Results 861-880 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (23 Feb 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 — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (23 Feb 2010)

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

Written Answers — Criminal Responsibility: Criminal Responsibility (23 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: On 16 October 2006 the age of criminal responsibility was effectively raised from 7 to 12 years. This came into force under Part 5 of the Children Act 2001, as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Under the new provisions, no child under the age of 12 years can be charged with an offence. An exception is made for 10 and 11 year-olds charged with very serious offences, such as unlawful...

Written Answers — Youth Work Services: Youth Work Services (17 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Children and Youth Services Development Unit of my Department provides support by way of financial and other assistance to organisations providing youth work programmes and youth work services. Support consists mainly of grant-in-aid assistance for national and major regional youth organisations under the Youth Service Grant Scheme, targeted youth work responses for young people through...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (17 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: Substantive work in relation to a new draft Bi-lateral Agreement for Inter-country Adoption with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was undertaken in the year leading up to the expiry of the previous agreement. As early as February 2008 officials visited Vietnam to discuss with Vietnamese authorities the operation of the agreement and related issues. In October 2008, the Government decided...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (17 Feb 2010)

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

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (17 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for the free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which was introduced in January of this year. Approximately 4,000 preschool services throughout the country are participating in the ECCE scheme. Each service participating in the scheme was required to send an electronic return to my Office in January giving details of children enrolled....

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (17 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The position is as set out in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 193 on 4th February, 2010. I have also of course dealt with this matter in previous replies to a number of Parliamentary Questions. I can confirm that the Board of Management, Director of the Centre, and all of the Unions representing staff working in the Centre were informed of my decision to close the Centre last August....

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (17 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: Tackling youth crime is a key priority for this Government. The Government's policy on youth crime is set out in detail in the National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010. This strategy is underpinned by the principles of the Children Act 2001, as amended. The Act states explicitly that a period of detention should only be imposed as a measure of last resort and that a court dealing with a...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (17 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: Following consideration of the report of the interdepartmental Expert Group on Children Detention Schools, in March 2008 the Government approved the development of new national children detention facilities at Oberstown, Lusk, Co. Dublin. The Office of Public Works has been charged with designing the new facilities and managing the construction stage of the project which will be undertaken in...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (16 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together. The Youth Affairs Unit of my Office provides funding to the CYC for its youth service provision through a number of funding programmes and details of the monies allocated in 2009 are outlined hereunder: Youth Service Grant Scheme: €1,188,132 Special Projects for Youth: €1,320,538 Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund:...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (16 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) which was introduced in January 2008 and provides support funding to community based not-for-profit child care providers to enable them to charge reduced childcare fees to disadvantaged and low income working parents. I also have responsibility for the free pre-school year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (16 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The registration of domestic adoptions is governed by section 22 of the Adoption Act 1952, under which an tArd Chláraitheoir (the Registrar General) is required to maintain a register of domestic adoptions (adoptions effected in Ireland, regardless of where the adopted person was born). The register is called the adopted children register. An index to the register is maintained and can be...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (16 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 2009 Implementation Plan states that 'The provision of aftercare by the HSE should form an integral part of care delivery for children who have been in the care of the state. It should not be seen as a discretionary service or as a once-off event that occurs on a young person's 18th birthday.' The Report makes the following...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (16 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Implementation Plan for the recommendations of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was accepted by Government and published in July 2009. One of the key recommendations of the Implementation Plan is that an additional 270 additional social workers be recruited by the HSE between 2009 and 2011. This is made possible as the approved Employment Control Framework for the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (16 Feb 2010)

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

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (16 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 257, 258 and 263 together. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for the implementation of the Child Care (Preschool Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 which give effect to the provisions of Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 and provide for notification to and inspection by the HSE of preschool services. I have been advised by the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (16 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: It is a matter of great concern that a number of children go missing after they enter the State. Separated children going missing from care is not a phenomenon unique to Ireland. The issue of separated children who go missing from care is complex. There has been a tendency to equate all missing children with trafficking. However the HSE advise that there is evidence to indicate that some...

Written Answers — Foster Care: Foster Care (16 Feb 2010)

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

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (16 Feb 2010)

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