Results 1,581-1,600 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP) as well as the new free Pre-School year of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which is being introduced from January next. The NCIP provides capital grant funding for the development and refurbishment of child care services as well as support...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (20 Oct 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 (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I recently met with a deputation from the group in question. The group briefed me on their work and financial support needs, all of which I have noted. The 2009 budget allocation of the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department is over €48m, a decrease of some 8% on the 2008 figure. I explained to the group that in light of budgetary constraints it is intended that the 2009 Youth Affairs budget...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Adoption Bill, 2009, is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The Bill has passed through the Seanad and is scheduled to be debated in Dail Eireann during the current session. The new legislation is designed to provide a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (20 Oct 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 is being introduced in January 2010. Children will qualify for the free pre-school year where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months on 1 September each year. I am satisfied that the most generous possible...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which provides a free Pre- School year to eligible children and which will be introduced in January 2010. Children will qualify for the free pre-school year where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months on 1 September each year. The...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which provides a free Pre-School year to eligible children and which will be introduced in January 2010. The standard capitation fee which will be payable to services participating in the new scheme, will be approximately €2,450 per annum in respect of each...

Written Answers — Unaccompanied Minors: Unaccompanied Minors (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 to 285, inclusive, together. As these are service matters they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I will meet with the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam on the 23rd of October during his visit to Dublin. Issues relating to Inter-country Adoption with Vietnam will form part of these discussions. I have previously met with the Deputy Prime Minister during my visit to Vietnam in late June 2009.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: Ireland does not have a bilateral agreement in place with Ethiopia in respect of the adoption of children from that country. The Adoption Bill, 2009, is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The Bill has passed through the Seanad and is scheduled to be debated in Dáil Eireann during the...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I can inform the Deputy that my Department has no plans to acquire or lease the property in question for use as a juvenile detention or rehabilitation centre.

Cervical Cancer Vaccination Programme. (21 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to this House the importance attached by the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive to the issue raised. The renewed programme for Government states the Government will take further progressive steps building universal health services that provide high-quality health care,...

Prison Accommodation. (21 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank the Deputy for rasing this very important issue. The issue of overcrowding in prisons is not unique to Ireland. It is an international problem and this was acknowledged by the Inspector of Prisons in his annual report for 2008. No level of inter-prisoner violence is acceptable. To that end, every effort is made by the Irish Prison Service to limit the scope of acts of violence....

Schools Building Projects. (21 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am happy to reply on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, who, unfortunately, cannot be present. He has asked me to acknowledge Deputy Breen's considerable input into this issue and that of the Minister of State, Deputy Tony Killeen, and Deputy Timmy Dooley, who are also present. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides me...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (21 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which is being introduced in January 2010. Children will qualify for the free preschool year where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months at the start of each academic year. The application of the age range is being...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (3 Nov 2009)

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

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 403 together. 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 is being introduced in January 2010. Under the ECCE scheme, participating services will be paid a standard annual capitation fee of €2,450 in return for the provision of the free...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 404 and 442 together. As the Deputies will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 - 2010 under which capital grant funding was made available to community and commercial childcare providers for the development of childcare facilities. Prior to the NCIP, capital grant funding was also available under the EU...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 421, 509, 537, 593 and 594 together. The Adoption Bill, 2009, which is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, has passed through the Seanad and is scheduled to be debated in Dail Eireann in the current Dáil session. The new legislation, which incorporates the...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (3 Nov 2009)

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