Results 1,201-1,220 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (6 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Adoption Bill, 2009, which will 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 Seanad Éireann, 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 for...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (6 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...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (6 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 — 2010, under which the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) is being implemented. Capital funding of €250,000 under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) 2000 — 2006 was approved for the group in question in November 2005. This funding was transferred to...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (6 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free Pre-School year of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) which was announced in April by the Minister of Finance. The scheme is being introduced on the 1st January 2010. Some 4,700 pre-school services are notified to the Health Service Executive (HSE) and nearly 100 services are...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (24 Sep 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. In setting out the terms and conditions for childcare practitioners to be included in the new Early Childhood Care and Education scheme, a number of factors...

Foreign Adoptions. (23 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: I apologise to the House. My voice has gone and my fellow Minister of State, Deputy John Moloney, will speak for me.

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (22 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: In March 2008, the Government approved the development of new national children detention facilities on the Oberstown campus near Lusk, Co. Dublin. The project is currently at the design stage and it is anticipated that the tendering process for construction should take place in 2010. Construction is expected to be undertaken in phases with the first phase scheduled to be completed in 2012....

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (22 Sep 2009)

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

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 - 2010 is implemented by my Office with the assistance of Pobal, who manage the day to day operation of the programme. With the economic downturn Government expenditure, particularly in the area of new capital commitments, was reviewed earlier this year. As a result, with the exception of a limited number of...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (22 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I visited the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in June/July last. During the course of our discussions on the agreement, the situation of 20 applications on hand in Hanoi, which were due to be returned by the Department of International Adoptions in Vietnam, was discussed. The Vietnamese side agreed to process the 20 applications as a gesture of goodwill. I made...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (22 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: I outlined in some detail the developments regarding discussions on a bilateral inter-country adoption agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam last week. I referred, in particular, to two significant reports which have been undertaken regarding child welfare, protection and adoption in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Firstly, in August, 2009, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour,...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (22 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputies are aware, the Adoption Bill, 2009, which will give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, was published on 23 January, 2009. Under the proposed new legislative regime, prospective adoptive parents will be able to adopt from countries that have ratified the Hague Convention as well as from those...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (22 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: Adoption agencies are licensed by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the context of bi-lateral agreements with the state of origin of such agencies. In the absence of a bi-lateral agreement with Ireland, no Irish agency is licensed to operate in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at this time. This does not affect the registration of such agencies under Irish law.

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (17 Sep 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 — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (17 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 - 2010, under which the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) is being implemented. The Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) subsidises childcare costs for low paid and disadvantaged parents in community based, not for profit childcare facilities. Funding for CCSS...

Criminal Law (Home Defence) Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am pleased to be able to speak on this Bill. I commend Fine Gael for putting it to the House and commend the discussion and the contributions of all Members of both sides. Deputy Doyle made the point that there was an increase in crime in Wicklow. It is something that has been seen in certain places and it may be attributable to the difficult budgetary situation and the condition of the...

Criminal Law (Home Defence) Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: It is not subject to what is termed "the vagaries of juries". I would not agree with the Law Reform Commission's comments quoted by Deputy Creighton. Our juries must be trusted as a jury of our peers in these cases.

Criminal Law (Home Defence) Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Deputy is counting the seats already. Is that not complacent?

Criminal Law (Home Defence) Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Sep 2009)

Barry Andrews: It is not mentioned in the Bill.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (16 Sep 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 age between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months in September each year. The...