Results 841-860 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: In recognition of the higher risks and life-long consequences of child poverty, the Government set a child-specific poverty target in Better Outcomes, Better Future: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People to reduce consistent child poverty by at least two thirds on the 2011 level, a figure of 70,000 children. Based on more recent (2014) data, this target has been updated...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Community Employment Schemes Operation (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: Under new qualification requirements announced by my Department as part of the Early Years Quality Agenda all staff employed to work directly with children in preschool settings will be required to hold, as a minimum, a Level 5 qualification (or equivalent) in early childhood care and education. This new requirement will apply to all new services registering with the Child and Family Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Family Services (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: The National Longitudinal Study Growing Up in Irelandprovides us with valuable information on a wide range of issues affecting children, including a better understanding of how they were affected by the economic recession. A study that used data from Growing Up in Ireland examined the impact of economic vulnerability on the socio-emotional development of children. The data indicated a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the considerable support of the childcare sector and the flexibility of childcare providers and staff in ensuring that the range of childcare support programmes administered by my Department are implemented. At present, the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme covers children who have reached the age of 3 years and 2 months by 1st September of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ombudsman for Children Remit (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: The direct provision system is under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. The Minister for Justice and Equality has previously addressed, among other issues, the question of the Ombudsman for Children being given jurisdiction in the direct provision system and for the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) to be allowed inspect direct provision hostels....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the considerable support of the childcare sector and the flexibility of childcare providers and staff in ensuring that the range of childcare support programmes administered by my Department are implemented. At present, the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme covers children who have reached the age of 3 years and 2 months by 1st September of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: I am keenly aware that homelessness is very disruptive to normal family life and is a major issue that this Government is intent on tackling. Homelessness can have a negative impact on a child's education and welfare including their sense of security. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, with the local authorities, is working hard to address this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Remit (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: Tusla - the Child and Family Agency was established on 1 January, 2014 in accordance with the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013 and has service responsibility for: - Child welfare and protection services formerly operated by the Health Service Executive (HSE), including family support and alternative care services; - Child and family-related services for which the HSE formerly had...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is implemented by my Department and provides free pre-school for all children before they commence primary school. Children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 are eligible to avail of the free pre-school provision in the current school year which commenced in September 2015. In Budget 2016 I announced the expansion of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: In the first instance I would state that records relating to capital projects and spend are not maintained on a constituency basis. However, for indicative purposes, the following table sets out projects supported in the Meath and Louth areas. These projects were funded through the National Lottery Scheme administered by my Department, through youth capital grant schemes and through schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: The Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Act 2012 provides for equal treatment in terms of basic working and employment conditions for temporary agency workers as if they were recruited directly by the hirer to the same job. Accordingly, administrative staff assigned through the agency specified by the Deputy, or any other agency, to work for Tusla receive equal treatment of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: Tusla has no plans to hire, on a permanent basis, staff currently employed on the organisation’s behalf through an agency. Tusla is currently recruiting social workers and other staff through normal recruitment channels and agency workers assigned to Tusla are eligible to apply for such positions, where suitably qualified. Tusla should be contacted directly by any agency worker...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Family Services (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 223 together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that significant extra resources have been allocated to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency for 2016. The overall funding allocation for Tusla in 2016 is €676 million, representing an increase of €38 million over the 2015 allocation. This includes €662.4 million in current...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: A number of childcare programmes are implemented by my Department which support parents with the cost of childcare. The most significant programme in terms of State investment is the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme which currently provides free pre-school care and education for children who have reached the age of 3 years and 2 months by 1 September of the relevant year. From...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: My Department provides significant funding to a number of Voluntary Childcare Organisations (VCOs) which provide quality support within the childcare sector. Details of the funding provided to these Organisations in 2015 is provided in the following table. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs recently introduced the Better Start Initiative with the objective of applying an integrated...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: Under section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991, an Garda Síochána have the power to remove a child from the care of their parents/guardians, into the care of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, where there is an immediate and serious risk to the health or welfare of the child. Tusla will then seek an Emergency Care Order or return the child to their parents or a person acting in loco...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that Budget 2016 has provided an additional €1.1 million...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection and, if necessary, to receive a child into the care of the State. As of 31 October 2015, there were 6,331 children in the care of the State. Of these 93% were in foster care, with 4,047 in a general foster care and 1,818...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: A child may be received into care under a voluntary basis or by order of the Courts. A significant amount of work takes place between social workers and parents/guardians to create a situation where a child can return home with a focus on their welfare and safety. Provisional figures from Tusla show that of the 1,360 children discharged from care in 2014, 83.2% returned home to their...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Family Services (28 Jan 2016)

James Reilly: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in discharging its functions, is placing a strong emphasis on prevention, early intervention, family support, therapeutic and care interventions, all of which are key to the provision of integrated, multi-disciplinary services for vulnerable children and families. Tusla has specific responsibility for psychology services for children as set out in...