Results 5,321-5,340 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (19 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 to 169,inclusive, together. The HSE compiles performance reports which include statistics in relation to referrals of child abuse and of child welfare concerns. These reports are published on the HSE website. The reports show that in 2012, the HSE received 19,044 referrals of child abuse and 21,143 referrals of child welfare concerns. I have been...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Issues (19 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: All Child Protection and Welfare referrals are managed through the HSE Children and Families Standardised Business Process. All reports of concern for the safety and well-being of a child come into the Duty/Intake team for assessment. All staff receiving such a referral are trained in the duty system and are obliged to treat seriously all child welfare and child protection concerns...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Issues (19 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Since establishment, I and my Department have the responsibility for the welfare of children and young adults. The resources associated with those services include those attaching to the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board both of which are already under my remit. By agreement with my colleague the Minister for Health, the Child Protection and Welfare services of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (19 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department was set up to drive the delivery of key commitments in relation to children and young people and to put in place a unified framework of policy, legislation and provision across Government in respect of children and young people. The 2013 estimate includes an allocation of €443m for my Department which represents an increase of €16m over the 2012 allocation and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bullying of Children (19 Sep 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 collective agenda. Our Programme for Government commits that “we will encourage schools to develop anti-bullying policies and in particular, strategies to combat homophobic bullying to support...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (19 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding of €53.498m, 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: Child Protection Issues (19 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Statutory responsibility for the delivery of child welfare and protection services rests with the HSE, which is the appropriate body to receive all reports of concerns relating to all forms of child abuse. My Department occasionally receives calls from individuals concerned about the safety and wellbeing of a child. In all such cases my officials provide whatever assistance is required to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (19 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE advises that as of the 1st of March 2013 the number of Declarations of Eligibility and Suitability (DES) issued under Section 63 of the Act which were still to be acted upon was 370. In March the HSE wrote to these Section 63 DES holders to invite them to apply for an assessment as part of the application for a DES which would be issued under Section 40 of the Act, and 161 of these...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Inspections (24 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foreign Adoptions (24 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 491 and 497 together. I have the utmost concern for the position that the prospective adopters who were close to finalising adoptions from Russia now find themselves in following the recent changes to the Russian adoption process. I have received a large volume of representations on behalf of the applicants involved and I and my officials have actively been...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (24 Sep 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: Youth Employment Initiative (24 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 493 and 496 together. Youth employment was a key-note theme of Ireland's EU Youth Presidency Programme. A key policy output on this theme is the Council Conclusions on Maximising the potential of Youth Policy in addressing the goals of Europe 2020, with particular emphasis on youth employment which were adopted by the Council of EU Youth Ministers in May....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Data (24 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is structured across three broad functional areas and the staffing levels at end of August, 2013 were: Sum of Revised WTE - - - Programme Area General Grade Description Child & Family Support Programme Sectoral Programmes for Children Policy & Legislation Programme Grand Total Secretary General 1.00 1.00 Assistant Secretary 1.00 1.00 Director 2.00...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (24 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: A Value for Money and Policy Review on a number of youth schemes in receipt of funding from my Department is currently being carried out. The Value for Money and Policy Review has focused on three schemes which provide funding of some €35.3 million to support the provision of youth services. These are the Special Projects for Youth Scheme (SPY); Young People’s Facilities and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (24 Sep 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 Care Services Provision (24 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have outlined in previous replies this year, where my Department and I, in conjunction with the HSE and other stakeholders, are progressing a Pre-School Quality Agenda involving a range of actions in eight key areas, aimed at improving quality within early years services and enhancing the regulatory regime. The actions include: - Increasing the qualification requirements for all staff in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Welfare Service Staff (25 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Within the statutory remit of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), the Education Welfare Service (EWS) has specific responsibility for the Board’s general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The EWS has a current staffing complement of 74 officers delivering front line services, 2 of whom have...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (25 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under Section 3 of the , has a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Section 2 of this Act defines a child as "a person under the age of 18 years other than a person who is or has been married." The changes proposed by the Deputy are not required, as a child may remain in care until they reach 18 years of age, should this be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services (26 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy has raised a number of separate issues which I will deal with individually. In relation to the Independent Child Death Review Group (ICDRG), the Deputy will be aware that when I published the report of the group, I accepted that action in the areas identified was required. The necessary actions are being implemented in the context of the Government's reform programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Correspondence (26 Sep 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: This correspondence appears to be an invitation to the Deputy. I wish to advise that my office has received a similar invitation.