Results 1,081-1,100 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (10 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Deputy will be aware that the Government approved proposals in March, 2008 to develop national children detention facilities to be located on the existing State-owned Oberstown campus near Lusk, Co. Dublin. The Government also approved the establishment of a cross-Departmental Working Group to consider the possible future role for Finglas Child and Adolescent Centre (FCAC), the only...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (5 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75, 76 and 82 together. The Adoption Bill, 2009, which 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, has passed through the Seanad and is scheduled to be debated in Dail Eireann in the current Dáil session. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (5 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 81 and 101 together. The Adoption Bill, 2009, which 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, has passed through the Seanad and I am actively seeking time for its progression in the current Dáil session. As I have stated on many previous occasions, under...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (5 Nov 2009)

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

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (5 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for the implementation of the new free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which will be introduced in January next. The scheme is open to all commercial and community pre-school services, including both sessional playschools and crèche facilities, which are notified to the Health Service Executive (HSE) or registered with the Irish...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (5 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together. The Adoption Board have advised that it is prudent for prospective adoptive parents to seek legal advice in respect of the arrangements in specific jurisdictions in regard to adoption. Factors in assessing whether the adoption can subsequently be recognised under Irish Law include, the current compatibility of Irish Law with the law of...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (5 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware, my Office has been in negotiations with the Vietnamese Government regarding the drafting of a new bilateral inter-country Adoption agreement for some time. I have clearly indicated my intention to await the finalisation of the International Social Services Report on Inter-country Adoption in Vietnam before making final decisions regarding the next steps. I will be...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (5 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Young People's Facilities and Services Funding (YPFSF) was established in 1998 to assist in the development of preventative strategies/initiatives in a targeted manner through the development of youth facilities, (including sport and recreational facilities) and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (5 Nov 2009)

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

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 119, 186 and 187 together. I am conscious that there is both a public and professional interest in publishing the findings of the reports in question. In this context I asked the HSE to look at the potential of releasing key findings and recommendations, while also respecting the privacy of the deceased and their families. The publication of the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (4 Nov 2009)

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 — Youth Services: Youth Services (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: Responsibility for Youth Affairs transferred from the Department of Education and Science to the Office of Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with effect from 1 January 2009. The role of my Office is to improve the lives of children and young people and to bring greater coherence and cohesion to policies that impact on their lives. With regard to the Youth Work Act, 2001, Section 1...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 179 together. The Adoption Bill 2009 was initiated in the Seanad and recently passed Committee Stage in that House. The Bill is due to be considered by Dáil Éireann in the current session. There are transitional provisions contained in the Bill. However, the issue of further transitional measures for prospective parents who are at an advanced...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: The matter referred to by the Deputy is proper to the Health Service Executive as the body with statutory responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services under the Health Act 2004. My Office received representations on this matter in June 2009 and again in October 2009. These representations were forwarded to the Health Service Executive with a request...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware, my Office has been in negotiations with the Vietnamese Government regarding the drafting of a new bilateral inter-country adoption agreement for some time. I have clearly indicated my intention to await the finalisation of the International Social Services Report on inter-country Adoption in Vietnam before making final decisions regarding the next steps. I will be...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Adoption Bill, 2009, which 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, has passed through the Seanad and is scheduled to be debated in Dáil Éireann in the current Dáil session. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, is designed to provide a...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 - 2010, under which the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme is being implemented. The total NCIP funding, including Capital funding, Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) funding and funding to support the County Childcare Committees (CCC), approved to date in 2009 for counties Sligo, Cavan and Monaghan...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I indicated to the Deputy in a previous reply of 13th October 2009 that the Joint Working Group referred to did not meet on a formal basis. However, a number of joint meetings between officials from Ireland and Vietnam were held on an ad-hoc basis to support the implementation of the Agreement. Representatives of my Department and/or the Adoption Board met with their Vietnamese counterparts...

Inter-Country Adoptions. (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: My office has been in negotiations with the Vietnamese Government regarding the drafting of a new bilateral inter-country adoption agreement for some time. I have indicated my intention to await the finalisation of the International Social Services, ISS, report on inter-country adoption in Vietnam before making final decisions regarding the next steps. I will be considering the report along...

Inter-Country Adoptions. (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: Yes, I did indicate initially that the ISS report would be out in October. However, in the meantime the report has much to say about many receiving countries, including Ireland, and some of those countries had much to say too which delayed the report's finalisation. I understand it has been finalised and will be signed off by the Vietnamese Government soon. This report was commissioned...