Results 4,241-4,260 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: City and County Child Care Committees (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 101 together. The City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) are funded by my Department to assist it in implementing its early years programmes, including supporting service providers and advising parents, at local level. In 2012, the total amount allocated by my Department to the CCCs was €11.3 million. Childminding advisory officers have...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency (18 Dec 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: United Nations Conventions (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The third Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was opened for signature by member states in February 2012. I have previously stated 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 3rd and 4th Reports to the UN Committee on the Reports of the Child. This is the first...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the allocation of €546 million in the HSE vote for 2013 in respect of children and family services. This consists of €545 million in current expenditure and €1 million in capital. This level of budgetary provision for child welfare and protection services reflects the priority attached to the Government to this important area. The overall level of resources...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Unemployment (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is committed to tackling unemployment and is working to create the environment for a strong economic recovery and jobs growth. Youth unemployment is a particular concern because of the prospects it holds for individual young people, their families and the economic and social life of the country. The Government’s action plans contain a range of measures across...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the recent publication of the Economic Assessment of the Value of Youth Work carried out by Indecon on behalf of the National Youth Council of Ireland. The report illustrates the breadth, depth and value of the youth work sector in Ireland and provides an assessment of the value and contribution of youth work to the economy, to young people themselves and to the social fabric of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides all pre-school children with equal access to early childhood care and education. The only requirement in regard to staff qualifications which is currently required by the ECCE programme, is that Pre-School leaders hold a certification for a major award in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Detention Centres (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware I announced on 2 April 2012, following agreement with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, an investment package for the project to expand the detention places and facilities on the Oberstown campus. My officials in the Irish Youth Justice Service continue to work closely to progress this project with the Office of Public Works (OPW). The projected...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bullying Incidence (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Minister for Children & Youth Affairs I am concerned about the impact bullying can have on our children and young people, on their confidence, learning outcomes, self-esteem and mental health. The effects of bullying can last for years, and tragically bullying has contributed to the loss of young lives. My Department’s 'Growing Up in Ireland' study has found that over 24% of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: At the outset I wish to emphasise that I and my Department did not set out to act in disregard of the Constitution. Indeed, no such claim was made in the proceedings. The Supreme Court identified two primary issues in the appeal by Mr. McCrystal against the decision of the High Court. First of these was a consideration of the test to be applied to trigger court intervention. Secondly,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Community Childcare Subvention Programme (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme provides funding to community childcare not-for-profit services to enable them to charge reduced childcare rates to parents in receipt of social welfare payments or on low to middle incomes. Community childcare services qualify for grant aid on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Guidelines (18 Dec 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: Adoption Legislation (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 98 together. I refer to my Department's response to the Deputy's question No. 18 (Ref. 46753/12) of 25th October last which answers the questions raised here. As stated, then it is intended that the Heads of Bill will provide that the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) is to have responsibility for ensuring that access to those records is provided...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Children's Strategy (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I stated in a reply to a Parliamentary Question on 25 October 2012, a review of the National Children's Strategy by the Children's Rights Alliance - an independent umbrella group of NGOs which campaign on behalf of children and youth rights - found that over 80% of the National Children's Strategy's 136 Actions have been either achieved or made some progress by February 2011. The 23...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: At the outset, I would like to clarify that responsibility for domestic violence rests with COSC, under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality. In so far as the HSE provides domestic violence services, responsibility falls within the remit of the Department of Health. As regards the application of the HIQA National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children, I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the new ‘Area Based Approach to Child Poverty’ initiative for which €2.5 million has been provided for in the 2013 Estimates. This investment supports a key Programme for Government objective and demonstrates this Government’s commitment to early intervention to support childhood development and tackle child poverty. I know that early intervention...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has begun work on Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy which will provide an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland’s Early Years sector aimed at providing a coherent approach to seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to age six. One of the issues of policy which I have identified for consideration in the preparation...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Social Workers Recruitment (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE has made considerable progress over recent years in recruiting additional social workers, with over 260 social workers recruited under the Ryan Implementation Plan at end 2011. Work is ongoing within the HSE on the disaggregation of the Children and Families resource base from the HSE as part of the process of establishing the Child and Family Support Agency in early 2013....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The audit report was submitted to the HSE’s National Director for Children and Family Services, Mr. Gordon Jeyes at end-October, 2012. The National Director expects to be in a position to publish the report within the coming weeks. The report is a composite work covering three audits in Roscommon, Waterford and Dublin. A decision was taken within the HSE to produce this composite...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have said on many occasions before now, and remain firmly of the view, that Saturday 10th November was a historic day for the children and families of this country. I believe that the decision the people made on that day has the potential to benefit children in legislative, practice and cultural changes relating to the protection and welfare of children and the support of families through...