Results 6,321-6,340 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Rights (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I note the concerns expressed in the Children’s Rights Alliance’s Report Card 2014 in relation to improving the lives of Traveller and migrant children. The Programme for Government commits the Government to promoting greater coordination and integration of delivery of services to the Traveller and migrant community across Government, using available resources more effectively...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: HSE Complaints Procedures (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Health Service Executive (HSE) operates a formal complaints procedure, where a service user who is not satisfied with the service received may make a complaint to the HSE. Details of how to make a complaint and how complaints are managed can be found in "Your Service, Your Say", on the HSE website at www.hse.ie. The Child and Family Agency has been established since January 1st 2014 and I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I provided the Deputy with a comprehensive update on the 12th February on this matter, including a description of the work which is being done on a cross-Government and inter-agency basis to ensure the provision of a timely, comprehensive and integrated service to vulnerable children and families. The position remains as outlined in my recent response and I will be happy to provide an update...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Regulation (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Community Employment (CE) programme is a labour market activation measure designed to help people who are long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged people to get back to work by offering part-time and temporary placements in jobs based within local communities. After placement, participants are encouraged to seek permanent part-time and full-time jobs elsewhere based on the experience...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: UN Convention on Children's Rights (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Ireland ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992. The Convention includes provision for State parties to submit to the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child reports on the measures they have adopted which give effect to the rights recognised in the Convention. The State's consolidated 3rd and 4th Report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, was...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ombudsman for Children Inquiries (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that I have no plans to extend the terms of the inquiry by the Ombudsman for Children into the circumstances of the two Roma children being taken from their parents in 2013, for the reasons described in the question. I have previously informed the House that the Ombudsman for Children Ms Emily Logan has initiated an investigation of the actions of the HSE in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education Issues (27 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 66,000 children are expected to avail of the provision in the current academic year. The objective of the ECCE programme is to ensure that each child is in a position to avail of one free pre-school year...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Programmes (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The recent establishment of the Child and Family Agency represents a central pillar of our strategy to support children, young people and their families. It delivers on a key Programme for Government commitment and represents one of the largest and most important public sector reforms undertaken by this Government, bringing together some 4,000 staff and a budget of some €609 million to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am very much aware of the relatively high cost of childcare in this country. Significant investment, totalling more than €260m, is being provided this year by my Department to provide for a number of childcare programmes that assist parents with the cost of childcare. These programmes include the Free Pre-School Year, from which approximately 68,000 children benefit annually. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foreign Adoptions (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Efforts are ongoing in my Department in relation to a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. Following my invitation to the Russian Ministry of Education and Science in August 2013, a delegation of Russian officials travelled to Ireland in October 2013 for discussions on a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, work has been underway for some time on the Adoption (Information and Tracing) legislation. I intend to proceed to finalise legislative proposals on a revised basis at the earliest opportunity and will bring proposals to the Government as soon as possible. As well as the information and tracing legislation, I am conscious that issues have arisen in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ombudsman for Children Reports (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the publication of the Ombudsman for Children’s report ‘A Meta-Analysis of Repetitive Root Cause Issues Regarding the Provision of Services for Children in Care’ based on complaints made between 2004 and 2012. The report indicated that ten percent of complaints to the Ombudsman were in relation to children in care, and the sample of cases in this report...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has forwarded the information provided by the Deputy to the Chief Executive Officer of the Child and Family Agency for his attention having regard to the statutory responsibility of the Agency in respect of such matters. I wish to thank the Deputy for bringing this matter to my attention.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has regular liaison with the Department of Justice and Equality in relation to a wide range of issues including legislation, and policy matters that arise between Departments and agencies and bodies under the Ministers respective remits. In respect of Child Protection specifically, my Department regularly liaises with the Department of Justice and Equality through the auspices...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The report, ‘National Action to Address Child Intentional Injury 2014; what are European countries doing to prevent intentional injury to children’, was only published on 20th March 2014 and we did not receive it prior to its publication. It is a sister publication of the report cards on unintentional injury which have been produced for several years and have become a valuable...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bullying of Children (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The reply is as follows: Consultation with Young People A national consultation was conducted with children and young people during 2011, in which they were asked questions about what is good, what is not good and what should be changed to improve the lives of children and young people in Ireland. 66,700 children and young people took part in the consultation. Life as a Child and Young...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Legislation (27 Mar 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: Child Protection (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 186 together. Responsibility for promoting the welfare and protection of children at risk is a key function of the Child and Family Agency. The Agency is bringing a renewed focus to the delivery of safe and effective services for children and families who need a wide continuum of supports and interventions. It is addressing the persistent issues...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Issues (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested information from the Child and Family Agency and I will forward the reply to the Deputy once I have been furnished with this information.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Whilst concerns have been expressed to my Department by individuals and organisations about the use by young people in relation to social media and cyber bullying, incidents of internet ‘grooming’ have not been reported, and if there are concerns about this by individuals they should be reported to An Garda Síochána. Internet safety is the responsibility of the...