Results 1,161-1,180 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: In late August, I was made aware of two significant Reports regarding child welfare, protection and adoption in Vietnam. Firstly, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, with technical assistance from UNICEF in Vietnam, published a Report known as the 'MoLISA Report'. The Report found that, inter alia: there are no detailed principles or criteria to guide the...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have no plans to provide financial assistance to parents seeking to adopt children internationally. The Adoption Bill 2009 which, I envisage will come before the Dail in the current session provides for the payment of fees to agencies involved in Intercountry Adoption. This may assist in producing a more streamlined and cost effective process for Intercountry Adoption.

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have previously expressed concern regarding the length of time it takes to process adoption requests and I intend to have further discussions with the HSE in this regard with a view to establishing whether improvements can be effected.

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 177, 178 and 192 together. The Joint Working Group referred to by the Deputy 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...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006 -2010, under which the applicant in question was given approval in principle for capital grant funding up to a maximum of €1.2 million on 7 May 2008. As the applicant had not fully satisfied the contractual requirements of funding within the timeframe of the...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together. The Adoption Bill, 2009, which is designed to give the 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...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: 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.

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (13 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 scheme, which is being introduced in January 2010. Applications by approximately 4,200 child care services for entry to the new scheme have been received by my office, including an application by the group referred to by the Deputy. All applicants were...

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (13 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 scheme, which is being introduced in January 2010. Applications for the new Early Childhood Care and Education scheme have been received from approximately 410 child care facilities in Cork city and county in respect of approximately 480 pre-school...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (8 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 The age range in which children will qualify for the scheme in January 2010 is between 3 years 7 months and 4 years 10 months on the 1st January. Exceptions to the upper age limit will be considered...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (8 Oct 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 I am actively seeking time for its progression in the current Dáil session. I firmly believe that legislation and, specifically, the regime of the Hague Convention, provides an assurance...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: In late August, I was made aware of two significant reports regarding child welfare, protection and adoption in Vietnam. The issues referred to in these two reports are of concern to the Government especially since they confirm anecdotal reports that have been aired in the past. Firstly, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, with technical assistance from UNICEF in...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The suggested amendment would, if accepted, empower the Commission for Taxi Regulation to set a quantitative limit on the number of taxi licences to be issued in a particular year. While the amendment is an enabling provision, it clearly envisages quantitative control of taxi numbers. Such an approach would be contrary to the policy principles underpinning the Taxi Regulation Act 2003,...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: Reference was made to the Goodbody report. I am assured no legal advice would call on the commission to do something which it was not empowered to do or which it would be illegal for it to do. It would be very surprising if advice were given along those lines. As a Dublin person, I walked along the N11 many nights in the bad old days and agree that nobody wants to go back. I am sure some...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The purpose of item 8 of Schedule 2 is to amend section 55 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 to give the newly named advisory committee on small public service vehicles, formerly the advising council to the Commission for Taxi regulation, a role in advising the authority on the preparation and review of the newly named strategy plan under section 28 of the 2003 Act and the draft transport...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: On behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, I am pleased to be given the opportunity to clarify for the House the position on the funding arrangements for fee-charging Protestant schools. I reassure Senator Norris that I, with my colleagues in government, recognise the importance of ensuring students from a Protestant background can attend a school which...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: -----and is distributed through the Secondary Education Committee, SEC, established by the churches concerned. This fund ensures necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice. I advise the Senator that officials from the Department of Education and Science have met representatives from the SEC to discuss future funding arrangements for Protestant schools. In this...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have met Eleanor Petrie and many representatives of the fee paying Protestant schools and this is the first time I have heard wild allegations about conspiracies and sectarianism in the Department of Education and Science.

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: On the contrary, they have engaged in a very constructive way with the Department and Members of this House in informing and explaining to Members the distinction with regard to Protestant schools in the areas in which they are involved and particularly the demands met in rural areas. The campaign will be part of the deliberative process in the budgetary process. They have also accepted the...

Seanad: Foyle River Development (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources along with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland are the co-sponsoring Departments for the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. The Loughs Agency, as set out in the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999 and the Foyle Fisheries Act 1952, as amended by the Foyle and...