Results 6,121-6,140 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 189, 190, 195, 196, 198 and 200 together. The Child and Family Agency was established on 1st January, 2014. Responsibility for promoting the welfare and protection of children at risk is a key function of the Agency. The context within which our child welfare and protection services operate today is very challenging. The number of child welfare and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is taking a lead role in the cross-sectoral implementation of Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children [2011]. A Children First Implementation Inter-Departmental Group has been established involving key Government Departments, An Garda Síochána and the Child and Family Agency. The purpose of the Group is to promote the importance of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Issues (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Budgets (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Revised Estimates for Public Services 2014 allocated gross funding to my Department of some €997 million which includes over €955 million in current funding and €42 million in capital funding. When Appropriations-in-Aid receipts of just over €22.8 million are taken into account, the net current funding allocated to my Department in 2014 is some €974.3...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Juvenile Offenders (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 411 of 12 November 2013 for background information on the extent of my Department's engagement with the issue of juvenile offending and youth justice issues in general. In addition, I wish to advise that on 3 February 2014, in conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, I launched the Youth Justice...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Reports (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Tax incentives for working parents who incur childcare costs were previously proposed, and the issue of tax allowances or credits was considered, prior to the introduction of the targeted childcare supports which are now in place to support parents with the cost of childcare. A number of issues emerged at that time which did not favour the introduction of childcare tax relief. Tax relief...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Years Strategy is one of a number of detailed strategies under the National Children and Young People’s Policy Framework 2014-2018 which is nearing finalisation. This will set out the overall principles, vision and outcomes for children and young people and will guide actions across Government over the period 2014 to 2018. I hope to publish the Policy Framework later this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Childcare Directorate of my Department implements the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, with assistance from Pobal in relation to issuing payments. Community childcare services qualify for funding under the CCS programme on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service. The information provided in the parental...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Data (13 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are no youth workers directly employed by the Child and Family Agency, TUSLA, formerly part of the Health Service Executive. The Social Work and Family Support workers employed by the Child & Family Agency work closely with their colleagues in all agencies to ensure that vulnerable young people fully engage in community youth services.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Support Services (13 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Family is the most important influence in a child's life. From birth, children depend on parents and family to protect them and provide for their needs. Sometimes parents need help, support and additional resources to do this. Family Support Services provide a flexible programme of interventions which are provided through a broad range of skilled personnel including Family Support Workers,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (13 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together. The Republic of India has ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, as such it is not necessary to have a bilateral agreement with India. As a contracting state under the Hague Convention, the Adoption Act 2010 provides that adoptions by Irish prospective adoptive...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have highlighted previously the Constitutional and legal barriers to providing access to adoption records without the consent of the birth mother. The Adoption (Information and Tracing ) Bill will address this matter but the legislature will be constrained in the nature of any access which can be granted to adoption records by these legal considerations. My Department is continuing to work...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Programme (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is continuing to work on the Heads of Bill for the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill and I hope to be in a position to seek Government approval to publish the Heads of Bill as soon as possible. However, as I have previously advised the House, very complex legal and constitutional issues have arisen in the drafting of the Bill, in particular in seeking to reconcile an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Remit (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The functions and operational responsibilities of the former National Educational Welfare Board are now part of the new Child and Family Agency, which was established on 1st January 2014. Within the Child and Family Agency, the Education Welfare Service has specific responsibility for the Agency’s general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy on the number of staff in my Department currently on a sabbatical/career break by duration is set out as requested in tabular form. Currently by duration 0-6 months 6-12 months 1-2 years 2-3 years 4-5 years 5 years No. of staff 0 1 1 0 1 0

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As my Department was established on 2nd June 2011, the information requested by the Deputy is provided from June 2011 onwards. Absenteeism information relating to staff currently employed by my Department for the years 2009, 2010 and up to end May 2011 will be included in the returns from the Departments where the staff involved were employed prior to transfer to my Department. YEAR...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Guardian Status (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I believe there is a clear need to radically reform the basis to the current arrangements in relation to guardians ad litem. The current, essentially ad hoc, arrangements for the operation and management of guardian ad litem services is a legacy issue which my Department is addressing as a priority this year in liaison with the Department of Justice and Equality. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter, the information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency and I will be in touch as soon as this information is received

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been advised by the Child and Family Agency that no child or young person who was the subject of a Special Care Order was placed in a private Child Care Centre in this jurisdiction during 2012 and 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (18 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 660 to 663, inclusive, together. The HSE compiles monthly Performance Reports which are published on the HSE website . These reports include data on Children in Care, including the number of children placed in Private Residential Centres. I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Child and Family Agency and I will forward this to the...