Results 12,521-12,540 of 15,915 for speaker:Robert Troy

Other Questions: Child Protection Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: I asked the question because I am seeking certainty about this issue. How many positions are vacant? Has a panel been established from which social workers taking maternity leave can be replaced? I understand that professionals are not replaced when they take a career break or maternity leave, as they are entitled to do, or are absent from work due to long-term illness. As a result, the...

Other Questions: Preschool Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: 8. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children with special needs accessing mainstream preschool education and the plans in place to provide the additional supports required to facilitate children with additional needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35730/14]

Other Questions: Preschool Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: The question relates to the scenario in which children with special educational needs access preschool education. What plans has the Department put in place to provide additional supports to children with special educational needs?

Other Questions: Preschool Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: Who has statutory responsibility? Is it the HSE or the Department of Education and Skills? Neither of them claims responsibility. Currently, the provision of services is disjointed throughout the country. In a number of counties, service provision is positive while in others, it is poor. The Minister alluded to the Pobal survey that was published during the summer which highlighted that...

Other Questions: Preschool Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: I am aware of the major problems with quality and so on. I did not refer to the introduction of a second free preschool year. I asked about how the Department will support children with special educational needs who cannot avail of the current preschool year, which is the primary problem. What does that say about the Government's inclusion policy? The Minister did not answer the question...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: I had hoped the Minister might enlighten us further. I am aware that Deputy Bannon was involved and he led them to the mess in which they find themselves by promising them in March 2013 that they would get a grant of €100,000. He facilitated a meeting with the then Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald who confirmed at the meeting that they were eligible in 2013. He brought the Taoiseach to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: I asked about Longford and the Attic youth café in particular. There is a very great disparity of funding between counties and it is not fair. What is noticeable is that the disparity seems to penalise weaker, smaller counties, as in this case. I asked about the youth guarantee funding which comes from Europe. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs was established to deal with...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: 4. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when funding will be provided to the Attic Youth Café in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36077/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: I do not usually raise individual constituency matters during Priority Questions but the Attic Youth Café in County Longford is a particularly serious issue. It has been repeatedly promised funding by previous Ministers, the Taoiseach and a local Deputy, yet this youth organisation, which works across the social divide, finds itself in extreme financial trouble. The Minister's...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: Come on. The Government has been in office for four years. This is a new agency that was established under this Administration.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: No, I will not leave the Chamber.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: The Minister was going to abolish it. That is why he is here now. Why is he in this Department?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: We were not given a proper budget to start with.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: 1. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the financial position of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency; if he will need to bring forward a Supplementary Estimate for the agency this year; the extent to which the budgetary position is impacting on the provision of services by the agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36076/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: My question relates to the up-to-date financial position of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Does the Minister consider that he will need to bring forward a Supplementary Estimate for the agency this year? Can he give an update as to the extent to which the budgetary position is impacting on the services provided by the agency?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: When he left the HSE behind, the Minister had hoped that he might be leaving behind Supplementary Estimates but it is clear that there is a major problem in this agency which has only been in operation for less than 12 months. Gordon Jeyes, who is chief executive of the agency, has spoken about how we need to have a realistic debate about the money provided and a need to spell out what...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: There is a crisis in the provision of front-line services in an agency that is only in its infancy. This simply is not tenable and is not good enough. I want the Minister to tell us what level of additional supplementary budget will be brought forward to this agency this year because Mr. Jeyes has said that the agency will need a further €45 million simply to stand still next year.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: I am glad the Minister shares my concerns but he is the Minister at the helm of that Department and can act on those concerns. There are 160 vacant posts across the Child and Family Agency, which is operating at 70% of its staffing levels. This is in its first year so there is no point clapping ourselves on the back that we have formed a new agency if that agency will not do the job it is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafés Expenditure (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: 18. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when funding will be provided to the Attic youth café in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35729/14]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education Standards (25 Sep 2014)

Robert Troy: 25. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in relation to the recently announced review of early childhood education programmes and the announcement of ten new early years inspectors to the Department of Education and Skills, if this signifies a departmental shift in terms of responsibility for early childhood education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35731/14]