Results 6,441-6,460 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: A number of child care support programmes are implemented by my Department to assist parents with the cost of child care. The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which provides support to lower income and disadvantaged families, is only accessible through community not for profit child care services. This has been the case since the support programmes were initially introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free preschool 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 Funding (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are three separate and distinct Women's Aid organisations funded by the Child and Family Agency which provide services in the area of domestic violence. These are Carlow Women’s Aid, Dundalk Women’s Aid and Women’s Aid, Dublin. Funding is allocated to the organisations rather than on a per county basis. Information provided by the Child and Family Agency with regard...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 support for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund, Rounds 1 and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 684 and 685 together. I am advised by the Child and Family Agency that the following organisations are contracted to provide children's residential services on its behalf. Location Centre Name Org. Name D.N.E. Aras na Fise Fresh Start Eire Brownstown House MMC Children’s Services Cluain Mhuire (Drumree) Three Steps Ltd. Clarnagh House Ashdale...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 686 and 704 together. The Child and Family Agency was notified in March 2014 of financial difficulties being experienced by Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Ltd. A number of meetings have since taken place between senior management of the Agency and the centre and these discussions are ongoing. In order to alleviate cash flow difficulties...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Youth Work Advisory Committee (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I appointed the current National Youth Work Advisory Committee (NYWAC), under the terms of the Youth Work Act, 2001, with effect from 28 January 2013 for a period of one year. This Committee, which comprises representatives of national youth organisations, Government departments, the Education and Training Boards and other statutory agencies involved in youth matters, has a key role in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children Services Committees (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 688 and 689 together. Children's Services Committees (CSCs) provide a structure at county level which brings together all of the key agencies delivering services to children and young people, so that they work collaboratively in planning for and delivering services which are more effective and achieve better outcomes. Since 2007, 20 Children's Services...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The value for Money and Policy Review of youth funding schemes is nearing completion. It is anticipated that this report will be finalised in June. It will include recommendations for the future operation of these youth schemes and will shape their development in the years ahead to ensure quality, effective, value for money services that are evidence based and designed to secure the best...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reports (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Department officials forwarded a copy of this report to the Deputy on 17thApril, 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work is ongoing in my Department in relation to the issue of funding of agencies accredited for intercountry adoption in order to ensure the sustainability of the agencies and continuity of service. My Department has meet with both Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency and Arc and interim funding has been allocated to both agencies. The Department is continuing its examination of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 693 and 694 together. The Adoption Act 2010 has been in operation for just three years. Since the implementation of the Act, as is often the case with complex legislation, issues have arisen in relation to the operation of the Act. There are also more general policy questions around the nature of our adoption regime. In the circumstances I think it is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Guarantee (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country by the voluntary youth sector. The work of the voluntary youth work sector, in the provision of these services, has a significant contribution to make to the Government’s jobs agenda including the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Measures (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The aim of the Children First Bill 2014 is to improve the care and protection of children by raising awareness of child abuse and neglect. The Children First Bill provides for a number of key child protection measures, as follows: - A requirement on mandated persons to report child protection concerns to the Child and Family Agency - A requirement on mandated persons to assist the Child...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand that the matter referred to by the Deputy relates to an incident at a child care service in West Dublin in June 2013 when an unaccompanied child left the service. I understand that the service contacted the Garda when the incident occurred and that it was subsequently confirmed by them that the child had returned home. Preschool services are governed by the Child Care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Missing Children (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 698 to 700, inclusive, together. With regard to the Deputy's question concerning an application for funding of the 116 000 Missing Children's Hotline in 2010, I can confirm that correspondence was received by the then Office of the Minister for Children from the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) in December 2010. The ISPCC...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Health Services Staff (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Child and Family Agency that the issue raised is currently before the Labour Relations Commission. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further at this point in time.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Support Services (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The new Child & Family Agency brings together family support services previously delivered by a number of different agencies. The establishment of the agency allows for the provision of a more integrated service than heretofore to those families that require support. There are currently 106 Family Resource Centres funded by the Child and Family Agency, including six in County Cork...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (30 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware of the relatively high cost of child care in this country and of the difficulties that this presents, particularly where both parents are in employment outside of the home. To help address the issue, funding of €260 million is provided annually by my Department to support a number of targeted child care support programmes that assist parents in accessing quality and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Remit (6 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware the functions and operational responsibilities of the former National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) are now part of the Child and Family Agency, which was established on 1 January 2014. Since this date the staff of the former NEWB, including its Educational Welfare Officers, have transferred to the new Agency. Within the Child and Family Agency, the statutory...