Results 901-920 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Health Service Properties: Health Service Properties (9 Feb 2010)

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

Seanad: Missing Persons (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I welcome the opportunity to reply to this Adjournment matter. I believe the Senator is referring to the number of children entering the State who go missing immediately or from the care of the HSE. It is obviously a matter of great concern that unaccompanied minors or separated children go missing after they enter the State. However, separated children going missing from care is not a...

Seanad: Missing Persons (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I again emphasis that this is a very serious issue and of major concern to me. It is caught up with other issues such as illegal immigration. Conflating it exclusively with trafficking is something we should not do. I agree a telephone number should be made more widely available, a point the Senator made in her opening comments. In terms of advocacy, I have met representative groups such...

Seanad: Music in the Classroom (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I am very aware of the excellent work being done by the school in question using music as a key vehicle to promote inclusion and effective learning. I congratulate it on its work in this area. Music helps children to respond creatively, express feelings and interact with others,...

Seanad: Music in the Classroom (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I undertake to bring the matter to the attention of the senior Minister, Deputy O'Keeffe. I am sure an appraisal formed part of the setting up of the partnerships and the music networks. Nevertheless, the Senator makes fair points and I shall inform the Minister of them.

Child Care Services. (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for the implementation of the free preschool year in early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme which commenced in January of this year. The introduction of the ECCE scheme was announced in April 2009 as part of the supplementary budget. A total of €170 million has been allocated to the scheme in 2010. The scheme is open to application by all preschool services...

Crime Levels. (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Government is aware that there has been widespread public debate and comment in recent months on the issue of mandatory sentencing, particularly in the context of burglaries and unlawful intrusions into the family home. Both my colleague, the Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform, and the Garda Commissioner are concerned at the increase in property theft shown in the figures...

Waste Licensing. (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government received the text of a resolution adopted by Wicklow County Council that calls on him to hold a local public inquiry concerning the issuing of a waste permit for certain lands at Ballybeg, County Wicklow. The Minister wants to make clear how seriously he takes any matters relating to illegal dumping of waste and, in this...

Flood Relief. (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Deputy should contact the other Whips.

Flood Relief. (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: Recent experience has highlighted the need to develop a deeper understanding of flood risk, how we manage and reduce that risk and how we deal with the effects of significant flood events. A sound planning approach is central in avoiding and reducing flood risk by integrating the consideration of flooding potential into the planning process, first, through the spatial planning process at...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: Information on sanctions imposed by the courts on young offenders is published each year in the Annual Report of the Courts Service. These reports are available on the Courts Service website, www.courts.ie and in the Oireachtas Library. The most recent such report is in respect of the year 2008. Related information is also available in the Probation Service Annual Report, the most recent of...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) is an executive office of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with responsibility for leading and driving reform in the area of youth justice. Working closely with the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the IYJS is guided by the principles of the Children Act 2001. The IYJS funds organisations and projects providing...

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: In March 2008, the Government approved the development of new national children detention facilities on the Oberstown campus near Lusk, Co. Dublin. The Office of Public Works has been charged with designing the new facilities and managing the procurement of the construction stage of the project. The design stage is well advanced with both concept and sketch designs having been completed....

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I announced on 26 January my intention to bring forward at Committee stage an amendment to the Adoption Bill 2009 that will enable prospective adoptive parents to proceed with an adoption from a non-Hague or non-bilateral country, if prior to the establishment date, they have been issued with a Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability to adopt. The proposed amendment requires that the...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together. I have responsibility for the free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which was introduced in January of this year. The scheme is open to children aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months in September of each year. This means that children born between 2 February 2006 and 30 June 2007 qualify for...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which commenced in January of this year. Approximately 4,000 pre-school services throughout the country are participating in the ECCE scheme. Each of these was required to make a return to my Office, by 29 January 2009, giving details of qualifying children attending....

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 178 to 180, inclusive, on Thursday, 26 November 2009. I am informed by the Irish Youth Justice Service that discussions facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission are continuing with the Unions representing the staff involved, and I am being kept up to date by my officials on developments in this regard. As for the number of...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I presume the Deputy, in referring to "unacceptable behaviour" of children, means behaviour of a criminal nature. I wish to inform the Deputy that 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...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (4 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I presume the Deputy, in referring to "unacceptable behaviour" of children, means behaviour of a criminal nature. I wish to inform the Deputy that the Children Act 2001, as amended, provides for a number of measures in relation to parental responsibility in respect of children aged 12 to 17 who are found guilty of offences or who are involved in anti-social behaviour. With regard to...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (3 Feb 2010)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 222. I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which commenced in January of this year. All pre-school services participating in the ECCE scheme are required to make reasonable accommodation for children with special needs, as required under the Equal Status Acts 2000 to...