Results 4,041-4,060 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: In tandem with the Children Referendum I have published the General Scheme of the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2012, which the Government plans to bring before the Oireachtas on the passing of this Referendum. This Bill sets out in detail how it is proposed to address issues in relation to adoption which would arise in relation to the proposed amendment to the Constitution. It is proposed that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Education (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. In line with the Programme for Government, my Department has made a significant commitment to maintaining the universal free pre-school year. About 65,000 children, that is approximately 95% of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Northern Ireland Issues (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my response to his last question on this issue (PQ 46612/12). In this reply, I confirmed that while there is no dedicated North South Co-operation Unit in my Department, officials engage with their counter-parts in Northern Ireland on issues of mutual concern and importance and as part of their day-to-day responsibilities,. As such, it is not possible to state...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Sector Staff (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Certain grades of care staff are employed on a roster basis in the Children Detention School and due to the nature of the work involved, there are no plans to remove them from that system.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Sector Staff (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand that the Deputy is referring to public servants who retired during the period 1 January 2010 to the 29 February 2012. I can only answer this question in relation to my own Department and agencies that fall under its remit. In that respect, I understand that the National Educational Welfare Board has recently appointed one member of staff as interim Chief Executive Officer on a...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad] - Financial Resolution: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move:That provision be made in the Act giving effect to this Resolution for the payment of a levy as respects- (a) milk received for processing, (b) an animal slaughtered in an establishment, registered or approved or required to be registered or approved for the purposes of an act adopted by an institution of the European Union, used for the slaughter of animals, or (c) an animal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Rights Referendum (7 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a provision of €3 million in the Vote of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs relating to the cost of holding a Constitutional Referendum on Children’s Rights. Of this €3m, the Department has allocated €1.9 million to the Referendum Commission for the performance of its statutory functions. The breakdown of this amount will become available when...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. In line with the Programme for Government, my Department has made a significant commitment to maintaining the universal free pre-school year. In the current pre-school year approximately 65,700...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides for one free preschool year for all eligible children in the year before commencing 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The multiannual allocations for each Government Department, including the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, were set out in the Report of the 2011 Comprehensive Review of Expenditure. That Report contained the gross expenditure ceilings within which expenditure was to be managed over the medium term along with savings targets for 2013 and 2014. The expenditure review identified...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Bodies (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. I have set out in tabular format below a list of these Agencies. I can confirm that no quasi-Governmental organisations come under the remit of my Department. Agencies under the remit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs National Educational Welfare Board...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, I announced last week that €2.25 million in capital funding would be made available for youth cafés, youth projects and play and recreation initiatives between now and the end of 2013. In 2012, €500,000 will be provided for the development of a number of youth cafés which had applied for previous youth café funding schemes....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Sector Pensions (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of agencies under the aegis of my Department is set out below: Range Number of Pensioners €0-€10,000 92 €10,001 - €20,000 22 €20,001 - €30,000 16 €30,001 - €40,000 2 €40,001 - €50,000 2 €50,001 - €60,000 - €60,001 - €70,000 -...

Seanad: Matter raised under Standing Order 30 (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senator Norris. I want to start by calling for the focus to be kept on the substance of the amendment that is being put to the people two days from now, the primary objective of which is the protection of children. When we debated the Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012 in this House at the beginning of last month, it was clear that there was great...

Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is preliminary.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Social Workers Register (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE compiles a monthly census of employment in the public health and social care sector. Figures supplied by the HSE indicate that the number of whole-time- equivalent (WTE) social workers employed in the Children and Families Service area of the HSE was 1,300 at the end of July 2012. The number of social workers employed in the Children and Families Service area at the end of February...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Education (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides for one free pre-school year for all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. In line with the Programme for Government, my Department has maintained the pre-school year on a universal and free basis. The universal nature of this programme is critical for childhood...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 571 and 575 together. Work is proceeding as a priority of Government on the preparation of the legislation necessary to give effect to the establishment of a new Child and Family Support Agency. The intention, subject to the passing of the legislation, is that the new Agency will be established in January 2013. My Department is working closely with staff...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Detention Centres (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Ballydowd Young Peoples Centre, which has a capacity for 10 beds, is one of three Special Care units in the country which are operated by the HSE under a single national governance arrangement. The other two units are Gleann Álainn (Cork) and Coovagh House (Limerick). Special Care involves the detention of a child for his or her own welfare and protection in a Special Care Unit....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Missing Children (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Universal Service Directive requires Member States to "make every effort to ensure that citizens have access to a service operating a hotline to report cases of missing children. The hotline shall be available on the number 116 000." The same Directive also requires Member States to "ensure that citizens are adequately informed of the existence and use of services provided under the 116...