Results 5,581-5,600 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Child Protection Services (7 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The CEO-designate of the child and family agency, Mr. Gordon Jeyes, is examining vacancies throughout the country to consider whether there are geographic inequities and to look at the level of pressure of cases coming into a particular area. I welcome what the Senator has said about the staff in the specific office who, I am sure, do their very best and deal with extraordinary pressures in...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Child Protection Services (7 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Cases need to wait a number of weeks. We are not in a position to respond immediately to every case.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am responding to this matter on behalf the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it provides the opportunity to clarify to this House the future use of the school building which is currently used to accommodate the newly established post-primary school in Gorey, pending the provision of permanent accommodation for that school. The...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will highlight the point made in my reply: "The Department advised the delegation of the co-educational demand that must be met and that the proposal from the school must be considered in this context". However, I take the Senator's point about clarity on whether this implies that the school needs to be co-educational. I will contact the Department and advise it that he is seeking further...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Inspections (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: During 2013, I have prioritised implementation of a preschool quality agenda. This represents a long overdue and long-awaited programme of measures to support, monitor and regulate the improvement of quality standards in preschool services in Ireland. For the first time I have ensured that preschool inspection reports are now online. There are 1,672 reports online, including the most...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Inspections (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Some 43 inspectors should be in place by the end of the year. The Louth recruitment is happening this week. The others are at an advanced stage. I expect that those four inspectors will be in place in the coming weeks. Regarding the funding I have received for the extra ten inspectors next year, the HSE will consider the areas of greatest need. For example, two of the inspectors being...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Inspections (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a nominal fee at present. This is a registration fee in accordance with the legislation we are debating concerning the child and family agency. That will be a new fee, although the amount has yet to be agreed. Account will be taken of the varying types of services, including private and community ones. The details of that are being worked out and I will liaise with the Deputy. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy refers to the two cases of Roma children who, following Garda action, were removed under section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991 and provided with foster care immediately while investigations took place. This has clearly been an extremely distressing situation for the families concerned. In the first instance I have asked Mr. Gordon Jeyes, the national director of HSE children and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: May I conclude by saying-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In respecting the independent investigations of the Ombudsman for Children, it would be wrong of me to make further comment. Additional information not give on the floor of the House I look forward to the conclusion of the process and to addressing the independent findings of the Ombudsman for Children, once she reports on her investigations.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: We have asked for an independent report. It would not be appropriate to be deciding on the outcome or to make any references to what actually happened until such time as that report has been received. Many people are jumping to conclusions. I do not know how those conclusions will be dealt with by the Ombudsman for Children. We do not know precisely what she will come up with. We do not...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Ombudsman has the terms of reference as far as the inquiry into the HSE is concerned and she can clearly get on with that element of the report. That is covered by the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002, so there should be no delay with it. I am merely quoting from the Minister for Justice and Equality that on receipt of the report from the Garda Commissioner, he wanted to draw up the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am conscious of the concerns of those who are seeking information about their birth mother or a child given up at birth. The existing arrangements for those seeking access to information reflect a transition from complex and historical situations and I am anxious that the HSE implement much more improved and consistent arrangements for people in such circumstances. Quite a number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will make two points in response to the Deputy's questions. I will speak about the legislation in a moment. I take the Deputy's point about work done by voluntary organisations. I have met them and am very happy to work with them but we have a national adoption contact preference register. That is the best place for mothers and for adoptees who want to trace their families. They can...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is different here because we have a Constitution that respects privacy and there are real issues in this regard. My approach to the legislation has been to make it as broad as possible in order that people can access information. These are the instructions I have been given and that is the way I have been working. I have been getting legal advice all the way through and I intend to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is a pity this issue did not get more attention in the years when there was so much money around and when child care was a major issue for so many couples who were combining their work and family responsibilities. I am very much aware that affordability in respect of child care services is a major issue for Irish parents. We have lagged behind other countries, and there is no question of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My question to the Deputy is why, when in government, his party gave back more than two thirds of the funds for the early child care supplement, that is, of the €480 million that was allocated to child care at the time? Had that money been retained and invested in child care services, it would have gone a long way towards providing free child care but not a cent of it was reinvested...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is something in which the State should be investing increasingly because it is an economic imperative, as well as being a personal imperative for the families. As the OECD has noted, we will need to have quality child care available for parents-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: -----in the years ahead in order that work and family life can be combined.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I reject the Deputy's comments, as for the first time an early years strategy is in place. I remind the Deputy it is the first time there has been a national early years policy. It is the first time in recent years that a group has been established to specifically examine the sector and to make a series of recommendations that effectively will form the framework for the recommendations on...