Results 19,401-19,420 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: Targeted funding is currently provided by my Department to support a number of childcare programmes. This funding, which is in the region of €260 million annually, provides support to more than 100,000 children each year. The programmes include the universal free pre-school year to which all children have access and a number of targeted programmes that assist low income and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Human Reproduction (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: I can inform the Deputy that the question is most appropriately answered by my colleague the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Health Services (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: I can inform the Deputy that the question is most appropriately answered by my colleague the Minister for Health.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Completion Programme (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. 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 through the Department of Education and Skills DEIS action...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Completion Programme (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: I am very glad there are no cuts in this area because it is a hugely important programme. I am awaiting the outcome of the ESRI report but I am confident it will be very positive. I believe it will give us further evidence to underpin future development of the scheme and strengthen my hand in regard to the Estimates process in the coming year to try to get further funding for it....

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: Amendment No. 1 proposes to insert the words "and may be less" and states: "The Court shall have regard to the age, level of maturity, best interests of the child and principle of imprisonment as a last resort in determining the nature of any penalty imposed." This is proposed as a new subsection (7A) in section 88. I note however that section 88 deals with remands in custody as distinct...

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: Section 17 provides that the director may hold an inquiry into an alleged disciplinary breach by a child. The provision allows for the discretion of the director in deciding whether to hold an inquiry or not. Where the director decides to hold an inquiry into a disciplinary breach, he or she shall inform the child of the alleged breach and the date and time of the inquiry. Section 201(3),...

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: Amendment No. 6 proposes to substitute new subsections (1A) and (1B) to section 201A to set out the manner in which a child may be disciplined by a director and to set out the sanctions which are prohibited. The proposed subsections would in the main replicate the existing section 201 of the 2001 Act. The Bill proposes a new system of discipline to facilitate the introduction of remission...

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: The amendment I brought forward and which we agreed on Committee Stage, subsection (2) of section 201B, provides that where the finding of the director is the subject of the petition, the Minister may affirm, modify or revoke the finding. Where the sanction imposed by the director is the subject of the petition, the Minister may affirm, modify, suspend or revoke the sanction. The purpose of...

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (10 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: I thank all the Senators for their contributions and their constructive amendments. This is an important Bill. It is a Government commitment to end the practice of sending our children to adult prisons where the regime is of a different nature. The focus in our detention schools is on education and rehabilitation, and training for life to give our children who get into trouble a better...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (11 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 137 together. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is developing legislation that will provide for a structured and regulated way of providing access to information and tracing for those affected by adoption. The Bill will provide for statutory access to adoption records for adopted persons and birth parents, and others. The Minister...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Prison Staff (11 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: A campaign is ongoing to recruit over 60 new care staff for the operation of the expanded Oberstown campus and 38 staff have been recruited to date. The campaigns have consisted of 3 phases to recruit the necessary number of Residential Social Care Workers to operate the new facilities. One of these phases has been completed and 2 of these are currently ongoing. A further campaign to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges (11 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, works in partnership with Teach Tearmainn to provide a range of services to women experiencing domestic violence and abuse in Kildare. Teach Tearmainn's Women and Children's Refuge comprises 4 apartments and provides a place of safety and support to women and children who require it. Two of the apartments are now in operation and their running costs...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (11 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: The Early Years Quality Agenda, which is a key priority for my Department, 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. Among these measures are initiatives to improve the qualifications of, and provide training opportunities to, early years professionals....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (11 Jun 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: Rights of the Child (11 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: My Department has a co-ordinating role in relation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and its protocols. Considerable aspects of compliance with the requirements of the Second Optional Protocol have been addressed under the provisions of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 and the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008. A further element of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (11 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters was formally established by Government Order on the 17th February 2015. In accordance with its comprehensive Terms of Reference, the Commission is tasked with thoroughly examining the experience of vulnerable mothers and children resident in Mother and Baby Homes during the period 1922-1998. I can...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (11 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: The Early Childhood Care and Education programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. Despite the challenging budgetary situation, I have succeeded in maintaining the pre-school year as a universal and free programme, ensuring that a significant number of children can avail of quality pre-school...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services (11 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has been implementing a national quality assurance strategy and the findings of this process to date is that, generally, there are good systems in place for managing and monitoring cases. Improvements were needed in the refinement and consistent application of some processes and definitions, particularly with respect to the appropriate diversion of cases to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (16 Jun 2015)

James Reilly: The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled and I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.