Results 961-980 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 40 - Department of Children and Youth Affairs (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I thank the Chairman.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 40 - Department of Children and Youth Affairs (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: That, to be quite frank, is not the issue.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 40 - Department of Children and Youth Affairs (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: It is December, Christmas is coming and I am reminded of the fact that this is a particularly important time for children and, therefore, I do not really want to respond in many respects to the highly political charges that Deputy Troy has levelled. I am reminded of Bill Clinton and his comment - what is really annoying you is that it is taking us so long to clean up your mess. The bottom...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 40 - Department of Children and Youth Affairs (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: The reality here is that we have much greater clarity; we have a Department devoted to children; we have had a children's referendum; and we have enshrined in the Constitution the rights of children and, into the future, we will honour our children who are our citizens. They are entitled to a present as well as a future, which is our future, a shared future. I find it extraordinary that the...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 40 - Department of Children and Youth Affairs (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: Can I make a point?

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 40 - Department of Children and Youth Affairs (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I mean this genuinely. I want to support this committee because its work supports me, the work I do and the children of our country. The more clarity and transparency we have, the better. The more timely the manner we deliver information to the committee, the better. I and my Department will do everything we can to make sure we deliver on that.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Prevention (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: The issues raised by the Deputy are a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and I have asked Tusla to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bereavement Services Funding (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: Since its establishment, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has engaged in a comprehensive and much needed programme of reform across our child welfare and protection system. In this regard, Tusla must ensure that it makes the most effective use of its resources in a manner that is sustainable. Tusla's budget is directed towards services which are best aligned to those outcomes in its...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: At present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015. In Budget 2016, it was...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (3 Dec 2015)

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 and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (3 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: The information requested by the Deputy was sought from Tusla and is set out in the table. Tusla have confirmed that allocations are agreed on the basis of a Family Resource Centre's length of time in the Family Resource Centre Programme and the number of staff it employs. Family Resource Centre Budget 2015 ABBEYDORNEY/KILFLYNN  (T/A SHANNOW) €98,770.00 ADRIGOLE FAMILY...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I thank Deputy Daly for her question. Efforts have been ongoing for many years to provide a statutory entitlement to information to persons separated as a result of an adoption. In this regard, the Government approved the publication of the heads and general scheme of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2015 in July. The Bill is intended to facilitate access to adoption information...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I am aware that the age profile of many of those involved means that time is of the essence from their point of view. I certainly do not want any undue or unnecessary delay and this is one of the areas that we are examining very closely. We must have regard to legal advice. I know that creates problems from Deputy Daly's point of view but the law is there for a good reason, in fairness. I...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I reiterate that this is an issue that I am actively examining and regularly reviewing. I would like to see it reduced to the shortest possible time but still remain safe from a legal point of view. I am not implying that the Attorney General, in this particular instance, has given advice regarding the year's duration. However, we have legal advice to that effect at the moment and we will...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: My Department is in regular contact with the providers' organisation on this matter. There was considerable consultation before the plan was executed and announced. It is an ongoing and dynamic situation. People and providers will decide where they would like to set up. Others may decide to expand. We live in a market economy and competition laws apply. We would like to support those...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I understand the Deputy is referring to situations where children and their families find themselves living in emergency accommodation. The primary need is for a family home and responsibility for this lies with local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. I appreciate, however, that the Deputy is referring to the emotional and practical impact on...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I am acutely aware that homelessness is very disruptive to normal family life and it is a major issue that this Government is intent on tackling. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, with the local authorities, is working hard to address this problem. We have a social policy Cabinet committee which meets regularly and this item is invariably on the...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: For clarity, it is not 400 extra social workers that will be provided but 400 additional staff, the bulk of whom will be social workers. One of the problems experienced is that social workers, because they did not have any administrative support, spent a lot of their time typing up reports that others could be typing while they are engaging with the families with whom they need and want to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Poverty (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I mentioned a number of programmes in my response, one of which is the area-based childhood, ABC, programme. This programme is a prevention and early intervention initiative consisting of committed funding for an area-based approach to improving outcomes for children, young people and families and thereby contributing to addressing intergenerational child poverty. The ABC programme builds...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Poverty (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: The Deputy has made many valid points. Much of this comes from outside my Department but, nonetheless, I am concerned. However, I am pleased that Government has created more than 130,000 new jobs and unemployment has fallen below 9% for the first time since 2008. We all acknowledge that the best way out of poverty is a job and to have financial independence and that is why many of the...