Results 4,601-4,620 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have no official responsibility to the Dáil in relation to this matter as the question relates to Guidelines on Reasonable Standard of Living/Reasonable Living Expenses to be prepared and issued by the Insolvency Service of Ireland under Section 23 of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012. The Insolvency Service of Ireland is independent in the exercise of its functions under Section...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Programme for Government commits to developing early childhood care and education as resources allow, and the Government has made a very significant commitment to maintaining the childcare support programmes implemented by my Department. In 2013 the total expenditure by my Department on these support programmes is expected to be in the region of €260 million. These programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125, 160 and 166 together. The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.173m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bullying of Children (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, I am committed to working with colleagues in Government to ensure that integrated policy responses to combat bullying are high on our agenda. Recent research confirms the scale and impact bullying has on our young people. - My Department’s 'Growing Up in Ireland' study has found that over 24% of 9 to 17 year olds have reported been...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE compiles monthly performance reports which include statistics in relation to children in care. These reports are published on the HSE website. The latest published report shows that there were 6,353 children in the care of the HSE in January 2013. 87.3% (5,549) of these children had a written care plan and 12.7% (804) did not, while 91.6% (5,810) of children had an allocated social...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Homelessness Strategy (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has engaged the Centre for Effective Services (CES) to undertake a high level review of the implementation of the 2001 Youth Homelessness Strategy. The purpose of the review is to establish the extent that the strategy has been successful, to identify blockages and challenges to its implementation in respect of any outstanding actions and to make recommendations for future...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Strategy (16 Apr 2013)

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 2018. In keeping with my Department’s responsibilities for children and young people, the new Children and Young People’s Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130, 132 and 144 together. 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. The Government has made a very significant commitment in maintaining the pre-school year on a universal and free basis despite the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 148 together. As part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, was pleased to announce a new School Age Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities. The initiative is expected to receive full year funding of €14 million to provide over 6,000...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133, 135 and 139 together. My Department is currently developing a new Children and Young People’s Policy Framework which will set out high-level goals for both my own and other Departments for the next five years. The Policy Framework is expected to be published in mid 2013 and will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland’s first...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Official Engagements (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: On March 14th I lead a delegation to India which included Dr G Shannon, Chair of the Adoption Authority of Ireland and a Departmental Official. The visit, which was in conjunction with representing the Irish Government at official functions in India for St Patrick's Day, afforded me the opportunity to assess the position in relation to inter country adoption in India. During the visit...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: At present the Health Service Executive provides out-of-hours emergency services for children at risk in the greater Dublin area through the Crisis Intervention Service (CIS), and outside the greater Dublin area through the Emergency Place of Safety Service (EPSS). The Crisis Intervention Service provides out-of-hours emergency social work assistance to young people aged under 18 years. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Programme (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137, 143 and 156 together. The Deputy will be aware that I published the Draft Heads and General Scheme for the Children First Bill 2012 on the 25th of April 2012 and immediately referred the Heads of Bill to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for consideration and advice. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children published their...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 145 together. The free Pre-School Year in 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 this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Strategy (16 Apr 2013)

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 2018. In keeping with my Department’s responsibilities for children and young people, the new Children and Young People’s Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that I am currently examining options, in association with the Attorney General, to strengthen legislation regarding the provision of aftercare. I have recently held round-table discussions with HSE, service providers, advocates and the voluntary sector in relation to the recent improvements in aftercare service delivery and the proposed legislative change. My...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Issues (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In the first instance, I would like to clarify that the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) is a functional unit of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), a division of the Department of Justice and Equality. RIA is charged with providing accommodation and ancillary services to asylum seekers, that is, adults and their children, under the Direct Provision system while...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.173m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding of €53.173m, including €1.75 for a new capital funding programme, has been provided to my Department in 2013 for the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country through a number of schemes. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The General Scheme and Heads of Bill of the proposed Adoption (Amendment) Bill was published in September 2012 in conjunction with the publication of the referendum proposal to inform the public of proposed changes to adoption law envisaged if the Constitutional amendment was approved. The Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children was established in 2007 to examine the...