 3,925 children in general foster care, of which 204 (5.2%) are placed with companies which provide private foster care services to the HSE. I am advised by the HSE that placement charges have been reduced significantly as a result of a review of services and costs...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is intended that the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill will provide for the safeguarding and maintenance of all adoption records in the State with the Adoption Authority having responsibility for ensuring that adopted persons and birth parents have access to their records in accordance with the proposed Bill. However, because all persons have a constitutional right to privacy it is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Missing Children (26 Sep 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. Following cross departmental consultation and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Garda Vetting of Personnel (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) that the specific data requested by the Deputy is not available. The data captured by the HSE in the vetting process relates to the subjects personal details and the grade to which the person is to be appointed. The service to which they are assigned is not captured. The HSE's Garda Vetting Liaison Office was established towards the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Post-Adoption Contact Register (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have stated previously, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, and its predecessor The Adoption Board, has no statutory responsibility in respect of the matter raised but has endeavoured to assist persons affected, to the extent open to it. In that regard, I would refer to the fact that the Guidelines on Information and Tracing services first issued by the Adoption Board in 2004 included...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Issues (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As part of the ongoing ‘change agenda’ in Child and Family services I am committed to developing the capacity of our child protection services to appropriately and effectively address the needs of children who present in emergency situations outside of normal working hours. Two out-of-hours pilot projects, one in Donegal and the other in Cork, were commenced by the HSE in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I outlined in my response to an earlier question regarding aftercare, the HSE National Aftercare Service is underpinned by a National Policy and Procedures Document which has been developed in cooperation with the key stakeholders, including the voluntary sector agencies involved in aftercare provision and my Department. The policy which was finalised in April 2011, commits to promoting...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Absenteeism (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 159 together. Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 all recognised schools are obliged to submit an Annual Attendance Report to the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), which operates under the remit of my Department, on the levels of school attendance each year. The data collected on non-attendance in primary and post-primary schools...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Funding (26 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has received a proposal from Citywise seeking funding for a service in Dublin 24. The Citywise service involves the provision of a programme to children who are not participating in school. I have been advised by officials of my Department that this provision is not a recognised school within the meaning of the Education Act, 1998. The Minister for Education and Skills has...