Results 18,321-18,340 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Reports (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The child care law reporting project is an independent project established under section 3 of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007 in accordance with the regulations made under that Act, with the support of the One Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The aims and objectives of the project are to provide information to the public on child care...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Reports (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy for her contribution. She may have pre-empted what I was going to say. These are very serious issues. The report's author notes that the cases in question represent a very heterogeneous group and the issues that bring them to the child care courts vary widely, so there is no single approach that could reduce the proportion of ethnic minority families at this juncture....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Reports (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: Again, I thank the Deputy for her contribution because, obviously, the earlier one intervenes the better and if there is a mechanism for obtaining information early before people actually arrive at the court, clearly that would be preferable. It is important to state, however, that this reporting project is in its early stages. This is only the second interim report and it is not possible...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Provision (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: I am aware of and concerned by the sustainability issues for the early years services and have met many of the groups concerned. Annual funding in the region of €260 million is provided for the child care sector to support a number of child care programmes implemented by the Department. These programmes include the community child care subvention, CCS, programme, the early childhood...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Provision (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: For the information of the Deputy, approximately 4,200 child care services, including community child care services, are participating in the ECCE scheme, that is, the free preschool year programme.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Provision (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The total annual funding provided to support the programme is approximately €175 million. I believe the Deputy indicated that only a small number of them were involved.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Provision (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The capitation payments provided under the programme are made in advance and early in each school term. This funding is a major support for child care providers, particularly at a time when, because of economic circumstances and the position on employment, the demand for child care places is reduced. The Deputy contended that earlier in the week he learned what I was not going to do. He...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Provision (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: If a provider can demonstrate it is operating on a not-for-profit basis, it will not be obliged to pay rates. However, if it is in the business of making a profit and money, it will pay rates, just like all other businesses. There are anomalies in other areas such as health board premises and private surgeries despite the fact that those operating from them are delivering the same service...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Legislation (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: It will not be the case that this issue will not be addressed during the lifetime of the Government, as it very definitely will be. The House will be aware that the Adoption (Identity and Information )Bill 2014,introduced by Senators Averil Power, Jillian van Turnhout and Fidelma Healy Eames, will be debated in the Seanad this evening. The Department has considered the draft Bill and noted...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Legislation (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The Taoiseach has made it very clear that the Government will go to the end of its term, but the Deputy may have other ideas and is entitled to entertain them. On this issue and given the timing, with no disrespect to the Deputy who is engaged in this area, I feel a certain deference to the three Senators to debate the issue in the Seanad rather than pre-empt the outcome here. Time does...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The school completion programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to the completion of senior cycle and generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of young people at risk of educational disadvantage. The programme is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified through the Department of Education and Skills’...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: Many of the people who work in the Child and Family Agency came from the HSE, where they did sterling work. Tusla is a new agency independent of the HSE. It has many working relationships with it, particularly in services such as psychology. I remind the Deputy of what I stated: that the review is an important initiative to plan for the future development of the programme. The programme...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The Deputy spoke about the slashing of services which has occurred in recent years since the Government took office and found not only that the coffers were empty but that there were large bills in every cubbyhole-----

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: It is not. The facts do not change just because they are uncomfortable. As an old lady once said to me, the truth is not fragile; it will not break. The truth is that we know why we had to do what we had to do.

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The truth of the matter is that our economy is recovering due to the sacrifices made by the Irish people and the policies pursued by the Government. We now have, for the first time in several years, a budget which has increased. I will ensure the school completion programme is protected. I want to see it enhanced. The review to which I alluded is critical because many times - I do not...

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy for her question. The Government has undertaken to establish a statutory commission of investigation into matters relating to mother and baby homes in accordance with the motion passed by this House on 11 June. Considerable progress has been achieved since this date, including the publication of the interdepartmental group’s report, the announcement that Judge...

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The Deputy is quite right: this is urgent and yet it is a major undertaking. If we get the terms of reference wrong at the outset we will be unable to answer the questions that people want answered. If we end up with a commission that takes ten years to report, it would not be in anyone's interests. We must define the terms of reference in a manner that allows the commission to do its...

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputies. Again, I confirm that of course there will be a debate in the House on the terms of reference. Equally, I am not in a position to say on the floor of the Dáil today what will be included or excluded because the work is not complete. However, I emphasise that we are examining means and ways, while staying within the spirit and the letter of the motion the...

Other Questions: Children in Care (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy for her question. The role of Tusla is to provide alternative care for a child in cases where there is a need to do so because of concerns in respect of the safety and welfare of the child. In cases where the social work team have assessed that housing or accommodation is the core issue that needs to be addressed, then they are referred to the local authority, which has...

Other Questions: Children in Care (19 Nov 2014)

James Reilly: The information the Deputy has given me is something that we will further investigate. I would be astonished in this day and age that any woman would have to give up a baby simply because she has no accommodation. There are several agencies in the country which will provide accommodation. Let us go backward in time. We have discussed what happened in the past, when women had to give up...