Results 18,441-18,460 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Topical Issue Debate: Child Safety (10 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: I refer to Deputy Troy’s opening comment in his riposte about the record of the Government on child care. We could do well to talk about the record of his party in government over 14 years and its failure to disclose for many years the number of children dying in care. Deputy Alan Shatter had to drag that out of the Government over a prolonged period in order to bring it to the light...

Topical Issue Debate: Child Safety (10 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: Yes, indeed, I was there for three and a half years and we made progress.

Topical Issue Debate: Child Safety (10 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: I made much more progress than the Deputy’s party leader, Deputy Martin, ever made.

Topical Issue Debate: Child Safety (10 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: However, notwithstanding that, the reality in which the children of this country and their parents and those who care about children are interested is that we have a service that is appropriate to the needs of children. I believe the ISPCC, the new Child and Family Agency, Tusla, and my Department will get the best result by co-operating, examining how the service is delivered, drawing up a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (10 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: 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 the Dáil on 11 June. Considerable progress has been achieved since this date, including the publication of the Inter-Departmental Group’s Report, the announcement that Judge Yvonne Murphy will chair the Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Regulation (11 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: The National Early Years Quality Support Service - Better Start- is being introduced as part of the Early Years Quality Agenda currently being progressed by my Department. The Better Start programme is a national approach to quality improvement supports. One element of this, the Early Years Specialist Service, is employing 30 graduates in early childhood care and education who will work...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Garda Vetting of Personnel (11 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: I am not aware of any specific correspondence referred to by the Deputy between my Department and the Departments of Health, Justice and Equality, and Education and Skills. The Children First Inter-departmental Implementation Group is chaired by my Department and the Departments named above are all represented on this group. While there are regular updates at these meetings in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Policy (11 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: Responsibility for the funding of the Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence services previously funded by the HSE became the responsibility of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, upon its establishment on 1 January, 2014. In 2014, the Agency is providing over €17 million in funding to support the provision of Domestic and Sexual Violence services. This includes the funding of 60...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Apprenticeship Programmes (11 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: My Department does not employ staff in roles in respect of which the types of apprenticeship referred to by the Deputy are required. The information required to respond in respect of agencies under the remit of my Department is not normally held by the Department. I have asked my officials to arrange for the agencies concerned to supply this information directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (16 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: Aftercare is a term used to describe the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him/her in making the transition to independent living. It is essential that all young people leaving care are provided with the type of transitional support that their individual situation requires. The Child Care Act...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (16 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is implemented by my Department and provides a free pre-school year to all children before they commence primary school. There are in the region of 4,200 childcare providers participating in the programme, providing the free pre-school provision to approximately 68,000 children each year. This programme represents an annual investment...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (16 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 398 and 401 together. The Government is progressing the Early Years Quality Agenda which represents a programme of measures to support, monitor and regulate the improvement of quality standards in pre-school services in Ireland. A key element of the Agenda is to strengthen the national pre-school inspection system. This will result in a change of practice in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (16 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: Approximately €260m is invested annually by the Government to support the provision of early childhood care and education through three childcare support programmes, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. This funding supports the provision of early...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (16 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: I am aware of the concerns of childcare providers in relation to the levying of commercial rates on childcare services. The issue of local authority commercial rates comes within the remit of the Department of Finance, which has responsibility for fiscal policy, and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, which has responsibility for the local authorities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (16 Dec 2014)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (16 Dec 2014)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Meetings (16 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: I took up the position of Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in July of this year, and since then I have attended the following meetings involving the Management Advisory Committee (MAC): Date of Meeting Attendees 18th July 2014 Minister/MAC meeting: attendees comprising the Minister, Advisors and MAC members 24th July 2014 "Town Hall" meeting (Whole Staff Meeting) 10th December...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Meetings (16 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: The Management Advisory Committee (MAC) of my Department is comprised of the most senior officials in my Department. The Committee currently comprises the Secretary General (Acting), an Assistant Secretary and two Directors (one Acting). On occasion other officials or participants may be requested to attend to brief the Committee on certain agenda items. A member of Departmental staff is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education Standards (16 Dec 2014)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406, 409 and 410 together. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is implemented by my Department and provides a free preschool year for all children before they commence primary school. There are in the region of 4,200 child care providers participating in the programme, providing the free preschool provision to approximately 68,000...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (16 Dec 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. The schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme under which funding is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional youth organisations, including Foroige. Targeted...