Results 5,541-5,560 of 7,823 for speaker:Jim Daly
- Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017) Jim Daly: I thank the Minister and members. I always make the point that I do not like having to rush and close down debate or questions. If there are any questions that members did not get a chance to ask, feel free to e-mail the secretariat and we will send them to the Minister.
- Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017) Jim Daly: We can guarantee an answer. I thank the Minister and her officials for answering the questions and being so helpful. It is much appreciated.
- Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Message to Dáil (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: In accordance with Standing Order 90, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:The Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs has considered the following Revised Estimate for public services for the year ending 31 December 2017: Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: This committee meeting is to begin our pre-legislative scrutiny of the Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017 regarding guardians ad litem. We will begin our consideration of this very important piece of legislation by hearing from representatives of Barnardos and the Children's Rights Alliance. Later in the morning the Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs will meet with the Minister for...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: On behalf of the joint committee, I welcome Mr. Fergus Finlay, chief executive officer, and Ms Freda McKittrick, assistant director, guardian ad litemservice, from Barnardos. I also welcome Ms Tanya Ward, chief executive officer, and Ms Edel Quinn, senior legal and policy officer, from the Children's Rights Alliance. I thank them for appearing before the committee. In accordance with...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: Before I take questions from members and in the interests of everybody present, I wish to obtain clarity from Ms Ward on one point? Can she explain what she meant by saying that there are 6,500 children in care and that 50% of them have the possibility of a guardian ad litembeing appointed?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: So that is a quarter. And who decides which children are appointed a guardian ad litem? Is it the judge?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: That is perfect. Thank you. I just wanted to get clarity. Deputy O'Sullivan is the first to indicate.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: Mr. Finlay said it costs €5,000 a week to keep a child in care and sometimes up to €10,000. To balance that statement and put it in context, however, more than 90% of the children in State care cost €300 a week. I have many issues with the guardian ad litemsystem. I am a foster carer but it is disgusting that up to €15 million a year is paid to people to...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: Has the organisation published the funding it receives for them in a year?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: Does Mr. Finlay have the figures?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: I thank Ms Ward. Deputy Neville indicated that he wished to speak.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: If no other members wish to contribute, I will revert to what we discussed with Mr. Finlay. He referred to it being an either-or choice but that was not my point. Previous committees to this one did not do their work. That is why we are where we are and €15 million or €16 million per year is being spent on GALs, who are unregulated and unaccounted for. In any language, that...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: The point I am making is that that money would provide 300 children with the care they need 365 days of the year, and 800 would get a voice in court. When I talk about choices I am asking if we, as a State, are happy to allow that kind of wanton waste and exaggerated costs and fees to give the child a voice in court when we neglect so many other areas? To put that in context, the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: There are many other stakeholders doing that very same job for a fraction of the cost, including social workers, foster parents, psychiatric professionals and others. However, I will leave it at that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: I tend to agree with Deputy O'Sullivan also. I do not want to see the entire debate overshadowed by the finances.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: Ms McKittrick mentioned that in County Louth, in two jurisdictions, judges appointed GALs in 16% of cases and 80%-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: I am sorry, the figures are 30% and 82%. I presume none of us can do anything about this.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (8 Mar 2017)
Jim Daly: At the judge's discretion.