Results 19,861-19,880 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (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: Departmental Strategies (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I was pleased to meet with the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) on 29th September. The meeting took place to discuss NYCI's pre-budget submission, the National Youth Strategy, Peace Funding and the “Skills Summary” project. NYCI provided tremendous support to my Department in the development and launch of the National Youth Strategy, and I would particularly like to...

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

James Reilly: The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is an innovative prevention and early intervention initiative. The programme builds on the work of the Prevention and Early Intervention Programme 2007-2013. The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme involves joint investment of my Department and The Atlantic Philanthropies of €29.7m in evidence-informed interventions to improve the long-term...

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

James Reilly: Earlier this year I requested Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to undertake a national audit in order to quantify and verify the number of cases awaiting allocation to a social worker. The findings of the audit were recently brought to the attention of my colleagues at Cabinet Sub-Committee level and were also the subject of particular discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure...

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

James Reilly: The Child Care Law Reporting Project (CCLRP) is an independent project authorised under Section 29 of the Child Care Act 1991 (as amended by the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007), and in accordance with Regulations made under that Section to report on child care proceedings. The project is supported in this work by my Department, the One Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies. The aims...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Reports (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: I would like to acknowledge the work done by One in Four and very much respect the views contained in its Annual Report for 2014. I share One in Four's vision of working towards a society where children are free from sexual violence. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of sexual violence. In terms of financial resources,...

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

James Reilly: Funding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is invested annually by my Department in early years services. 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. This high level of investment has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary situation that prevailed in recent years....

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

James Reilly: Better Outcomes Brighter Futures:The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020, represents a whole of Government approach to improving the lives of children and young people. The Policy Framework contains five national outcomes for children and young people, and further details 163 policy commitments relating to children and young people to be progressed. Primary...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Persons Data (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: Policy responsibility for children who present as out of home without their parent(s) or guardian(s) relates to children under 18 and any related child welfare and protection concern that may arise in the context of the Child Care Act 1991. Children under 16 who present as out of home to emergency services are taken into care. Children aged 16 and 17 may be taken into care, or provided with...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: As I have stated previously, I believe there is a clear need to radically reform the operation and management of guardian ad litemservices, which are currently provided on an ad hocand unregulated basis. The issue of reform is a legacy which my Department is actively engaged in addressing. Under the Child Care Act, 1991, as amended, guardians ad litemare appointed by the Courts. The Child...

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

James Reilly: I am aware of the relatively high cost to parents of childcare in this country and of the difficulties that this presents, particularly where both parents are in employment outside of the home. I accept that these costs impact to a greater extent on parents who have to leave their children for longer periods of time in childcare services. Prior to Budget 2016, my Department provided...

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

James Reilly: Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020,was published and launched by Government in 2014. It provides the overarching framework for the development and implementation of policy and services for children and young people. This is a whole of government framework, implementation of which is overseen by my Department. Better...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (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: Child Protection Services (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: An open case is one which is assessed as needing a dedicated (allocated) social work service. Of the total number of open cases at end July, some 20,118 had an allocated social worker and 7,209 were waiting to be allocated a social worker. A case refers to an individual child. There could be several cases opened when a family is referred. The number of cases waiting to be allocated a...

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

James Reilly: The 2016 gross funding allocation under Budget 2016 for the provision of services under Vote 40 includes an allocation of €676 million for Tusla, representing an increase of €38 million over the 2015 allocation. This includes €662.4 million in current expenditure and €13.6 million in capital expenditure. The additional resources are intended to alleviate service...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The Tusla 2016 Estimates business case identified a requirement of €137 million over a three year period. This included a request for additional capital funding of €11.5million. I was pleased to be able to allocate significant extra resources to Tusla for 2016. The overall level of funding that I have provided will significantly strengthen Tusla's base funding level and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: Budget 2016 marks significant progress in providing Tusla with increased resources to address identified risks and meet service demands. Funding of over €676 million will be made available which is an increase of €38 million over their 2015 allocation. This level of funding includes targeted funding to address the findings of a recent national audit of child welfare and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (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: Residential Institutions (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) carried out an unannounced inspection of Ballydowd Special Care Unit in July of this year following receipt of a concern relating to the practice of single separation. The inspection report was published on 31st August 2015. In Ballydowd Special Care Unit, single separation means the removal of a child to a separate locked room for as...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (21 Oct 2015)

James Reilly: The School Completion Programme provides targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. Since January 2014 Tusla has had operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme, including the allocation of funds to projects within the programme. In line with all other services, the programme experienced funding reductions...