Results 2,381-2,400 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I thank the Chairman. I will begin with Deputy Troy's questions. He mentioned the Association of Childhood Professionals and the recent rally, to which I alluded in my opening remarks. He specifically mentioned a reduction in the early childhood care education, ECCE, programme of €2 million. This is directly due to the reduction in the numbers who are availing of it because of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: Sorry, if I may, nobody interrupted the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I will defend myself too.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: Well done. The low pay commission is looking at the minimum wage, not sectoral pay, so that is not appropriate. Deputy Troy mentioned the Children First legislation and the sanctions therein. That is currently being progressed and will come back very shortly. In regard to the adoption and information tracing Bill, I reiterate what I said in the Seanad yesterday which, I am sure, Senator...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: Just to clarify something for Senator Burke, the Senator has made these points on numerous occasions about the particular facility he mentioned. Where people who have fallen out of school are being encouraged back into an educational setting using volunteers, he asks why the schools are getting the capitation fees when these children are not attending school, and why that money cannot be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I have given my response. I am perfectly happy to approach the Department of Education and Skills in the context of the school completion programme. It may be that we should join with the Irish Youth Justice Service too in terms of Garda diversion and so forth and gather its views on it. We will pursue it. Deputy Ó Caoláin spoke about having a single inspection service for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I have met with Geoffrey Shannon on a number of occasions and I think the Secretary General has too. We will be meeting him again in respect of this specific issue.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: The Empowerment Plus service is contracted by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency in Galway only. Services provided by this organisation were previously offered to ten families. I am advised by Tusla, that there were emerging concerns about the level and quality of the services being provided. An audit was undertaken by the Agency and the findings were that the service was not fit for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (19 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: The provision of pre-school services is regulated the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations. These Regulations require that a person carrying on a pre-school service shall ensure appropriate vetting of all staff, students and volunteers who have access to a child. The Department of Justice and Equality has responsibility for the vetting legislation which sets out the...

Seanad: Adoption (Identity and Information) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: While I do not oppose the amendment, I reiterate that I foresee constitutional difficulties with the Private Members' Bill. This Bill differs from the Bill being prepared by my Department. It does not differentiate between prospective and retrospective adoptions. In this respect it does not address the complex constitutional issues that arise in respect of the provision of identifying...

Seanad: Adoption (Identity and Information) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I thank Senators for their contributions. I reiterate that we want to do everything we can to ensure that the process, which is currently very onerous, is very much simplified. I also reassure Senator Power in particular that the Bill we are preparing is not only about prospective adoptions but also about current adoptions and the people who are in the situation the Senator so eloquently...

Seanad: Adoption (Identity and Information) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: In regard to medical records, they are the property of the individual and not open in terms of their being taken forcefully, as Senator Power said, but if they are volunteered, that is what is intended.

Seanad: Adoption (Identity and Information) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: Go raibh maith agaibh go leir. I would particularly like to thank Senators Power, van Turnhout and Healy Eames for the time and effort they have put into developing the Private Members' Bill, and Dr. Fergus Ryan, the legal expert who provided assistance in the process. While I do not oppose the Bill I must reiterate that I still foresee some constitutional difficulties with it, but it must...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (18 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: Aftercare is a term used to describe the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him/her in making the transition to independent living. It is essential that all young people leaving care are provided with the type of transitional support that their individual situation requires. The Child Care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Communications (18 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: It is the policy of my Department to ensure that the Department's publications are presented at a level of plain English commensurate with the specified audience which may include: - Elected officials, Government Departments, policy makers, researchers and academics; - Professionals working with and for children, for example, teachers, social workers, youth workers, child-care workers; -...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I am delighted to be here to resume the legislative process for what I believe to be very significant and important legislation. We left this Bill on Second Stage in the Dáil in July 2014. This was to ensure that we allowed for the member states to consider the legislation under the technical standards process. This process is now complete and so the Bill can continue its journey...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: At the outset, I thank both speakers for their support. I understand that Deputy Kelleher’s proposals are meant in the best possible way and I fully accept the bona fides of his support. Few people would be more enthusiastic than I to expedite the impact of the legislation but given the letter on the Chairman’s desk and the letters that are in circulation, everybody involved...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I will respond in the spirit of the support and co-operation we have had, but in the interests of accuracy, my information is that Australia gave the companies a full year to wash out the product. I fully accept that the Deputy's enthusiasm for this issue is honourable. I share it but, unfortunately, this advice comes from our Attorney General. It is not borne out of fear but rather the...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: The Deputy's amendment specifies the minimum and maximum size of a cigarette pack. The Bill as drafted does not set minimum and maximum sizes but the new EU tobacco products directive sets out the minimum width and height of the graphic or combined health warnings placed on packs. Cigarette packs cannot therefore be any smaller than these minimum requirements. In effect, this indirectly...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: At the lower end.