Results 19,281-19,300 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (DESSA) was contracted by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to provide support, advice and training for Family Resource Centres across the area of disability awareness and staff/volunteer training in personal advocacy for people with disabilities. The organisation is funded by Tusla up to the end of June 2015. Family Resource Centres...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (DESSA) was contracted by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to provide support, advice and training for Family Resource Centres across the area of disability awareness and staff/volunteer training in personal advocacy for people with disabilities. The organisation is funded by Tusla up to the end of June 2015. Family Resource Centres...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I am aware of the relatively high cost of childcare to parents in this country and of the difficulties that this presents, particularly where both parents are in employment outside of the home. To help address the issue, funding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is provided annually by my Department to support the implementation of a number of childcare support programmes that assist...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: At my first opportunity, I brought information to the Oireachtas on serious concerns that have been identified by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency in the Laois Offaly part of the Midlands area. As I mentioned earlier, I must give due regard to fair procedures for the individuals involved. As part of the immediate actions, Tusla carried out an urgent review of the affected referrals out...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The School Completion Programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to improve the school attendance, participation and retention of its target cohort. It is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified under the Department of Education and Skills DEIS Action Plan. It involves 124 locally managed projects and provides...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Early Years Quality Agenda is a key priority for my Department. It brings together a range of measures designed to support providers in the challenge of continually improving the quality and standards of early years services throughout the country. One of the most important measures relates to the inspection of early years services. I am preparing new Regulations to strengthen the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Early Childhood Care and Education Programme provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children, in the age range 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months, before they commence primary school. This Programme, which has an annual cost of €170 million, benefits in the region of 67,000 children every year. To deliver the free pre-school year, a standard capitation fee...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: To help address the issue of childcare costs, I have provided funding of more than a quarter of a billion euro annually to support the implementation of a number of childcare support programmes that assist parents in accessing quality childcare services. More than 100,000 children benefit from these programmes each year. The support provided under these programmes is in addition to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I have been in regular contact with Tusla regarding the situation that has emerged in Laois/Offaly, including meetings with the Chair and senior management. To date, Tusla has given me their view that the management of staffing numbers in the area was not the only factor involved in the very unsatisfactory situation that was identified there. The Tusla management view is that existing...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I support the Hands Up for Children Campaign organised by the Prevention and Early Intervention Network. It is critical that we are in a position to intervene where required, whether, at a young age, or early in the onset of difficulties, or at points of known increased vulnerability such as school transitions, adolescence and parenthood. Early intervention plays an important role in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Accommodation Provision (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I understand that the Deputy is referring to situations where children and their families find themselves without a home and living in emergency accommodation. In these cases, the primary need is for a family home and responsibility for this lies with local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The December 2014 Action Plan to Address...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The primary legislation in Ireland governing child care policy is the Child Care Act 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. Under these Acts, the Child and Family Agency has a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. The definition of a child contained in both Acts is that of a person under 18 years of age who is not or has...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters was established by Government Order on the 17th February 2015. I met with the three Commissioners in early February to personally thank them for agreeing to take on this important and challenging work. Their wealth of experience and knowledge is critical to the successful examination of these complex...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (DESSA) was contracted by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to provide support, advice and training for Family Resource Centres across the area of disability awareness and staff/volunteer training in personal advocacy for people with disabilities. The organisation is funded by Tusla up to the end of June 2015. Family Resource Centres...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: My Department is currently progressing the Early Years Quality Agenda with the objective of improving the quality of childcare services available to young children. As part of this process, all staff working directly with children in pre-school services will be required to hold a major award in early childhood care and education at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications, or the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: My Department administers the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which is provided through community not-for-profit childcare services. In excess of €40 million is provided annually by my Department to support the CCS programme and this enables the parents of some 25,000 children to avail of affordable childcare. In the region of 900 community childcare services...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: Child Development services are mainly under policy direction from the Department of Health and are principally provided by the HSE through Public Health Nurses and Community Medical services and through General Practitioners contracted to provide primary care services. At the end of February 92.3% (9,818 out of 10,637) of children reaching 10 months have completed their child health...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: Tusla has been tasked with improving outcomes and well being for children and young people. In this regard, the Agency must ensure that it makes the most efficient use of its resources in a way that is efficient, equitable, proportionate and sustainable. In reviewing the make up of current services, Tusla is seeking to address any identified gaps in services, to avoid duplication and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The agecnies operating under the aegis of my Department are Tusla - The Child and Family Agency, The Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. Of these, only Tusla has received funding from Atlantic Philanthropies. The amount of this funding is budgeted at €2,159,443 in 2015 (2014: €Nil) and is split across the following headings: - workforce...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Remit (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I should inform the Deputy at the outset that responsibility for disability services rests with the Minister for Health. Tusla's statutory duty is to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. There are many reasons for children coming into Tusla's care including abuse and neglect but disability alone, whether intellectual or physical, is not one. ...