Results 18,941-18,960 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection Services (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I assure the Deputy and the House that all children who are known to be at immediate and urgent risk are seen immediately and have a social worker assigned to them by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Comments about the HIQA report for the Cork area may have given the impression that these most vulnerable children known to Tusla were not being cared for. The children were described by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection Services (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: Deputy McLellan has asked a lot of questions and I will try to answer some of them. The number of cases of children awaiting allocation of a social worker has decreased over 2014. Tusla's figures for Cork indicate a decrease of 26% in the overall number and, in the number of high-priority cases, a decrease of two thirds. The source for this is "Measuring the Pressure". However, people are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection Services (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I reject the assertion that Tusla is in any financial crisis. It is a new agency and received a substantially increased budget this year. As it develops, we will undoubtedly see where there is a need for further resources. It is undertaking work to measure this and to determine where best to put those resources. Regarding high-priority cases, these are not children at immediate risk....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy for his question. A key priority for the Government is to ensure that quality early years services are available to preschool children. My Department is progressing the early years quality agenda, which represents a programme of measures to support, monitor and regulate the improvement of quality standards in preschool services. A key element of the agenda is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: Under the legislation we introduced, this is an operational matter for Tusla as it sets about putting these inspections in place. One of the issues revealed in the report was the need for information technology and communications, ICT, infrastructure to support Tusla's national preschool inspectorate. I was pleased to provide €350,000 to fund development of ICT infrastructure for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: Clearly, the Deputy is confusing two inspection regimes. Under the early years programme the Department of Education and Skills will inspect the educational aspect, inspection of the overall regime will be the responsibility of the Child and Family Agency. In fairness to it, while it is studying how to go about this, it is awaiting the revised regulations.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: Because the provisions are being developed in association with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. In the drafting of the new regulations a review of the draft national quality standards was required, as well as of the 2006 child care regulations and the associated guidance document, with an input from the Child and Family Agency which will have responsibility for implementing the new...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Child Care Services Provision (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: This question relates to the one-parent family payment. As the Deputy knows, this is, in the first instance, a matter for the Department of Social Protection. However, my Department has been working closely with that Department to develop a range of targeted child care support programmes for low-income families, parents returning to the workforce and parents engaging in training and-or...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Child Care Services Provision (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: The short answer to the question is that I am awaiting the outcome of the interdepartmental group's deliberations and it would be premature to make any statement about it before then. This is a broadly based group of interdepartmental individuals who have engaged in a number of open consultation days with many of the stakeholders in the area. Shortly, an online questionnaire will be issued...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Child Care Services Provision (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I respectfully disagree with the Deputy's contention that the Government is putting the cart before the horse. I have already described the child care education and training support programme and the Deputy's contention that there are no services available is simply not true. There is also the after school child care programme, which is designed to support low-income and unemployed people...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Early Child Care Education (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: The early childhood care and education programme, ECCE, provides a free preschool year to all eligible children in the age range three years and two months to four years and seven months before they commence primary school. A standard capitation fee of €62.50 per week per eligible child is paid to participating child care services. A higher capitation fee of €73 per week is...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Early Child Care Education (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I am pleased the Deputy and I agree on one matter, namely, that the ECCE programme offers good value for money and is critically important. I also agree with him that the investment of money, resources and personnel in educating children in the early years brings about the greatest return for such children and for society in general. There is no doubt about that. I further agree with the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Early Child Care Education (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I will actually be having that chat with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and look forward to speaking with him as we approach the budget. I know that he is interested in this issue and that he is as concerned as I am about the well-being of children who are our future. In respect of the scheme, the Deputy must accept that during the worst recession and darkest fiscal...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Early Child Care Education (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I did not interrupt the Deputy. The work they do is invaluable and they are trained to a high standard. We want to continue supporting that work. One of the ways we provided support was through putting in place a learner fund to support and fund people in attaining a higher level of training. All of these matters will be considered by the interdepartmental group and the Government will be...

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: The Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 provides an effective, prompt and transparent mechanism to investigate complex and sensitive matters, while also respecting fair procedures and natural justice. The Act gives the commission robust powers to conduct investigations within its terms of reference in the manner it considers appropriate, while adhering to the rules and procedures contained...

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I absolutely respect the feelings of the individual the Deputy referred to regarding her two brothers. The terms of reference laid down for the commission of investigation allow it to order exhumations if that is what it decides is appropriate in certain instances. This is right and proper, but I do not wish to prejudge what the commission may find. I understand, notwithstanding section...

Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: The commission has enormous powers as is only proper and right. I welcome the Deputy's support for the social history element of the investigation because context is important. It is equally important that people have an opportunity to tell their story. Many of the stories I have heard have been particularly harrowing. It is important also they have the right to tell their story in public...

Other Questions: Child Protection (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: We touched on this matter when dealing with Deputy McLellan's question. I mean no disrespect to Deputy Boyd Barrett but Deputy McLellan asked whether I believed that child care services were worse under Tusla than they had been under the HSE.

Other Questions: Child Protection (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I state categorically that they are far improved and continue to improve. The inspection of the Cork child protection services was carried out by HIQA in October 2014. Overall, the report noted the good quality of the service provided to children and families when they had an allocated social worker. Two areas of significant risk were found and were addressed immediately. An action...

Other Questions: Child Protection (15 Apr 2015)

James Reilly: I supplied those figures in reply to the earlier question. High priority does not constitute immediate risk. I made that clear in response to the previous question also. Any child who is in immediate danger or at immediate risk is seen as an emergency and is seen immediately. That is the reality. As I read out in the response, the category of "high priority" also includes children who are...