Results 6,181-6,200 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (26 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy that all contracts entered into by my Department must conform to the relevant laws and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on Public Procurement. It is the policy of my Department to minimise to the greatest extent possible, the use of external consultancy and to ensure that where it is necessary to engage an external consultant, my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Appointments to State Boards (26 Feb 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, namely the Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Family Support Agency, the National Educational Welfare Board and the Ombudsman for Children. With effect from 1...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Semi-State Bodies Issues (26 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm that there are no bodies in the commercial semi State sector currently in operation under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (27 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 to 236, inclusive, together. The information required by the Deputy is currently being collated and I will respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (27 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: A lead psychologist was assigned from within the HSE to assist Children and Family Services with service development issues relating to psychology services. This work is nearing completion and proposals are being finalised for consideration by the Chief Executive Officer of the Child and Family Agency and the Director General of the HSE. This process will help to inform decisions on the most...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (27 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency and I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Issues (27 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 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. The schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme under which funding is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Juvenile Offenders (27 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm that there is ongoing policy cooperation between the Minister for Justice and Equality and I regarding our shared goal to minimise the rate of juvenile offending and in relation to youth justice matters generally. The Minister for Justice and Equality has overall responsibility in the area of crime and anti-social behaviour and his Department funds a range of community based...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (4 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding is made available by my Department to support a number of childcare programmes which provide a range of supports to parents of pre-school and after-school children, including the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme. The CETS programme provides funding to support parents, who are participating in Solas and the Education Training Boards training and education...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Local Government Reform (4 Mar 2014)

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 local government reform process has been finalised. While 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 Care Services Funding (4 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: In January of this year Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991, which governs the regulation of early years services, was replaced with new legislative provisions brought in as part of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. The new legislative provisions allow, inter alia, for the imposition of new qualification requirements for staff working in early years services. I am now introducing a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (4 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. Approximately 68,000 children availed of the provision in the 2012/2013 academic year, and similar numbers are expected to avail of it during the current academic year. Despite the challenging budgetary situation, I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies Staff Remuneration (4 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Government pay policy is clear that remuneration rates for public servants must be appropriately approved and sanctioned in advance of payment. Pay policy is underpinned by administrative and legislative requirements. I can confirm to the Deputy that staff employed in public service agencies under the aegis of my Department are paid in line with approved public sector pay scales.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (4 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Budget 2014 included the provision of €6.7m (€12m in a full year) to support the continuing implementation of the reform programme across children and family services. This additional funding will assist the new Child and Family Agency in meeting identified service pressures. This will include the filling of social work vacancies taking account of identified need, with a...

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (Resumed) (5 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the opportunity to take part in this debate. This is an important opportunity for this House to take stock, for the Government to outline the actions it has taken and to discuss the challenges that remain. We must all continue to work to improve the lot of Irish citizens. While I understand the role of the Opposition, it is disappointing that a number of Deputies have come into...

Membership of Committees: Motion (5 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move:That Deputy Willie Penrose be discharged from the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions and that Deputy Seán Kenny be appointed in substitution for him.

EU Regulation on the European Police College: Motion (5 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move:That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Irish Language Issues (5 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information is currently being compiled by officials of my Department and the relevant material will be forwarded to the Deputy in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (5 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Act, 2010, gives force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, provides a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed and that all adoptions are effected in the best interests of the child. Any adoption from...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (5 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter for which the Child and Family Agency has responsibility, I have asked the CFA to respond directly to the Deputy.