Results 2,561-2,580 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: The National Youth Strategy will focus on the youth-related policy commitments outlined in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People. It will be a universal strategy for all young people aged 10 to 24. It will have a particular focus on those who are most disadvantaged or at risk and who have the poorest outcomes and therefore in most need...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: I announced the proposed Terms of Reference for the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters on Friday, 9th January. While due regard has been given to the emphasis on “Mother and Baby Homes” in the motion approved by Dáil Eireann on the 11th June 2014, the terms of reference also reflect a much wider agenda of directly related...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: There have been some recent media reports around HSE data which shows a social work turnover rate of 15% from 2010 to 2013. I understand that this relates to social work across all services including Primary Care, Disabilities, Mental Health, Older Persons and Children and Families. While the Agency is experiencing some staff retention issues, the turnover of social workers in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: Responsibility for addressing disadvantage is a matter for all Departments and Ministers and indeed for wider society. The provision of intervention and supports to target the particular needs of children will be dependent on the type of disadvantage, be it social, financial, educational, health etc. Responsibility for the identification and provision of those interventions will fall to my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Prevention (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: Combatting online child grooming is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. As part of a wide-ranging package of measures aimed at the reform of Ireland’s criminal law on sexual offences, including online grooming, child abuse, child exploitation and child pornography, Minister Fitzgerald recently published the General Scheme to the Criminal Law (Sexual...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: There has been some recent media reports of a social worker turnover rate of 15%. I understand that this relates to HSE figures for the period 2010 to 2013 and relates to social work across all services including Primary Care, Disabilities, Mental Health, Older Persons and Children and Families. While the Child and Family Agency is experiencing some staff retention issues, the turnover of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Juvenile Offenders (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: On a sample date of 30 October 2012, there were a total of 31 children detained in the adult prison system. The comparable figure for the same date in 2013 was 14 children and the same number also applied on 30 October 2014. The reduction of approximately 50% in the number of children detained in the adult prison system between 2012 and 2013 reflects the transfer of responsibility for 16...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: The Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service continues to be in receipt of significant funding from a number of State bodies, including Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) and my Department. The centre also receives income by way of fees from parents. Tusla has worked closely with the centre last year in developing a sustainability plan. I am advised by Tusla that the centre is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mental Health Services Provision (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: The Child and Family Agency was established on 1 January, 2014. It involved bringing together nearly 4,000 staff from three separate organisations, the Health Service Executive, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board. The establishment of the new Agency with a budget of over €600m represents one of the most ambitious and far reaching public sector...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: There is clear evidence that investing in childcare services which provide quality care and education for children in their early years has significant dividends for both the children themselves and for society as a whole. Ensuring the best possible outcomes for children in their early years is therefore an important element in future economic planning. The case for investing in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: I announced the proposed Terms of Reference for the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters on Friday, 9th January. The investigation will thoroughly examine the experience of the many mothers and children who were resident in a Mother and Baby Home over the period 1922-1998. In the course of this announcement, I indicated my view that it would...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: I have been assured by the Agency that this practice is not employed in advance of HIQA inspections. At the end of November 2014 a total of 1403.46 WTE social workers were employed by the Agency around the country. The Agency's Employment Control Group has a national remit and decides whether agency workers are to be employed. Agency workers are only employed when it is determined that the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 141 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 identified...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has a statutory responsibility to inspect the Child and Family Agency's children residential centres under Section 69 of the Child Care Act 1991. I view these independent inspection reports as an essential component of quality improvement for children's residential centres, which work alongside internal processes within the Agency....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Social Workers Recruitment (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: Staffing vacancies arise for a variety of reasons, including retirements, career breaks, paid and unpaid leave (including maternity and other family related leave) and resignations. The Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) has advised that there were 1,403.46 whole time equivalent social workers employed at the end of November 2014 and that they are currently recruiting an additional 193 social...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children First Guidelines (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children [2011] is the current national policy which sets out the non-statutory child protection requirements which are in place for all sectors of society. This would include the youth element of political parties. Any person, or persons, who run an organisation which provides services to children and young people should be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: In accordance with section 185 of the Children Act 2001, the Health Information and Quality Authority have been authorised to undertaken inspections of the children detention schools, which are required to be undertaken at least once every 12 months. HIQA is independent in the exercise of its functions. I can confirm to the Deputy that HIQA conducted their last inspection of the children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: On 16 January 2015, there were a total of 16 boys aged 17 years detained in the adult prison system, comprising 6 boys remanded in custody in St Patrick’s Institution and 10 boys serving a sentence of detention in Wheatfield Place of Detention. There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to end the practice of detainingchildren in adult prison facilities and significant...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Services for People with Disabilities (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: I should inform the Deputy at the outset that responsibility for disability rests with the Minister for Health. The Department of Justice and Equality leads on the National Disability Strategy and my Department supports that effort. Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People includes a number of commitments from across a range of Government...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Victim Support Services (20 Jan 2015)

James Reilly: I understand that the Deputy may be referring to a request made at a meeting with the Taoiseach, Minister for Education and I with Ms. Louise O'Keeffe late in 2014. During the meeting a number of matters were discussed including the need to ensure that all children have a trusted person to whom they can disclose any abuse which they may have been subject to. During the meeting, I outlined the...