Results 1,781-1,800 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Prison Building Programme. (29 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The late Deputy, Mr. Jim Mitchell, opposed the construction of a prison that he subsequently opened as the Minister for Justice. Outline plans for the island prison facilities are being developed at present and these will be finalised later this year. The Minister is not at this stage in a position to give an estimate of the amount of land required for the prison development or the costs of...

Local Authority Access. (29 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for raising this matter. I reply on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government but I am conscious that the reply does not address the precise points raised by the Deputy. It is more general in scope but I assure Deputy Murphy that the complaints she makes are not unique to herself as a Member of the House. Irrespective of whether...

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 85 and 86 together. Ensuring the protection, health and welfare of children is a key concern for the Government, parents, agencies that work with children and society generally, and the Government is determined to do all it can to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe. In the education sector, vetting is currently available in respect of prospective...

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There is a plan to ensure a comprehensive roll-out of vetting to all sectors, as I outlined in my reply, with substantial unsupervised access to children. Deputies should not underestimate the task involved. In Scotland, a comparable jurisdiction, the number of vets sought and obtained in a calendar year can be as high as 8 million. The numbers involved are staggering. In England, Wales and...

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy asked about the anticipated future staff requirement of the vetting unit. The personnel at present are sufficient to deal with work in the short term but the question of volume may arise if we move towards the Scottish model. We are trying to plan so that it does not automatically end up that way. Decisions will be taken on the need for an increase in staff and if charges should be...

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There was no lack of enthusiasm to move to north Tipperary. Deputy Enright also raised the question of our liaison with pre-employment consultancy services in Northern Ireland. At the first meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council on 3 February 2000, the council decided to establish a joint working group on child protection as one of a number of working groups to take forward matters...

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As regards special needs children who avail of a taxi rather than a bus service, I can confirm that this matter will be addressed within the scope of the protection envisaged by the Department. As regards protection for children of other nationalities who attend our schools from other parts of the world, I am not quite clear what point the Deputy is driving at concerning obligations.

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I cannot see that there is because children of that age would be in attendance at second level schools. Clearly, if the school was aware of a concern, the normal practice would be for the principal of the school to alert the local social services about the difficulty. That would be the best practice to follow for a school principal who was worried that there might be a child protection...

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Summer camps and the like.

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Yes.

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It is a private matter. Agencies generally organise this and it would be their responsibility. We are currently examining whether we should have more robust requirements. The problem is that unless one lays down this principle as a matter of general legislation, one is in the area of practice. Ultimately, it is a matter for the HSE to intervene if an abuse is established. In so far as one...

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I agree.

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am not sure to which legislation the Deputy is referring. A child care Bill was approved——

Garda Vetting Services. (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Harmonisation legislation will take some time because it is difficult to harmonise a jurisdiction where the Queen is sovereign with one where citizens have written guarantees. There is an incompatibility between them. In my earlier reply I said that one cannot harmonise legislation with a country that does not provide its citizens with a basic guarantee of their reputation in the...

Written Answers — Disruptive Students: Disruptive Students (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board. Under Section 23 of the Act schools are required to have in place a code of behaviour. The Act requires that each Board of Management formulates a code of behaviour in accordance with guidelines from the NEWB. The Board, which ensures that children attend school regularly or receive an adequate education,...

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) was established under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 as the single national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework which promotes regular school attendance and tackles the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that every child...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010, which are being implemented by the newly established Office of the Minister for Children. With regard to the appeal for staffing grant assistance under the EOCP referred to by the Deputy, I understand from inquiries I...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010, which are being implemented by the newly established Office of the Minister for Children. With regard to the application for capital grant assistance under the EOCP referred to by the Deputy, I understand that the...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (4 Jul 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.