Results 6,001-6,020 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children. Approximately 68,000 children are availing of the ECCE programme in the current school year. Children are eligible to avail of the free pre-school year where they are aged more than 3 years 2 months and less than 4 years 7 months at 1 September in the relevant year. Children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Internship Scheme Data (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As my Department is based in Dublin and has no regional offices, the issue of internships being taken on in County Louth does not arise.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Obesity Strategy (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department works closely with the Department of Health in relation to a range of health issues affecting children and young people, including the serious issues of overweight and obesity levels which have been highlighted in the Longitudinal Study "Growing Up in Ireland" which my Department funds. A Special Advisory Group on Obesity has been established by the Minister for Health and is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Child and Family Agency (CFA) provides a range of services aimed at addressing emergency situations in the area of child welfare and protection. In the main, these emergency situations arise out of hours. At present out-of-hours emergency services for children at risk in the greater Dublin area are provided through the Crisis Intervention Service (CIS). Outside the greater Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homelessness Strategy (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, my Department commissioned the Centre for Effective Services (CES) to undertake a review of the implementation of the Youth Homelessness Strategy published by the Department of Health and Children in 2001. The purpose of the review was to establish the extent to which the strategy has been successful, to identify challenges to its implementation and to make...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Policy (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 664 together. Foster care applicants undergo an assessment and training process to establish their suitability and competence. This process has six stages - Application - Assessment by a social worker - Garda vetting, medical and referenced checks, including garda checks of adult children of the foster carers living at home - Approval by...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Semi-State Bodies Remuneration (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm that there are no semi-state companies currently in operation under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Bodies (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm that the membership of my Department's Audit & Risk Committee comprises the following members. The members as appointed by the Secretary General of my Department have considerable expertise in the area of finance and audit as is demonstrated by their experience. Chairperson – Mr Ken Slattery (Mr Timothy Kenneth Slattery), Independent Board Member (Non...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Appointments to State Boards (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy that since my Department was established in June 2011 to the present time, five non-commercial State agencies have been funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These were the Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI), the Family Support Agency (FSA), the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Consultancy Contracts Data (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: There was no pro bono work as referred to by the Deputy engaged by my Department and bodies under my aegis in the past 24 months.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Consultancy Contracts Data (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is the policy of my Department to minimise consultancy fees to the greatest extent possible, and to hire consultants only as the need arises and where the required professional expertise is not available in-house. All contracts entered into by my Department must conform with the relevant laws and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on Public Procurement. I can...

Seanad: Youth Justice Policy: Statements (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am delighted to have an opportunity to address the Seanad this afternoon to discuss the important area of activity in my Department focused on youth justice policy. My Department is responsible for a range of supports to families and children which, although not specific to juvenile offenders, seek to address many of the social and economic contributory factors which may lead to offending...

Seanad: Youth Justice Policy: Statements (28 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank all of the Senators who have contributed to the debate; it has been great to witness their interest in the issue of youth justice. It is important to debate the issue and I have listened to a variety of contributions in which Senators stressed the importance of a range of topics, including primarily the need for early intervention. There has also been a strong focus on the need for...

Order of Business (29 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Child and Family Agency.

Topical Issue Debate: Rape Crisis Network Funding (29 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputies Pringle and Halligan for raising this important topic and I welcome the opportunity to clarify the situation. I absolutely share their concern about this issue in regard to sexual violence and the need to have a cohesive and comprehensive response. Yesterday I had the opportunity to work with the Rape Crisis Network Ireland when I launched two more of its very valuable...

Topical Issue Debate: Rape Crisis Network Funding (29 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is critical that victims of sexual violence have access to services. I have stated my commitment and that of the Government to ring-fence the front-line services that reach out to women and men in that situation. It is very important in this discussion that we separate the importance of support for victims of crimes, including crimes of a sexual nature, and support for services which...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Building Regulations Compliance (29 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has been advised by the OPW, that the Building Control Regulations 2013, introduced by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, do not come into force until 1 March, 2014 and that they are not retrospective for projects commenced prior to this date. The only capital building project currently underway within the remit of my Department is in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (29 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Responsibility for the funding of Rape Crisis Centres and Refuges previously funded by the HSE became the responsibility of the new Child and Family Agency upon its establishment on 1st January, 2014. I wish to advise the Deputy that as part of establishment of the new Child and Family Agency, a dedicated position of Programme Manager for domestic, sexual and gender based violence is being...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (30 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which is implemented by my Department. The 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 to middle incomes. Community childcare services qualify for grant aid...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts (30 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. My Department has engaged a single taxi company to provide essential transport for official purposes. The DCYA travel and policy guidelines state ‘Every effort should be made to use public transport (bus, rail). Taxis should only be used where there is no suitable public transport available. Public transport, including designated airport buses/trains...