Results 5,661-5,680 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Justice Strategy (13 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Since the 1 January 2012 the Irish Youth Justice Service has been based in my Department and operates across two Departments, my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality and is staffed by officials from both Departments. The main legislation covering youth justice is the Children Act, 2001. Responsibility for the Children Act, 2001 is shared between the Minister for Justice and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Proceedings (13 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the appointment of a guardian ad litem (GAL) in child care cases is a matter for the Courts. Under section 26 of the Child Care Act 1991, the Court may appoint a guardian ad litem to a child who is the subject of care proceedings, if it is satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of the child and in the interests of justice to do so. They are always...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Proceedings (13 Nov 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: Child Care Costs (14 Nov 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: HSE Staff Responsibilities (14 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive for the information in question which I will forward to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (14 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The judgment in the High Court challenge to the result of the Children’s Referendum was delivered on 18 October. The Petitioner was unsuccessful in her petition to the High Court challenging the Provisional Referendum Certificate issued on foot of the Children's Referendum. The Court dismissed the petition. With the consent of the parties and to allow time for giving notice of an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Autism Incidence (14 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issue raised by the Deputy does not fall within the responsibilities of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Inspections (19 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No.2) Regulations 2006, the HSE has responsibility for pre-school inspections. There are areas throughout the country where gaps in the inspection services have been identified and the HSE is currently at an advanced stage of recruiting additional inspectors to address this deficit. These recruitments will strengthen the pre-school inspections...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foreign Adoptions (19 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Act, 2010, provides for adoptions from countries that have ratified the Hague Convention on adoption and from countries where there is a bilateral agreement in place. During the drafting of the Act a considered and detailed transitional process to deal with the change from previous legislation to the new Act was put in place. The transitional measure contained in Section 63 of...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware that a problem did arise with the IT system which supports the implementation by my Department of the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme. This resulted in a delay in the issuing of payments which were due to providers at the end of last month. The problems with the IT system, which is maintained by way of a shared service agreement with the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Rights Referendum (19 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The judgment in the High Court challenge to the result of the Children’s Referendum was delivered on 18th October. The Petitioner was unsuccessful in her petition to the High Court challenging the Provisional Referendum Certificate issued on foot of the Children's Referendum. The Court dismissed the petition. With the consent of the parties and to allow time for giving notice of an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: UN Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Twentieth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family is a UN initiative. It is described as an 'opportunity to refocus on the role of families in development; take stock of recent trends in family policy development; share good practice in family policy making; review challenges faced by families worldwide and recommend solutions’. Obviously the scope of the initiative...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (19 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority of Ireland Annual Reports contain details of the numbers of non-family domestic adoptions. The figures are as follows: in 2008 there were 49 non-family domestic adoptions, in 2009 there were 42, in 2010 there were 35, in 2011 there were 23 and in 2012 there were 16. As the Health Service Executive is the body with responsibility for the delivery of domestic adoption...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (19 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal programme implemented by my Department and provides a free pre-school year for children before they commence primary school. Children born between 2 February 2009 and 30 June 2010 qualify for the free pre-school provision in the current school year. Based on the date of birth provided by the Deputy the child in question...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes and supports to the youth sector. In 2013 funding of some €53.498 million including €1.75m capital funding has been made available for these schemes to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country. Details of the funding allocated in 2013 to the Youth...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (20 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department is working on the funding allocation for youth services in 2014. In line with Government policy account must be taken of the savings requirements identified in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE). In this regard, an amount of €1m has been provided in Budget 2014 to my Department to offset the impact of the CRE savings requirements on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (20 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Proposed mergers of local authorities will affect a number of Comhairle na nÓg around the country and I understand that my Department will be reviewing the current Comairle na nÓg structural configuration when the Waterford Local Government Reform process has been finalised. My Department has not yet taken a decision in this regard, however, I would expect that any merger of local...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Issues (20 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that the matter raised falls primarily within the remit of my colleague, Alan Shatter T.D., Minister for Justice and Equality. My Department and the HSE will continue to liaise with colleagues in the Department of Justice and Equality as necessary. A Memorandum for Government has been prepared by the Department of Justice and Equality seeking approval for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (20 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional voluntary organisations for the support of voluntary youth work through the Youth Service Grant Scheme. The continued funding of voluntary youth organisations through the scheme is intended to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations with distinctive philosophies and programmes...