Results 18,101-18,120 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Other Questions: Preschool Services (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: One should be careful about extrapolating the figures based on the survey because that may not be accurate. I do not say that is unreasonable but it may not be accurate. We are reviewing this area because the Government is keen to support a second free preschool year at some point in the future and there is concern among providers that we need to address inconsistencies in quality,...

Other Questions: Preschool Services (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: I reiterate that the initial supports for children with special needs availing of services in mainstream child care settings remain a matter for the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. I hope that clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Other Questions: Child Protection Services (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: Measuring the Pressure, a report prepared by the Child and Family Agency, indicates that at the end of June 2014, the agency was providing 19,766 children with a social work service. The report also highlights the increasing service challenge facing the agency, with 9,548 cases waiting to be allocated to a dedicated social worker. Approximately one third of these were deemed to be high...

Other Questions: Child Protection Services (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: As I indicated in response to previous questions, additional posts have been filled and recruitment is under way for additional posts. To be specific, 106 social work posts were filled by the Child and Family Agency in the first eight months of 2014 and a further 148 posts are at various stages of recruitment. The Deputy asked how many social workers are employed in total. The Child and...

Other Questions: Child Protection Services (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: It would be extremely devious of the Deputy to so do.

Other Questions: Child Protection Services (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: I reiterate that a further 148 posts are at various stages of recruitment. Vacancies are, therefore, awaiting filling while the recruitment process proceeds. As I indicated in previous replies, it is difficult to recruit social workers in some areas for various reasons, just as it is difficult to recruit doctors in some areas. The bottom line is that 106 social work posts were filled by...

Other Questions: Child Poverty (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: Support for families who require income support to meet basic needs is provided through the social welfare system, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. A range of income supports is available to parents who are unemployed or on low incomes. The Department of Social Protection also has lead responsibility for the national action plan for social...

Other Questions: Child Poverty (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: Through the implementation of the Department's document, Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, and its supporting strategies, the Government aims to achieve the following transformational goals to support the achievement of better outcomes for all children and to address the concerns that Deputy Tom Fleming raised. One of the most important aspects to address in this context is support for the...

Other Questions: Child Poverty (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: I thank Deputy Fleming for his comments. It is a serious matter, from the Government's perspective, to help the parents of whom he speaks who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much in helping the economy recover. That is why it is so important in the budget that our focus will be on continuing reform of the tax system in order that more unemployed people are encouraged to go back to...

Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: As I mentioned already, the financial allocation for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in 2014, its first year of operation, was set at €609 million. This comprised €602 million in current funding and €7 million in capital funding. It is acknowledged that delivering the range of services required of the agency within this budget is challenging. Notwithstanding the...

Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue as it concerns us all. The legal fees issue is being addressed with steps taken including the negotiation of reduced fees and stricter controls on accessing legal advice. Sometimes one has to question the necessity of the use of a legal team in certain matters. It is often a case of if you are lawyered up, then I have to be lawyered up too, a...

Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: If the figures are readily available, the Deputy will have them. If not, he will not. Given what I said earlier, it is not reasonable to expect we would have completeness in this when some people do not submit their bills for four years.

Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: Yes, we can tell the Deputy what was paid. However, if X million euro is spent this year for bills for services incurred three years ago, how will that inform the Deputy what were the actual legal costs incurred in this year alone? I hope he accepts this point. On the 91% increase in reported cases, much has changed since 2005 with the Ryan report and other issues leading to a greater...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: Efforts are ongoing in my Department in relation to a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. Following a meeting with a delegation of Russian officials in October 2013 my Department prepared revised draft wording on a number of specific points. This was forwarded to the Russian Authorities in February 2014. In transmitting these revisions...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Data (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: The Child and Family Agency has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991and the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Depending on the nature of the individual circumstances, a child may be received into the care of the State. At the end of July 2014, there were 6,466 children in care. The majority -...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: The Government has undertaken to establish a Commission of Investigation into the concerns that have arisen in relation to Mother and Baby Homes. The decision to establish a Commission of Investigation into these matters received the unanimous endorsement of this House on the 11th June. Since this date, considerable progress has been achieved in advancing the necessary legislative and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Policy (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: As the Deputy is aware, my Department recently launched Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures,the first overarching national policy framework which comprehends the age ranges of children and young people 0 – 24 years. Better Outcomes, Brighter Futuresis a cross-government strategy aimed at ensuring that all children and young people get the best possible foundation in learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: 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. In 2014, funding of €49.78 m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. From within this budget, my Department provides funding to projects under the Young People's Facilities...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: Pobal provides a significant level of service to my Department and it would be impossible to deliver the various Departmental programmes without Pobal's support. The majority of these services relate to Early Years programmes and services, some of which are: - Conducting contractual compliance visits to participating childcare services under the large-scale Early Years funding programmes:...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Unemployment Measures (25 Sep 2014)

James Reilly: My Department works closely with the Departments of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Education and Skills, Social Protection and others as part of a cross departmental effort to tackle youth unemployment. My Department administers a range of funding schemes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country by the voluntary youth sector. In 2014...