Results 2,281-2,300 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I have been assigned responsibilities in relation to children (under the age of 18 years) across three Government Departments; Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Health and Children, and Education and Science. My Office focuses on harmonising policy issues that affect children in areas such as early childhood care and education, youth justice, child...

Written Answers — Children Acts Advisory Board: Children Acts Advisory Board (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: The functions of the Children Acts Advisory Board (CAAB), which was established by the Minister for Health and Children, are set out in Section 227(1) of the Children Act 2001, as amended by the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007. The Board may, at the request of the Minister for Health and Children or the Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform, advise on policy issues relating to the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which will invest €575 million over 5 years. I understand from enquiries made that a miscalculation occurred when calculating the transitional and subvention funding for 2008 for the Group in question under the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme. Pobal, who manage the...

Written Answers — Youth Cafés: Youth Cafés (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: The launch of the National Recreation Policy last September highlighted Government's commitment to the development of youth cafés. Since September my office has undertaken a small survey of some of the existing cafés looking at mission/objectives, management and organisation, service levels and the role of young people. My Office also sought the input of the National Children's Advisory...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 311 and 312 together. There is no provision under Irish law requiring the preparation of post adoption reports in respect of children once an adoption order has been made in respect of a child. Once a child is adopted the adoptive parents are considered to have all of the rights and duties of parents and the protection of the family afforded under the...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: The Deputy will be aware from my earlier responses that the project in question was piloted with funding provided by the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform. The question of whether or not funding can be provided for the, now concluded, project under the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), for which I have responsibility, was examined. However, I understand...

Written Answers — Playground Facilities: Playground Facilities (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: In March 2004, Ready, Steady, Play, the National Play Policy was launched by my Office. The purpose of the policy is about improving the lives of children through creating more and better public play facilities for them. To date, over €28million has been expended on improving play infrastructure around the country. This has resulted in an increase from less than 200 to over 500...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: A total of 14 grants were approved to community based facilities in Co. Roscommon in 2006. Of these, six were for capital funding with projections to create 121 child care places in all. In 2007, 19 grants were approved to community applicants in Co. Roscommon. Three were for capital funding with the remainder for 'current' (operational) funding. The three capital applications approved...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: Eight grants in total were approved to community based facilities in Co. Leitrim in 2006. Two of these were for capital funding with projections to create a total of 40 child care places. A total of 14 grants were approved to Co. Leitrim community facilities in 2007. Of these, two were for capital funding, the remainder for 'current' (operational) funding. The two 2007 capital grants were...

Written Answers — Departmental Research: Departmental Research (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 188 of 24th June 2008. The evaluation of tenders to undertake this study has been completed and a preferred bidder has been identified. This study will commence on agreement of the contract, which is expected to be in July 2008. The tender issued envisaged a project timeframe of approximately 10 months.

Constitutional Amendments. (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: He could be the Minister without a portfolio.

Juvenile Offenders. (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: In March 2008, the Government approved the development of new national children detention facilities on the Oberstown campus in Lusk, County Dublin. The Government decision was informed by the report of the expert group on children detention schools, which is available on the Irish Youth Justice Service, IYJS, website. The development will increase the accommodation capacity in the...

Juvenile Offenders. (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: The facility in Thornton Hall is intended to be a temporary one. The Deputy's concerns are not misplaced and we do not want the provision to be permanent. I assure him that during detention in such temporary accommodation, children's basic rights will be maintained, they will be provided with first class education facilities via the local VEC and they will be separated from all adult...

Juvenile Offenders. (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: The facility in Finglas is the assessment centre for young people. Bringing all the services to one site will achieve a degree of efficiency. While the Finglas centre will continue in the meantime, the Deputy is correct in that we are considering its long-term future and whether bringing it to the Oberstown campus would be more efficient.

Juvenile Offenders. (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: The administration of justice is exclusively the duty of the courts and it would be inappropriate for any Minister to advise the courts on how to carry out sentencing in individual cases. The specific provision to which the Deputy referred, which places obligations on parents in regard to offences committed by their children, was not commenced until July 2007. Certain changes had to be made...

Juvenile Offenders. (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: On the first matter, the provisions of the Children Act ascribing responsibility to parents for crimes committed by their children arise out of the District Court finding regarding wilful neglect on the part of parents. I am sure no Member is a cheerleader for putting parents in that position. State services generally try to avoid a scenario in accordance with the District Court conclusion...

Juvenile Offenders. (8 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: The Children Act is a superb legislative measure which has served us well in the short time it has been in force. The anticipated opening date of the first phase of the Oberstown facility is 2012, at which time it is hoped the transfer of inmates from St. Patrick's Institution will take place. I cannot comment on any possible impact on this project as a result of potential budgetary changes....

Drug Dealing. (3 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: I reply on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern. I thank Deputy Costello for raising this matter. The Government very much welcomes and wholeheartedly supports this initiative taken by the Garda Síochána in its introduction of the "dial to stop drug dealing" project in the Garda Dublin north central division and the similar...

Water and Sewerage Schemes. (3 Jul 2008)

Barry Andrews: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Since its adoption in 2002, the objectives of the national spatial strategy have been among the key criteria local authorities have taken into consideration in their needs assessments for new water services infrastructure. It will be no surprise, therefore, that the current water services...