Results 1,121-1,140 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which is being introduced in January 2010. To qualify for the standard capitation fee of €2,450 per eligible child per annum, all Pre-School Leaders should hold a Major Award (qualification) in childcare/early education, at a minimum of Level 5 or its...

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

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, 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 2010. The Valuation Office, which comes under the remit of the Minister for Finance, is responsible for interpreting and implementing the Valuation Act 2001. In July of this year the Valuation Office...

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

Barry Andrews: 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. All services participating in the ECCE scheme will be required to make reasonable accommodation for children with special needs, as required under the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004. Where additional assistance is sought for...

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

Barry Andrews: I met with this organisation on the 30th of October 2009.

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

Barry Andrews: Section 10 of the Adoption Act 1991 allows for a sole applicant to adopt a child. This provision has been carried forward in the Adoption Bill 2009.

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, 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 2010. At present, some pre-school services accommodate a greater number of children than they have daily places for. During the introductory period of the scheme, in January to August 2010,...

Written Answers — Children's Services: Children's Services (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: The national social partnership agreement Towards 2016 outlines a framework on the needs of children and young people and the establishment of the National Children's Strategy Implementation Group (NCSIG). This high-level group is chaired by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA). The vision of the NCSIG is that children, young people and their families will...

Written Answers — Juvenile Detention Facilities: Juvenile Detention Facilities (3 Nov 2009)

Barry Andrews: In March 2008 the Government approved proposals 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 Working Group to consider the possible future role for, and use of the site of, Finglas Child and Adolescent Centre (FCAC), the only children detention school not...

Prison Accommodation. (21 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank the Deputy for rasing this very important issue. The issue of overcrowding in prisons is not unique to Ireland. It is an international problem and this was acknowledged by the Inspector of Prisons in his annual report for 2008. No level of inter-prisoner violence is acceptable. To that end, every effort is made by the Irish Prison Service to limit the scope of acts of violence....

Schools Building Projects. (21 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am happy to reply on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, who, unfortunately, cannot be present. He has asked me to acknowledge Deputy Breen's considerable input into this issue and that of the Minister of State, Deputy Tony Killeen, and Deputy Timmy Dooley, who are also present. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides me...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (21 Oct 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 is being introduced in January 2010. Children will qualify for the free preschool year where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months at the start of each academic year. The application of the age range is being...

Cervical Cancer Vaccination Programme. (21 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to this House the importance attached by the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive to the issue raised. The renewed programme for Government states the Government will take further progressive steps building universal health services that provide high-quality health care,...

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which provides a free Pre-School year to eligible children and which will be introduced in January 2010. Children will qualify for the free pre-school year where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months at the start of each academic year....

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP) as well as the new free Pre-School year of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which is being introduced from January next. The NCIP provides capital grant funding for the development and refurbishment of child care services as well as support...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (20 Oct 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 (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I recently met with a deputation from the group in question. The group briefed me on their work and financial support needs, all of which I have noted. The 2009 budget allocation of the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department is over €48m, a decrease of some 8% on the 2008 figure. I explained to the group that in light of budgetary constraints it is intended that the 2009 Youth Affairs budget...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: 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 ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: 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. Children will qualify for the free pre-school year where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months on 1 September each year. I am satisfied that the most generous possible...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which provides a free Pre- School year to eligible children and which will be introduced in January 2010. Children will qualify for the free pre-school year where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months on 1 September each year. The...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (20 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which provides a free Pre-School year to eligible children and which will be introduced in January 2010. The standard capitation fee which will be payable to services participating in the new scheme, will be approximately €2,450 per annum in respect of each...