Results 4,861-4,880 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (23 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Neither my Department nor the Adoption Authority of Ireland maintains statistics on research which may be undertaken by prospective adoptive parents. However, there are in the region of 270 prospective adopters holding declarations which were issued under Section 63 of the Adoption Act, 2010 and who have indicated their intention to continue the adoption process by applying for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Health Services Provision (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has sought the information requested by the Deputy from the HSE and I will provide the Deputy with the information as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Missing Children (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The 116000 Missing Children Hotline is operated by the ISPCC in liaison with a cross-sectoral Project Team, chaired by my Department. I am delighted to confirm that the phased implementation of the service, which commenced in December 2012, operating on a reduced hours pilot basis, has now become a full-time 24/7 service since Monday the 22nd of April 2013. The ISPCC submitted an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (28 May 2013)

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 or modest incomes. The CCS programme, which is provided through more than 900 community services throughout the country, is a major support programme for parents....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (28 May 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 €53.498m 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 for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested is being collated by my Department and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as it is finalised.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 596 and 597 together. The Youth Work Act was introduced in 2001 and outlines a number of structural arrangements for the organisation and administration of youth work policy and provision. To date, Sections 2-7, 17, 18 and 24 of the Act have been commenced. In particular, Sections 17 and 18 provide for the establishment of a National Youth Work Advisory...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is leading an initiative to develop and implement a planning model for local interagency working to improve outcomes for children. The purpose of this initiative is to work towards better developmental outcomes for children through more effective integration of policies and services, in particular through the Children’s Services Committees at local level....

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) is primarily a support and development tool that provides services and organisations with the opportunity to articulate through a common language their youth work practice. Ensuring quality service delivery is also an ongoing priority. The NQSF applies to all staff-led youth work organisations, services, projects and programmes funded by the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The operational arrangements including eligibility ctiteria for the administration and implementation of the National Lottery Funding Scheme in 2013 is being finalised by my Department at the present time and the related information will be available on the Department`s website (www.dcya.gov.ie) in the very near future. As in previous years, the overall allocation for the funding scheme this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Constitutional Amendment on Children (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012 is currently the subject of a legal challenge. Judgment in this matter was reserved by the High Court on 16 May last. The outcome of these legal proceedings will determine the time frame for the enactment of this legislation.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are currently three children detention schools (CDS) in the State: Trinity House School, Oberstown Boys School and Oberstown Girls School, all of which are located on the same campus at Oberstown, near Lusk, Co. Dublin. 1. Maximum number of beds available in Oberstown The current certified detention capacity under the Children Act 2001 in each of the children detention schools is...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested the information from the HSE and I will revert to the Deputy when this information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The policy of the HSE is to place children in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community. A very small minority of young people under 18 years of age have highly specialised needs arising...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Special Care involves the detention of a child for his or her own welfare and protection in a Special Care Unit with on site educational and therapeutic supports. A Special Care Unit provides secure residential service to children and young people who are in need of specialised targeted intervention. Children are detained in special care if their behaviour is deemed to pose a risk to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 disadvantaged families seeking to avail of work...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reports (28 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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, impact hugely on children's development. We are lucky that in Ireland we have generally positive parental–child relationships. For example, the ‘State of Nation’s Children’ Report which I published earlier...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006, the inspection of pre-schools is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE), and I have referred the Deputy’s specific queries to the HSE for direct reply. I understand that, in 2011, 2,789 childcare providers were subject to inspections by the HSE Pre-School Inspectorate. This is an inspection rate of...

Topical Issue Debate: Crèche Inspections (29 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank colleagues from all sides of the House who raised this important topic, the care of our children under five years of age and the services they attend. It is the first time we have had such a focused debate on this age group and that speaks for itself. Obviously, I regret what has precipitated this debate. I agree with what my colleagues had to say about the scenes we all saw last...

Topical Issue Debate: Crèche Inspections (29 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank colleagues for raising the range of issues. The question is whether a more robust inspection system would have found the problems instanced last night. The international evidence is that if there is an inspection system which engages in a positive way with providers, working with them to improve standards and which collaborates over time, there is a higher chance that the kinds of...