Results 4,781-4,800 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: After-School Support Services (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assure the Deputy about the detailed contact that has been taking place. I am aware that the Department staff who have been involved in working with the child care committees have visited all the child care committees and had national meetings with them on the range of issues that arise in their portfolios in local areas. Up to now, county child care committees have been doing their work...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In consultation with the Adoption Authority and the Health Service Executive, HSE, my Department is examining legislative and administrative options in relation to accessing records which may exist. I intend strengthening the legislative provisions regarding maintenance and access to adoption records in the forthcoming adoption (information and tracing) Bill. An important aspect of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Anybody who has access to or who knows about private information or adoption records held in private hands should make that known to the authorities. I am glad that in the case cited by the Deputy, that was done. I accept the Deputy's point regarding the need for the legislation to have a proactive demand that files held elsewhere other than with the statutory authorities, and perhaps...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: If one wanted to address that issue comprehensively, it would have to be done through a referendum on privacy issues. The children's referendum was about putting the best interest of the child at the heart of decisions, about hearing the views of the child and about ensuring a broader group of children could be adopted. It was to ensure that children who were in long-term fostering were...

Other Questions: Adoption Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 17 together. These questions continue the discussion on adoption tracing and information. Work is continuing on the preparation of the heads of Bill of the adoption (information and tracing) Bill. My view is that persons affected by adoption or involved in the adoption process should be provided with a statutory right to as much information as...

Other Questions: Adoption Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is absolutely no question of stonewalling in this regard. I recognise the importance of this legislation for the many people who are seeking access to more information. As the Deputy knows, many people have found a variety of ways of accessing information themselves. That does not make it less important for us to put the right statutory framework in place. That is what I am trying...

Other Questions: Adoption Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I suggest that the gentleman mentioned by Deputy Wallace who has these adoption records should have a discussion with the HSE or the Adoption Authority of Ireland in relation to the possibility of handing over those records. It seems to me that would be the right thing for this private individual who has access to adoption records from the past to do. As I said, work has already begun with...

Other Questions: Ombudsman for Children Reports (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy makes a very reasonable point in regard to reports. Obviously, many reports regarding children and young people are presented to the Department, and the ombudsman's report is a very important one. The Deputy will remember that I said in the Dáil in March 2012, in response to a parliamentary question, that I undertook to consider the recommendations in Ms Logan's report,...

Other Questions: Child Development (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 11 together. The family continues to occupy a central and vitally important place in Irish society, and the quality of family relationships and factors within the home have a huge impact on children's development. In many ways, some of the best descriptions we have seen about the experience of Irish children has been in the recent State of the...

Other Questions: Child Development (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will conclude by saying that I believe the new agency presents us with an opportunity to consolidate and develop effective, evidence-based parenting and family supports.

Other Questions: Child Development (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a huge range of parenting programmes that are in very big demand around the country. Significant numbers of Irish parents are availing of supports out there be they through family resource centres, local voluntary groups or counselling services. We have research about what models of intervention work and that research is coming on stream more and more. For example, we know that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Appointments (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government has approved the Heads of the Child and Family Agency Bill and has also agreed to the priority drafting of this Bill. The necessary legislative and organisational preparations are being prioritised so that the Agency can be established as soon as possible. This piece of important legislation provides for the subsuming of functions from three separate agencies; namely the HSE,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 20 together. 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 323 children in general residential care in February 2013, 291 (90%) of whom had a written care plan. All children in Special Care or in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Issues (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The recent publication of a further seven reviews, conducted by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church into safeguarding practices at both diocesan and Religious Congregation level, is a further important step in presenting a national picture of how both are engaging with the issue of child protection, and the regimes in place to ensure that proper safeguarding...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Sunbed Usage (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The prime responsibility for policy in relation to the legislation referred to by the Deputy lies with the Department of Health. My Department has been assured by the Department of Health that, in view of the potential adverse health effects on children's health and well being in later life resulting from sunbed use, the forthcoming sunbeds legislation to be introduced by the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Education (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Nearly all pre-school services in the State are now participating in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which was introduced in January 2010 and which provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before they commence primary school. The minimum qualification requirements have, in fact, been increased for those delivering the ECCE programme. During the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work on the development of Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy for children aged from birth to 6 years, is already underway in my Department. The approach I am taking in developing the Strategy has received Government approval. My intention is to create an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland's early years sector and a coherent approach to seeking...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 23 and 26 together. As part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, was pleased to announce a new After-school Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities. Lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant barrier to many low income and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 27 together. The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.498m 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Young people who leave State care are entitled to advice, guidance and practical support. This is delivered in partnership with the young person, his or her family, carers, social workers, key or link worker and other statutory, community and voluntary agencies. Before a young person leaves care, a needs assessment is carried out to identify a young person's need for accommodation, financial...