Results 19,841-19,860 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Other Questions: Inter-Country Adoptions (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I hear what the Deputy is saying. Mine is a small Department and we have a number of people who are skilled in this area who are engaged in a myriad of other tasks related to adoption. That is not to say that they are ignoring this issue, but they have the information and tracing Bill to deal with, which is currently in progress. Communication is taking place, as should be the case, but I...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I thank Deputy Stanton for his question. Since he tabled the question, the ESRI has published the report on its website. It presents the findings of an examination of the operation of the school completion programme and makes recommendations for the future operation of the programme. The review is now being considered by my Department, and a range of actions have already been taken by the...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: In overall terms, the ESRI report indicates that this programme is perceived as being extremely valuable by those who operate it. The programme has added value in terms of being successful in retaining young people in education. I have already pointed to some of the actions to be taken on foot of the review. Improvements will be made to the annual school retention plans to focus on the...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: Obviously, we want flexibility as different things work in different areas, not only in educational disadvantage but many other areas of Government policy. What will work in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown will not necessarily work in Lusk and certainly will not work in Leitir Móir, County Galway. For this reason, flexibility is required and will be part of the future programme. I...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I will revert to the Deputy on his question concerning a review. On funding, I made my commitment to the school completion programme very clear last year when we protected the funding available for it. All Departments are continually asked to ring-fence funding for one programme or another. However, ring-fencing funds reduces the scope for other areas of activity which may be just as...

Other Questions: National Carers Strategy (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The national carers strategy is led by the Department of Health. Many Departments, including my Department, have a role to play in its implementation. Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the national policy framework for children and young people for 2014 to 2020, was launched in April 2014. One of the key policy priorities under outcome 5 - connected, respected and contributing to their...

Other Questions: National Carers Strategy (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: For the purposes of clarity, the analysis will be published in early 2016 and, as such, not before Christmas. I reiterate that the national carers strategy is led by the Department of Health, although my Department has a role in it as it does in many different Departments. The issue of supports is one that would be more appropriate to the Department of Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Autism Support Services (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I am committed to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. I have been conscious for some time of the difficulty experienced by some children with a disability in accessing and benefiting fully from the ECCE programme. With this in mind, my Department and the Departments of Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for providing effective responses to victims of domestic violence and sexual violence. At all times, Tusla's key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic violence and sexual violence are being met in the best way possible. For this reason, the 2015 budget is being directed towards front-line...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Asylum Support Services (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, has primary responsibility in the area of asylum and immigration. Policy responsibility for such refugee children travelling with their parents, insofar as it extends to my Department, is in relation to providing care and protection for any children where their welfare and safety are identified as a concern. Children, separated from...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: At the outset I wish to clarify that work on a bilateral agreement with the Russian Federation has not ceased. It remains the aim of my Department to achieve a bilateral agreement, but I do not believe this will be possible to finalise it in the short term because of a number of difficult issues outstanding. I recently met with the Russian Irish Adoption Group. I am conscious that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: All young people leaving care who have been in care for 12 months on their 16th birthday or for 12 consecutive months prior to their 18th birthday are entitled to an aftercare plan. The transition to independent adulthood can be challenging for many young people and a key factor in achieving success is ensuring that assessment, preparation and planning for leaving care begins in the years...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: Prior to Budget 2016, my Department 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. This funding, which is in addition to the direct support provided to all parents in the form of Child Benefit, supports more than 100,000 children each year. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The Cuan Álainn Centre was established independently of the State. It opened in 2012 and is funded by Respond. The Cuan Álainn centre provides accommodation for a range of clients, some of whom may have been in emergency accommodation provided by domestic violence refuges. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, allocates available funding for domestic violence to emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Welfare Service (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has a general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The statutory Educational Welfare Service of Tusla has a key role to respond to instances where children are not attending school regularly or where there is a concern about a child's educational welfare. Children whose...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Detention Centres Provision (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: A reform programme has been implemented in recent years on the Oberstown campus to provide improved facilities, in order to accommodate older children under the Government commitment to end the practice of detaining children in adult prison facilities. Given the scale of the reform programme, there is a need for sufficient planning and preparation and continued management and staff...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Youth Strategy (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I was delighted to publish Ireland's first National Youth Strategy 2015 - 2020 on 8th October 2015 at the Bluebell Youth and Community Project in Dublin 12. The National Youth Strategy sets out Government's aim and objectives for young people, aged 10 to 24 years, so that they can be active and healthy, achieving their full potential in learning and development, safe and protected from...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (21 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: Domestic Violence Refuges (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: It is my understanding that the Cuan Álainn Centre was established independently of the State. It opened in 2012 and is funded by Respond. The Cuan Álainn centre provides accommodation for a range of clients some of whom may have been in emergency accommodation provided by domestic violence refuges. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency allocates available funding for domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Regulation (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: Early years services are currently subject to the Child Care (Pre-School Services)(No 2) Regulations 2006. To provide for the implementation of the legislative changes to the Child Care Act 1991, which were enacted through the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, it was necessary to carry out a root and branch re-examination of the 2006 Regulations, including a re-structuring of the Regulations...