Results 4,561-4,580 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Industrial Relations Issues (28 Mar 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together. There are three children detention schools currently in operation, all located on the Oberstown campus at Lusk, Co. Dublin. These are Trinity House School, Oberstown Boys School and Oberstown Girls School. Under current arrangements, the children detention schools are authorised for detaining males under 17 years and females under...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Programme (28 Mar 2013)

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: Legislative Programme (28 Mar 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: This legislation has been identified as a priority within my Department. My officials have been working closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Council to finalise the draft text of the Bill. It is anticipated that my Department will be in a position to publish the Child and Family Support Agency Bill during the next session. It is not intended at this stage to publish the Heads of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (28 Mar 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drug Task...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Death Review Group Report (28 Mar 2013)

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. In relation to the recommendations to establish an independent Child Death Review mechanism, the lack of transparency into what was happening to children and young people known...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Death Review Group Report (28 Mar 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I indicated when I published the report of the Independent Child Death Review Group (ICDRG) that I welcome the findings and recommendations of this report, and that I accept fully the need for action in the areas identified. The necessary actions are being implemented as part of the Government’s reform programme for children’s services, the most radical reform of child welfare...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputy Troy. Since becoming Minister, I have sought, notwithstanding the severe financial constraints faced by the Government, to maintain and increase my Department's investment in early years and child care support programmes. In the budget for 2012, I secured an additional funding requirement of nearly €9.8 million to meet increased demographic pressures and to protect the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: This situation did not develop overnight. Let us look at what happened in the past 12 years in terms of investment in child care. Of the money invested in child care, 60% went into bricks and mortar, 40% went on direct payment to parents and there was little focus in recent years on building up precisely what Deputy Troy describes, namely, an affordable child care service for parents across...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am sure Deputy Troy will agree that many parents out there are finding times very difficult and the cash payments are incredibly important to them, obviously. The point I was making regarding the spend was to explain that we do not have more accessible and affordable child care because the money is going on those cash payments. In terms of the future direction and where the money will be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: We will certainly be examining this in the context of budget discussions for 2014.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work is well advanced on the establishment of the new child and family agency. Last week,as part of the ongoing preparatory work, the Government approved, on my recommendation, the appointment of Ms Norah Gibbons as first chairperson of the board of the agency. Ms Gibbons has proven herself to be a true champion for reform of children’s services and one of Ireland's leading advocates...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The answer to the Deputy's first question is "the current Dáil term". We are not talking about the next number of years.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, it will be within the current Dáil term. The legislation is very close to finalisation. It is an enormous Bill and I want to be absolutely sure that all the preparatory work is done. I know the Deputy is aware that much work is ongoing in setting up the agency and it is not that we are just waiting for legislation and nothing else is happening. I will set a precise date for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will not go over the details here - the Deputy has heard me speak before about the precise services transferring at present. Deputy Ó Caoláin supports the principle, as does Deputy Troy, that the new agency should not just be a child protection agency but should be concerned with family support and early intervention. If that is to be the reality, a range of services must be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In 2013, my Department will provide some €53.173 million to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. This funding will support youth work programmes and youth services serving some 400,000 young people, delivered by over 1,400 youth work personnel, who in turn support a large volunteer...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased that we have been able to keep 90% of the funding in those services. I take the Deputy's point regarding the challenges faced by some of the services. Cherry Orchard, which she mentioned, gets €297,488 and it has been asked to make a 2% saving. The Base, with a budget of nearly €393,000, has been asked to make a 10% saving. I appreciate this is challenging but...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I appreciate the Deputy's support for this work. However, many of my ministerial colleagues have to take decisions about services they would prefer not to have to take. I am also in that position. That is the reality of the financial situation we face at present.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As with other Departments I must ask services to reform and manage on less. I pay tribute to the work being done. CDYSB can engage in discussions with the organisations the Deputy has mentioned to examine the precise impact. It has assured me that it has had discussions and that the higher cutbacks are being demanded in those organisations that have received the biggest funding and which,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have said in response to a previous question, the legislative priorities for this Dáil session are to introduce the child and family agency Bill, which is substantial legislation taking up a considerable amount of time and resources in my Department, and to finalise a revised general scheme and heads for the Children First Bill. Drafting of the legislation to establish the child...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assure the Deputy that much work has been done on both pieces of legislation. I have already outlined clearly how much work has been done with regard to the child and family agency, at an organisational level and into drafting the legislation. The legislation will have more than 100 heads and is extremely complex. The Attorney General and Parliamentary Counsel have been doing much work...