Results 981-1,000 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

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

James Reilly: I am pleased to be able to inform the House that significant extra resources have been allocated to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for 2016. The gross 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 expenditure and €13.6 million in capital...

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

James Reilly: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Caithfidh mé a rá go mbeidh airgead eile againn níos déanaí. Beidh Meastachán Forlíontach ann freisin agus beidh a fhíos agam cé mhéad a bheas i gceist níos déanaí inniu nó b'fhéidir amárach. I am happy that we have additional moneys to address any legacy issues and I will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I will respond to the Deputy because his assertions are outrageous. We put an expert interdepartmental group together across virtually all Departments. We had consultations with people involved in the sector, as well as with parents. We now have an extremely well thought out and considered plan for future investment in child care. It will provide parents with affordable and accessible...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: Nobody interrupted the Deputy. As the truth sometimes hurts, he should just listen to the facts.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I have made it very clear from where the information comes. The results of a capacity study came through in December 2014 and the Deputy knows what they are. As I have told him, there are 24,000 vacancies in early years services across the country, of which almost 13,000 are in sectional services. The Deputy also alluded to a mapping process.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: It is very hard to talk if the Deputy continues to interrupt. If he does not want to hear the information, that is fine. He can simply ask the question in order that he can get his name in the local newspaper, the Longford Leaderor whatever it is.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: The bottom line is that there is additional capacity available. Even the Deputy would acknowledge that this is dynamic. Where the opportunity presents, people are happy to become involved in this business. There are new people joining all the time. In fact, one of the sector's major concerns was that there would be no displacement of existing services. At one point it was suggested we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: We also have planning laws. We will support the sector in this regard. In the area of special needs we brought forward a seven-point plan in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills. There will be an inclusion co-ordinator in each service and every child attending a preschool facility will receive an extra €2 per week in capitation,...

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

James Reilly: The Department of Social Protection has the lead role in co-ordinating Government strategies on child poverty and is the sponsor of outcome 4 of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures - economic security and opportunity. In this context, the Department has identified child poverty as a cross-sectoral priority action. It has also lead responsibility for the national action plan for social...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rights of the Child (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I am not the Minister for Health but I know from talking to him and from being at Cabinet meetings that there are considerable additional funds for health this year. In fairness to this Government, we have brought in free GP care for all children under six and made a commitment to bring it in for all children under 12. That is to be welcomed. In respect of primary care, when I last...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: At present, the ECCE programme covers children who have reached the age of three years and two months by 1 September of the relevant year. From September 2016, I am expanding this programme to allow children enrol in free preschool from the time they are three years of age and to remain there until they start primary school. That is very important because parents in some instances have felt...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I am aware that every year a significant number of new preschool providers apply to participate in this programme. This increased demand for, and additional investment in, free preschool provision should encourage a greater numbers of applicants. I am clear that more capacity will be required; we are all agreed on that. Officials in my Department have identified a number of challenges that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I am satisfied that there is additional capacity in the early years sector to cope with some of the increased demand. The annual survey of early years services which was conducted in December 2014 estimated that there were more than 24,000 vacancies in early years services across the country, with almost 13,000 of these vacancies in sessional services. I am also aware that every year a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy for her question because it has now been well proved nationally and internationally that early childhood care and education has a beneficial effect for children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is the case if it is of high quality; if it is of poor quality, it can be detrimental. Quality is very much the focus of the Department and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rights of the Child (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I can inform the Deputy that preparations for Ireland's examination by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child on 14 January 2016 are a priority for my Department. I am actively engaged in these preparations and looking forward to leading Ireland's delegation and engaging positively with the UN committee on developments in Ireland in the observance of the UN Convention on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rights of the Child (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: It was in 1982 that the late John Boland, a predecessor of mine from Dublin North, as Minister for Education, signed the instrument to ban it in schools, although the law did not change until some time afterwards. The Revised Estimates Volume for 2016 which is being published today will confirm the significant additional resources secured in budget 2016 to deal with child related issues....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: I accept the Deputy's concern, but I must repeat the point made in my response that "the early years inspectorate has inspected 1,659 services so far this year, an increase of 68% on the same period in 2014." Therefore, the system is well advanced in terms of inspections. Inspections have not stopped because the regulations have not been reviewed and the new ones have not been put in place....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: As the Deputy will be aware from the initial answer and the passage of the Child Care Act through this House, every preschool service is required to register with the Child and Family Agency before being permitted to operate. That is a major change. Up to now, there was no way of insisting on getting into a preschool setting before opening. That is a major change and one with which we all...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care Education (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: The early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme covers children who have reached the age of three years and two months by 1 September of the relevant year. From September 2016, I am expanding the programme to allow children to enrol in free preschool from the time they are three years of age and remain there until they start primary school. This extended free preschool provision was...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Preschool Services (2 Dec 2015)

James Reilly: In order to provide for the implementation of the legislative changes to the Child Care Act 1991, which were enacted through the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, it was necessary to carry out a root and branch re-examination of the 2006 child care regulations, including a restructuring of the regulations in line with the latest drafting practices. This exercise has proven to be more time...