Results 19,801-19,820 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Financial Resolutions 2016 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The Government remains committed to a sustainable and secure recovery based on strong economic growth and a determination not to repeat the mistakes of the past. It also is right that the people start to see the tangible benefits of the recovery. It is with these twin priorities in mind that the Government has framed its budgetary choices this year. In so doing, it remains acutely aware of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges (14 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has taken on statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual or gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. Funding of approximately €17.0 m transferred to Tusla from the HSE on 1 January 2014 in respect of these services. Additional funding of €2.541 m subsequently...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (14 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The issue of local authority commercial rates comes within the remit of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, which has responsibility for fiscal policy, and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, which has responsibility for the local authorities. The Valuation Office, which comes under the remit of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The terms and conditions of employment in the early years sector are matters to be agreed between employer and employee. My Department makes no recommendations in relation to these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I established the Inter-Departmental Group earlier this year to consider options for future investment in early years and after-school childcare. This Group reported to Government in July this year, setting out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordability, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of early years and after-school childcare. Several...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free and universal programme for all children in the eligible age cohort, including children with special needs. The issue of access to the free pre-school year for children with special needs was considered when the ECCE programme was launched and a number of measures were introduced to make the programme more accessible for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The Family Resource Centre referred to by the Deputy has been in receipt of funding under the Family Resource Centre Programme which is administered by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Centre’s budget for 2015 is set at €90,453. Tusla's priority is that Family Resource Centres will have the capacity to provide modern and appropriate services for all children and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Welfare Service (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to examine the case raised by the Deputy and provide me with a response. I will revert to the Deputy when the information is to hand

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 426 to 428, inclusive, together. A total of €7 million was made available under the Early Years Capital Programme in 2015. Of this funding, €5 million was made available for grants specifically for community/not-for-profit early years services. The remaining €2 million was made available for both private and community/not-for-profit early...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Organisation Year Amount Cong Community Centre Ltd 2014 €5,000 Involve Youth Services (Ballina) 2014 €800 7th Mayo Foxford Scout Group 2014 €500 Clare Island Foróige Club 2014 €400 Robeen Playschool 2014 €5,000 Claremorris Social & Family Centre Ltd 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafés Provision (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: In recent years capital funding has been made available to my Department for the development of youth café facilities. Some 100 new youth café facilities have received support under the scheme since 2011 when the Department was established. Recent research undertaken by my Department indicates that there are now more than 150 youth cafés throughout the country. In the main,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The Child and Family Agency has advised me that its Educational Welfare Service is working with psychiatric and other services to support the family in question.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (20 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 432 to 435, inclusive, together. At present, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme covers children who have reached the age of 3 years and 2 months by 1st September of the relevant year. From September 2016, I am expanding the ECCE programme to allow children to access free pre-school from the time they are 3 years of age until they start...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy for the question. I was very pleased to announce a package of €85 million extra investment in child care, including important improvements to the early childhood care and education, ECCE, preschool programme. At present, the ECCE programme covers children who have reached the age of three years and two months by 1 September of the relevant year. From September...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I can understand that the Deputy would want to spend some time on this because it is a very important area. I am very pleased we have a solid framework for the future investment in child care, following the interdepartmental group report which consulted widely with the sector, including by having an open day for the sector and online consultations for both the sector and for parents. This...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: If I run over a little in my reply, I hope the Ceann Comhairle will indulge me because a couple of very important points have been raised.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: That is fair enough. The issue of quality, which was mentioned by the Deputy, is very important. Additional money has been put into the learner fund and many other initiatives around Síolta have been put in place. Quality is very important to us because we know that a poor quality school or preschool service can have an adverse effect on children, so it has to be of high quality to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I strongly refute the figures quoted by the Deputy. I believe they are the ones contained in a study that was published some 15 years ago and are based on a very small sample size. I am pleased to inform the House that of those leaving care this year, approximately 80% were reported as having an allocated aftercare worker. In addition, Tusla has advised that almost 90% of young adults...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: It is worth reiterating that the reference to 68% of young persons experiencing homelessness within two years directly after leaving care is from a Focus Ireland study, Left Out on Their Own - Young People Leaving Care in Ireland, which was published in 2000, which is 15 years ago. This study followed just 56 young people who had left the care of a health board. A total of 87% or 49 young...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children in Care (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: In response to the issues raised by the foster carers organisation, there has been an increase in the Tusla budget-----