Results 481-500 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: Amendment No. 97 refers to section 147, which states that in determining for the purposes of subsection (2) whether a person has contravened section 125, the court shall have regard to the matters set out in sections 4 and 5, and also to whether the person did any or all of the following, namely, prepared documentation to assist any prospective adopter habitually resident in the State, or...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: To clarify, I mentioned that this section is to be read with section 125. Subsection 125(1) states: A person shall not— (a) make or attempt to make an arrangement for the adoption of a child, (b) for the purpose of having a child adopted— (i) retain the child in the person's custody, or (ii) arrange to have the child retained in the custody of another person, or (c) take part in the...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: No.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: I move amendment No. 12: In page 18, to delete lines 24 to 26.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: I move amendment No. 13: In page 18, to delete lines 31 to 37.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: I move amendment No. 14: In page 19, to delete lines 1 to 4.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: One of criteria regarding eligibility for adoption is that the person to be adopted must be under 18 years of age. The issue of the adoption of persons aged over 18 years of age originally arose in the context of children who remain in long-term foster care, as the Deputy has said, with the same family for a considerable period of time but who, for one reason or another, are not eligible to...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Deputy is right that we are dealing with a blockage in regard to children who would be otherwise adoptable but are in long-term foster care. The categories for which the Deputy is seeking to provide additional rights would normally be adoptable but for the 1988 interpretation. I remember the Deputy raising this issue at the all-party meetings of the Joint Committee on the Constitutional...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. The immediate and the ongoing needs of separated children seeking asylum relating to accommodation, medical and social needs as well as their application for refugee status are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in accordance with Section 8(5)(a) of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) and the...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Adoption Bill, 2009, is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, is designed to provide a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed and that all adoptions are effected in the best...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: It remains my intention to assist 20 named applicants to complete intercountry adoptions in respect of children from Vietnam on an exceptional basis and insofar as it is practicable in law. In communicating the decision to suspend the bilateral negotiations the Irish Government asked the Vietnamese Government whether it will be possible to proceed with these adoptions. The Vietnamese response...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: Foster care is the main form of alternative care provided by the Health Service Executive for children in need of care and protection who cannot remain in their own homes. The provision of foster care is central to child welfare and protection. The HSE works closely with foster /relative carers and places a very high value on the role they play in the provision of care in a secure and...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: Funding for the provision of youth services is provided under Vote 41. I can confirm that this organisation is not funded under youth services programmes under my remit. As regards funding under the Comhairle na nÓg Development fund (also under Vote 41), this is allocated to the County/City Development Boards via the Local Authorities on an annual basis to enhance the development of...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoption: Inter-Country Adoption (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Adoption Bill, 2009, is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, is designed to provide a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed and that all adoptions are effected in the best...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: It remains my intention to assist 20 named applicants to complete intercountry adoptions in respect of children from Vietnam on an exceptional basis and insofar as it is practicable in law. In communicating the decision to suspend the bilateral negotiations the Irish Government asked the Vietnamese Government whether it will be possible to proceed with these adoptions. The Vietnamese response...

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for implementation of the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which was introduced in January of this year. The objective of the ECCE scheme is to provide appropriate age related activities and programmes in a formal setting to children, in the year before they commence primary school. Targeting the pre-school year at a particular...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Information and Tracing Unit in the Adoption Board provides an advice and referral service for those seeking to trace or to obtain medical or personal information. This unit provides services directly to adoptees, natural mothers and birth families. It also works closely with the registered adoption societies and the HSE nationwide information and tracing services. Improvements to this...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, is drafting the Heads for the National Vetting Bureau Bill. It is expected that the Heads of Bill will be submitted to Government in the coming weeks. Formal consultations have taken place with the Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána and colleagues in...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Final Report of the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children deals with the rights of children under the Constitution, and the statute and case law concerning adoption, guardianship, care proceedings, custody and access to children. The issues raised in the Final Report are being carefully considered by the Government. The Government decided that the matter should be...