Results 6,061-6,080 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Official Engagements (11 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The details of all official engagements that I have attended in Northern Ireland are set out in the following table. Date Location Group / Individuals 20/07/2011 Armagh North South Health Sectoral Meeting 02/02/2012 Armagh North South Health Sectoral Meeting 03/03/2012 Belfast, Co.Down Attend ACCORD Golden Jubilee Conference Dinner 04/03/2012 Belfast, Co.Down Attend Interdenominational...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Réamhscoileanna Gaeilge (11 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 563 together. Tugadh an clár um Chúram agus Oideachas na Luath-óige (COLÓ) isteach i Mí Eanáir 2010 agus cuireann sé bliain réamhscolaíochta ar fáil atá saor in aisce do gach leanbh incháilithe sula dtosaíonn siad ar an mbunscoil. Bhain thart ar 68,000 leanbh leas as an mbliain...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Remit (11 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: A key policy objective for the Child and Family Agency is to ensure that the fundamental principles of co-operation and co-ordination in the development and delivery of services are in place. This objective is reflected and is underpinned through formal agreements with the Health Service Executive as follows: - - Joint Protocol for Inter-Agency collaboration between the HSE and the Child...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Proceedings (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I believe there is a clear need to radically reform the basis on which the current arrangements operate. They have been operating in that way since 1991, when the guardian ad litem system was introduced by the then Government, without regulation or governance structures attached to the position. That is the genesis of the problems which I must deal with and reform. In care proceedings...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Proceedings (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is important to recognise that total reform is needed in this area. There is a need for Garda vetting. Barnardos would confirm that all of the guardians ad litem working in its service are Garda vetted. There is no question of that, but there is a need for Garda vetting of GALs to be part of a system of regulation of GALs more generally. Instituting a new system to ensure systematic...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Proceedings (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The question must be asked why the Fianna Fáil Government stood over such a system for the past 12 years. I am now in a position where I must reform and change it-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Proceedings (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: -----which is precisely what I am doing. It is clear that the system should have been reformed during the past 12 years. Like so many issues I am dealing with, I now have to introduce reform, examine the situation and make sure that every guardian ad litem who is appointed is vetted and that appropriate rates are paid. That is precisely what I am doing. The courts appoint individuals and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Health Policy (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I express my sincere sympathy to the families of all those who have been involved and the tragic outcome there has been for some families. The underlying problem we have to deal with is attitudes to alcohol. The Government is very concerned generally about the level of alcohol consumption among young people, but specifically about the recent tragic deaths involving young people...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Health Policy (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: This issue will primarily be impacted by young people's understanding, information and education and the potentially serious consequences of being involved. I have been in touch with Facebook and have had discussions in the past with Google and other Internet service providers, including UPC, which I met the week before last. I discussed applications that can be made available to parents to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Health Policy (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: We know that Internet usage by young Irish people is quite high. The Internet offers huge opportunities for young people and for everyone else and we do not want to over-emphasise the dangers. We also want to emphasise the opportunities it affords. Information is emerging on the scale of online bullying and general research is suggesting that young people need - as with learning to drive a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records Provision (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Act 1952 placed adoption on a regulatory footing in Ireland and, in accordance with the law, all adoptions taking place since were required to comply with that Act and subsequent legislation. The Deputy quoted a figure of 60,000 and used the phrase "forced adoptions", which I will address presently, but I am advised by the Adoption Authority of Ireland that 44,042 adoptions took...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records Provision (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The requirement in the Adoption Act 2010 that agencies providing information and tracing services would gain accreditation resulted in a number of religious orders deciding not to apply for accreditation and transferring records from their mother and baby homes and adoption societies to the Child and Family Agency. For example, in the case of the Sacred Heart Adoption Society, 25,000 records...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records Provision (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have had discussions with the Child and Family Agency regarding the importance of this issue. Clearly for the individuals concerned it is key that they get access to these records as quickly as possible. Heretofore, there has not been a national approach to adoption services and Gordon Jeyes, the chief executive officer of the agency, has advised me it is reorganising the adoption services...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have told the Deputy a number of times, both in this Chamber and in committee, my Department and I continue to work on this legislation and I am in constant contact with the Office of the Attorney General. I have told the Deputy repeatedly that I obviously seek to introduce legislation that makes it as easy as possible for people to trace their origins and to get as much information as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I absolutely reject the proposition that I, in any proactive way, am trying to put up a roadblock to this legislation. The opposite is the case. I am working, as is my office and that of the Attorney General, to bring forward legislation that will be as supportive as possible within the constitutional constraints to which the Deputy, this House and I are subject. If one reads the judgments...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are a number of ways of addressing this issue. Another important initiative that is taking place at present is that the Adoption Authority of Ireland board has taken a decision in principle to take a case to the High Court to clarify the position in respect of information and tracing and is in the process of identifying a relevant case. This also is a highly appropriate mechanism to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Inter-Country Adoptions (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is raising an individual case. As he knows, responsibility for individual inter-country adoption lies with the Adoption Authority in its capacity as an independent, quasi-judicial body established under the Adoption Act 2010. It is a matter for the Adoption Authority to ensure all adoptions are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention. I have asked,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Inter-Country Adoptions (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have asked the Adoption Authority to respond. I ask the couple to make all the information the Deputy has put on the record available to the authority. The authority has to take full account of the law as it stands, and it must take into account the best interest of the child in any decision it takes. I do not have the power to intervene in individual cases but I have asked that the...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Establishment (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputies Ó Caoláin, Troy and other Deputies for their support on the establishment of the new Child and Family Agency. I thank Deputy Ó Caoláin for affording us an opportunity today to reflect on the establishment of the agency on 1 January, as planned. I pay tribute to those involved in the very detailed work done leading up to the establishment. This is...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Establishment (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm that all members of the board are in place and that a number of board meetings have taken place. I am not in a position to advise the Deputy on sub-committees yet. I am simply not aware whether the board has yet taken a decision on the exact number of sub-committees. As soon as I have that information, I will let the House know. I imagine the board is still examining the...