Results 1,101-1,120 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Inter-Country Adoptions. (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: Five visits were made to Vietnam in the past two years during which we endeavoured to get the most amount of information possible. The withdrawal of the US and Sweden from international adoptions this time last year caused us to visit Vietnam again. We have been very solicitous in trying to ensure the highest possible standards in adoptions apply between our two countries so as to provide...

Inter-Country Adoptions. (4 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: The effect of all these visits was to obtain all the information possible to allow us to make an informed decision. In the case of Vietnam, the effect of these withdrawals, including our own, has caused the Vietnamese Government to put far greater resources into the issue of bringing itself not only within the provisions of the Hague Convention but also to bring in new adoption legislation....

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (3 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 (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 403 together. As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which is being introduced in January 2010. Under the ECCE scheme, participating services will be paid a standard annual capitation fee of €2,450 in return for the provision of the free...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 404 and 442 together. As the Deputies will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 - 2010 under which capital grant funding was made available to community and commercial childcare providers for the development of childcare facilities. Prior to the NCIP, capital grant funding was also available under the EU...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 421, 509, 537, 593 and 594 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...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (3 Nov 2009)

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

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (3 Nov 2009)

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

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443, 466, 536, 554, 561, 596 and 628 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...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware the youth work sector has received considerable financial support over the past number of years. Funding for youth services by the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department has expanded from €35.5 million in 2004 to €52.6 million in 2008. While this funding has allowed for some expansion in the sector, there has been a growing emphasis on consolidation of existing...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 450, 455, 474, 540 and 548 to 550, inclusive, together. Adoptions entered in the Register of Foreign Adoptions by the Adoption Board are considered to be safe and secure. In August, I was made aware of two significant reports regarding child welfare, protection and adoption in Vietnam, namely the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which will be introduced in January 2010. The objective of the ECCE scheme, is to provide all qualifying children with a full year of preschool early education in the year before they commence primary school. A regular pattern of preschool...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware the management and delivery of health and social services are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, the Department referred your correspondence to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply. The Department asked to be kept informed by the Health Service Executive of the outcome of their...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware, my Office has responsibility for the Early Childcare Supplement (ECS) which is administered on its behalf by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The ECS was introduced in April 2006 as an additional payment to assist parents with the additional costs of caring for children in their preschool years. Due to the need to reduce public expenditure, over the course...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (3 Nov 2009)

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

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (3 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 Dail Eireann in the current Dáil session. Under the proposed new legislative regime, prospective adoptive parents will be able to adopt from countries which...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Government's objective in regard to adoption is to provide a regime in which the child is at the centre of the adoption process, whether it is an inter-country adoption or a domestic adoption, and that adoptions are effected in manner that is legal, safe and secure. The most important development in achieving that objective is the development of an appropriate legislative regime that...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 552 and 553 together. I acknowledge that people applying for inter-country adoption are experiencing delays in waiting times for assessment. Requests for assessment for inter-country adoption are continuously increasing. Ireland has one of the highest rates for inter-country adoption in Europe. When an inquiry is received by the Health Service Executive...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 564 together. 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 Bill has passed through the Seanad and is scheduled to be debated in Dail Eireann during the current session. The new legislation is designed to provide a framework to...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: The actions contained in the initial Programme for Government 2007 – 2012 and the Renewed Programme for Government, October 2009 include a number of key objectives and commitments with a strategic focus on children that fall within the area of responsibility of my Office. The implementation of these commitments will continue to be a priority for my Office.