Results 1,181-1,200 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: I have covered the budgetary issues. Senator Cullinane referred to shortfalls, and I am very pleased with his party's support on it. It is unfair to be overly critical of the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, which came into being less than two years ago and has made much progress in many areas, although I acknowledge that more needs to be done and will be done. Senator O’Keeffe...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (4 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: At present, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme covers children who have reached the age of 3 years and 2 months by 1st September of the relevant year. Children born between 2nd February 2011 and 30th June 2012 and who have not previously availed of the ECCE programme in the Sept 2014 pre-school year, are eligible to avail of the free pre-school provision in the school...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Data (4 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Currently 3% of staff in my Department are capable of dealing with the public in Irish. Training has been provided through Gaelchultúr to staff who are interested in improving their level of working Irish. The Department does not provide training in other languages. A requirement for training in other languages has not been identified as an issue for this Department. If this becomes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The funding allocated by my Department to external organisations is provided, in the main, to bodies who are directly audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. These bodies include Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. My Department also allocates funding to a range of schemes in the areas of early years...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency and I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: My Department currently provides approximately €260 million annually to childcare services in both the private and community/not for profit sectors for the delivery of a number of childcare support programmes. This investment supports more than 100,000 children each year. Community/not for profit childcare providers are eligible to participate in all of the childcare programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: I established an Inter-Departmental Group earlier this year to consider options for future investment in early years and after-school childcare. This Group reported to Government in July this year, setting out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordablility, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of early years and after-school childcare. The recommendations...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme currently provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. Funding of over €170 million is provided for the ECCE programme annually in which some 67,000 children participate. This programme is delivered for three hours per day, five days per week, over 38 weeks (183 days per year),...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Capitation Grants (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Prior to 2010, there was no education qualification requirement for staff working with children in the early years sector.This changed with the introduction of the free pre-school year under the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, whereby pre-school leaders are required to have a minimum of a Major Award at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) (or equivalent) to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The figure of 10,000 vacancies was derived from the Annual Survey of the Early Years Sectors, which was conducted by Pobal on behalf of my Department. This survey, which was conducted in December 2014 and its findings published in July of this year, yielded a response rate of almost 64 percent. The figure of 10,000 vacancies represents a conservative estimate of the number of vacancies...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Budgets (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The Table below sets out details of the funding allocations that were made available to my Department, by Programme area, under the 2015 Revised Estimates for Public Services. The table also contains the corresponding provisions for 2016 as announced recently under Budget 2016. 2015 Estimate 2015 Estimate 2015 Estimate Programme Expenditure Budget 2016 Budget 2016 Budget 2016 Current...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: At present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 will qualify in the school year commencing in September 2015. The child in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Lansdowne Road Agreement (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that the total allocation to my Department under Budget 2016 amounts to €1.138 billion. This includes a provision of €1.113 billion in current expenditure and €25 million in capital expenditure. The net funding allocation for the Vote amounts to €1.112 billion when Appropriations-in-Aid receipts of €25.450...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Appointments to State Boards (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: I am responsible for the appointment of members to the boards of the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), Gaisce and the Board of Management for the Children Detention Schools. From the establishment of my Department in June 2011 until 31 December 2013 the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs was responsible for appointments to the Boards of the Family...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: At present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015. The child in question was...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people by the voluntary youth sector. It is estimated that the voluntary youth services throughout the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: At present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015. The child in question was...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Supports (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: As the Deputy may appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on an individual case. I have referred the information provided by the Deputy to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for immediate attention and have requested a report on the matter. I will revert to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: The recent Budget announcements will come into effect from September 2016 when the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme will be expanded to allow children to access free pre-school from the time they are 3 years of age until they start primary school. There are currently a significant number of vacancies among pre-school providers and some providers will expand to avail...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Emergency Accommodation Numbers (3 Nov 2015)

James Reilly: Policy responsibility for children who present as out of home without their parent(s) or guardian(s) relates to children under 18 and any related child welfare and protection concern that may arise in the context of the Child Care Act 1991. An assessment of need is undertaken with 16 and 17 year olds who, may be received into care or provided with a service under Section 5 of the Child Care...