Results 2,441-2,460 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care (10 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: As the Deputy may appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on an individual case. I have requested a report from the Child and Family Agency in relation to this case and I will revert to the Deputy when this is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free preschool year to all eligible children before they commence primary school. The programme, which is a free and universal provision, represents an annual investment of approximately €175 million. To ensure that the ECCE programme is more accessible to children with special...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (5 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: As the Deputy will appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on an individual case. I have referred the details of this case to the Child and Family Agency for attention, having regard to its statutory responsibility in this area.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (5 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: As the Deputy will be aware, the Terms of Reference for the Mother and Baby Home Investigation and certain related matters have been approved by Cabinet and both Houses of the Oireachtas last month. Details in respect of the Commission are available on my Department’s website including a number of explanatory documents. My Department is currently advancing arrangements with Judge...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (5 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I am aware of the relatively high cost of childcare in this country and to help address the issue my Department supports a number of childcare programmes that assist parents in accessing quality and affordable childcare. These programmes are, of course, in addition to the support provided to all parents in the form of the Children's Allowance, which is a key Government support to help...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Lottery Funding Applications (5 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: My Department will not be administering a National Lottery scheme in 2015. In framing the Department's Estimate for 2015, regard had to taken of the many competing demands facing the sector and the overall budgetary envelope available. A number of other Departments are in receipt of National Lottery funding in 2015, including the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The specific...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Expenditure (5 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: My Department is responsible for the administration of funding for the provision of youth services. The funding schemes support the delivery of a range of universal and targeted youth work programmes and services for young people throughout the country, including those from disadvantaged communities. Three of these targeted funding schemes, the Special Projects for Youth scheme, the Young...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (5 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: As of November 2014 a total of 778 children in Louth-Meath were waiting to be allocated a social worker and 464 of these cases were deemed to be high priority. I am assured by Tusla that emergency cases continue to be dealt with immediately, for instance, that a child who has been abandoned or is in immediate physical danger or at immediate risk of sexual abuse, and that high priority cases...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (5 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: There are more than 4,300 preschool childcare service throughout the country providing a range of childcare services to children in the 0 to 6 age group. I am aware that some parents have problems in accessing affordable childcare services and my Department is supporting the implementation of a range of childcare programmes to help support these parents. The support programmes implemented...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Data (5 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: There are no staff from my Department or agencies under the aegis of my Department working out of the Government building at the location in County Laois which was specified by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Authority of Ireland (4 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: The Adoption Authority of Ireland was established in November 2010 and is the independent statutory body charged with implementing the Adoption Act, 2010. The Authority has responsibility for the direct operational implementation of legislation and Government policy relating to adoption. It has a quasi-judicial role and is independent in its decision-making functions. Part 12 of the Adoption...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (4 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: As the Deputy may appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on an individual case. I would ask if the Deputy could forward any correspondence he may have to the Chief Operations Officer, Mr. Fred McBride, in the Child and Family Agency. In the interim, I have referred the information provided by the Deputy to the Child and Family Agency for immediate attention.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (4 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 to 102, inclusive, together. The School Completion Programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of young people who are risk of educational disadvantage. The Programme is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (4 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: Section 44 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, provides that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs shall develop an annual Performance Statement for issue to the Child and Family Agency. The Performance Statement is designed to provide the Agency with specific policy guidance, direction, prioritisation and resource parameters to inform the preparation of its annual Business Plan....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (4 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: The planned programme review of the School Completion Programme, indicated in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure 2012 - 2014 is underway. The objectives of the review are to examine the programme's structures, clarify roles and responsibilities, to analyse the interventions and supports provided and identify best practice for young people at risk of early school leaving and make...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (3 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I thank the committee for the opportunity to discuss the 2015 Revised Estimates for Vote 40 of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The Revised Estimates for 2015 allocated gross funding to my Department of some €1,026 million, which includes over €991 million in current funding and €35 million in capital funding. When appropriations-in-aid receipts of just...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (3 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: I will deal with the Deputy's last question first. I cannot find the reference at the moment, but I know the answer to the question. That is national lottery funding and we decided this year that it would provide just a one-off lottery grant to various services. We made the decision together with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to forego that lottery funding in order to...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (3 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: Deputy Troy mentioned the issue of the GALs. This has also concerned Tusla, the Department and me. We have examined different systems in Europe, the UK and Northern Ireland, in particular. We have put proposals to Tusla, which are being examined currently. The agency's officials are exercised about this issue. There is no doubt that much greater regulation is needed in this area. For...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (3 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: We are only on head 1.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (3 Feb 2015)

James Reilly: With due respect, we will get into all of this-----