Results 1,341-1,360 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: Let us consider social partnership. A picture of the Labour Party leader is hanging from Liberty Hall on an 80 foot banner fluttering in the wind, while Fine Gael promises public sector reform. How will they square that circle? That is why people did not buy into the Labour Party's view of the world. That is why I warn them not to be so arrogant as to think the election result provides...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (10 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware, the Adoption Bill, 2009, which will give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, was published on 23 January, 2009. Under the proposed new legislative regime, prospective adoptive parents will be able to adopt from countries that have ratified the Hague Convention as well as from those...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (10 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: My Office is continuing to work towards securing a strengthened inter-country adoption agreement with the Vietnamese authorities. In light of several concerns raised by other countries during the last year, the Government decided that it was necessary to reinforce the initial bilateral agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Also, with the publication of the Adoption Bill, 2009,...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (10 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Pre-School year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which will come into operation in January next, and for the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) which was introduced in January 2008. Under the ECCE children will be able to avail of a free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care...

Ryan Report on the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Motion (11 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I wish to share my time with Deputy Mattie McGrath. The history of our country in the 20th century will be rewritten as a result of the Ryan commission of inquiry and its report. Things we held to be self-evident have been challenged to their core. Yesterday, survivors brought a banner to Leinster House referring to the phrase in the 1916 Proclamation that the State would resolve to...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (11 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free Pre- School year of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) which will be introduced from January next. The association referred to by the Deputy wrote to me on 28 April 2009 welcoming the announcement of the scheme, which will allow qualifying children to avail of a free pre-school...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (11 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free Pre-School year of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) which is being introduced from January next. The scheme will allow qualifying children to avail of a free pre-school place in the year before they commence primary school. The scheme is open to all private and voluntary...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (11 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: Requests for assessment for inter-country adoption are continuously increasing. The 'Study on Inter-country Adoption Outcomes in Ireland', undertaken by the Children's Research Centre, Trinity College, between December, 2004, and April, 2007, revealed that Ireland has one of the highest rates for inter-country adoption in Europe. It is against this background that the Office of the Minister...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (16 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 105, 110, 113, 114, 118, 120, 127 to 131, inclusive, and 149 together. The process on this matter has been on-going for many months now and the dialogue with the Vietnamese Authorities is continuing. Many deputies have sought guarantees and specific timeframes for the conclusion of a new agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I must reiterate my...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (16 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (16 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 to 137, inclusive, together. Requests for assessment for inter-country adoption are continuously increasing. The 'Study on Inter-country Adoption Outcomes in Ireland', undertaken by the Children's Research Centre, Trinity College, between December, 2004, and April, 2007, and commissioned by the Adoption Board, revealed that Ireland has one of the highest...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (16 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free Pre-School in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), which will come into effect in January next. The scheme will allow qualifying children to avail of a free pre-school place in the year before they commence primary school. The scheme is open to all private and voluntary...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: The redacted Report of the Monageer Inquiry was published on 12 May, 2009. The Report, in redacted form, was published taking account of legal advice sought from the Office of the Attorney General. I am not in a position to disclose the nature of the advice received. I am considering the option of appraising the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children of the substance of the...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: An abridged report of the inquiry into the operation and management of Madonna House was published in May, 1996.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I will shortly be seeking nominations from a number of the bodies to be represented on the Council. Following receipt of nominations I intend appointing the new Council as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: There are currently no plans to introduce legislation to allow the Ombudsman for Children the power to intervene as an amicus curiae in relevant legal proceedings. There is already in place a system whereby a "guardian ad litem" can be a voice for the child in the court. The functions of the Ombudsman for Children are to promote the rights of children and to investigate complaints into the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2007 was published in February 2007 and contained the Government's proposal to amend the Constitution in relation to children. In keeping with the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish an all-party Oireachtas Committee to examine the proposed constitutional amendment, a Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on...