Results 501-520 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

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

Barry Andrews: The HSE seeks to implement an equity of care policy in relation to all service provision to ensure that all children and young people receive the same level of care as that afforded to children who are citizens of this country. Appropriate care services at local and national level are being developed, working in partnership with NGO's, private agencies and HSE staff. The immediate and the...

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

Barry Andrews: The Government's Implementation Plan on the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 2009 recommended that the Health Act 2007 be commenced to allow the Social Services Inspectorate in HIQA to undertake independent inspection of all children's residential centres and foster care. The Department is currently reviewing the existing regulations relating to inspections in order to...

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 — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: The National Child Care Information System (NCCIS) is a Health Service Executive project which has been included in the National Service Plan for 2010. I share the view of the Ombudsman for Children that access to improved information based on standardised business processes across the child welfare and protection service within the HSE is essential in terms of improving the monitoring,...

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

Barry Andrews: The matters raised by the Deputy relate to an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Adoption Board which is an independent quasi judicial statutory body. I have asked the Board to consider these issues with a view to providing the information requested directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (1 Jun 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have discussed the proposal to put in place a hot-line for missing children that is operational in some EU Member States with members of charitable organisations and non-governmental organisations with a view to providing some level of service. I will keep the Deputy informed of developments in this regard.

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Children's and Youth Services Development Unit of my Department received an application for funding on behalf of the Fethard Area Youth Project, to be considered for funding in 2008 under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme but due to the limited funding available and the large number of applications received it was not possible to provide the funding requested. In light of budgetary...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: It remains my intention to assist 20 named applicants to complete inter-country 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...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 105, 110 and 112 together. As indicated to the Deputy in my previous response, it was not possible to answer the original question due to industrial action. This industrial action currently remains in place and continues to affect the provision of substantive replies to certain Parliamentary Questions. If the matter raised continues to be of concern, it...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have given out about the time aspect, but I have no problem revisiting everything. I understand why we are here on Report Stage. It is just that the prolonged timeframe will have a serious impact on how long this legislation is going to take. It is worth putting that in the public domain. I am sure Deputy Shatter has heard stories to the effect that an applicant couple may not have hit...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: If applicants have a grievance with a social worker, how can they raise it? Whom could it be raised with? Could they raise it with the child care manager? People are nervous about doing that. If they come to an adoption committee that has been set up for the first time in statute, it will give them greater comfort and provides safeguards which do not apply when a matter must be raised...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: There is nothing to preclude an adopted person from being included in that because he or she would clearly have knowledge and experience as defined in the section.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: That was the Deputy's description.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: We have spent 40 minutes on this first grouping of amendments. I know amendment No. 2 is important and central to the legislation but considering there are almost 30 groupings and extrapolating from the time already spent-----

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: There are 30 amendment groupings and over 70 amendments. The danger is that we will be here for a terribly long time. Members will probably speak for even longer now that I have mentioned this. In the real world, if we are going to absorb so much of the time available to me in the Dáil as the Minister of State with special responsibility for children and youth affairs, the danger will be...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: We have taken 40 minutes on a matter which we dealt with fully on all Stages in the Seanad and on Second and Committee Stages in the Dáil. If Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin were honest with himself, he would see there has been a considerable amount of repetition this morning. I accept some new points have been raised which I will address. However, there have already been long discussions...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I am entitled to make a point.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: On the Order of Business this morning Members were genuinely frustrated about important developments in child protection law and legislation associated with the referendum on children's rights. I share this frustration and that is why I made this point about time. The first principle of the legislation is to move to a regime governed by the Hague Convention, namely, that Ireland would adopt...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: I refer to the Vietnam issue. I have no wish to go into specifics and I have stated as much to representatives of the group. I have sought the view of the Attorney General and his office. We have been through this for so long and we have built up people's expectations. I have sought the advice of the Attorney General in a letter sent some ten days or two weeks ago. The matter involves...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (27 May 2010)

Barry Andrews: Deputy Shatter is aware that we made many visits to Vietnam and monitored the situation very closely. It is completely inaccurate represent that on the floor of the House.