Results 921-940 of 1,938 for speaker:Denise Mitchell

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Abuse Reports (10 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: I thank the Minister for her response. Another issues raised in the review was how children who were subject to abuse felt that they were unable to tell anybody. This was made worse if the visits and inspections by Tusla were infrequent. They did not feel that they were in an environment in which they could share the information. The Minister has answered that question. The Minister will...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (10 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: 61. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress made regarding the recruitment and retention of social workers within Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29682/19]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme (10 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: 85. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the national childcare scheme; her plans to ensure low income families availing of targeted supports will not be negatively affected by the roll out of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29680/19]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (10 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: 91. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied that residential centres for vulnerable children are adequately staffed and resourced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29683/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: Many of the issues I was going to cover have already been dealt with. I would like to ask about Tusla inspections. If I operate a crèche, how often could I expect an inspection from Tusla? Would it be once a year or every couple of years? What is the frequency of inspections? According to the figures provided earlier, there are 4,435 early years services. Tusla only carried out...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: I am concerned by what Mr. Lee says about a good service. How does Tusla know whether my service is good if it does not receive complaints? My staff could be terrified but everything might seem fine and dandy because Tusla has not received a report on my service. How can we balance that out? That is a real concern. If 1,800 services are classified as being good because Tusla has not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: Is the service given advance notice of an inspection? I ask for the benefit of someone on the outside looking in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: That is fine. How many inspectors are there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: What has been the increase in inspectors in five years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: Where are the 58 inspectors situated? Are there more inspectors in Dublin than in Donegal?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: Some 58 members of staff carry out inspections.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: We have also been encouraging people to provide mandated reports. Let us suppose somebody in a crèche, or an outsider such as a parent, makes a report to Tusla. How is that report processed? How long does it take? What is the timeline within which these concerns are addressed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: I refer to concerns about a facility. Can Mr. Quinlan outline what child protection-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: It is important that people know there is a difference.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: That is where we can get a bit conflicted. Let us say that I am a parent who has contacted Tusla with concerns about the service provided in a crèche or facility. We have seen it; I refer to problems such as poor food or children not being stimulated. How soon will those concerns be addressed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: Let us say an offender is constantly in breach of the regulations we are talking about. Are any mechanisms in place to allow the Department and Tusla to recoup any funding this facility has been given?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: I want to come back to Tusla and its opening statement on information on actions taken prior to the RTÉ broadcast. Tusla said the following, "Hyde and Seek, Tolka Road, has been subject to a significant level of regulatory enforcement activity and referrals have been made to Tusla’s child protection and welfare services." I am concerned about that. When did that happen? I know...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: I know, I do not want specifics but have the parents been notified?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: I get that Tusla tries to identify the child but this has to be looked at from the parents' perspective. We are putting our must valued possessions into these creches. This is the bit I find alarming, and I am not being disrespectful to anyone. As a parent, I put my priceless possession into a creche and something is happening and Tusla has concerns about something going on in that creche...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Issues Regarding Childcare Facilities: Discussion (31 Jul 2019)

Denise Mitchell: I know there is due process but that is one's child. That is a parent's child and in many cases, the parents, particularly in Dublin, are paying the equivalent of mortgages to some of these services so we have a right to know. Some are paying more than they pay for their mortgages so we have a right to know what is going on with our children.