Results 1,241-1,260 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (9 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: The development of robust, responsive and appropriate child welfare and protection services is a priority for the Government. National over-arching guidelines for individuals and agencies dealing with children are set out in "Children First". The guidelines, which were published in 1999 and recently reviewed, offer guidance to health professionals, teachers, members of the Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (9 Jul 2009)

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

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (9 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: I acknowledge that persons applying for inter-country adoption are experiencing delays as regards waiting times for assessment. Requests for assessment for inter-country adoption are continuously increasing and Ireland currently has one of the highest rates for inter-country adoption in Europe. When an enquiry is received by the Health Service Executive regarding an application for...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (9 Jul 2009)

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

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (9 Jul 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 (9 Jul 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 recently by the Minister of Finance. The ECCE is being introduced from January 2010 as a free scheme to benefit children in the key developmental period prior to commencing school. To enable the maximum...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (9 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is 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. The Bill, which recently passed all the stages in the Seanad, will continue to be prioritised by the Government for its passage through the Oireachtas. Under the proposed...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (9 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: My Office has been allocated €750,000 from Dormant Accounts for the development of a structured programme of youth cafes in 2009. Final decisions on the operation in 2009 of the programme, including those regarding the level and priority of financial supports, are still under consideration. At this stage, the focus of my Office is to bring greater coherence to the approach taken to date,...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (9 Jul 2009)

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

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: I heard it in my office. Everyone is listening to the Senator.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: I think it was meant as a compliment.

(8 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, set out the Government's response to the Bill yesterday. Following the Ryan report, the Government met with the survivors and victims of child abuse. It also met with the congregations and explained to them that it would seek a substantial increase in the contribution they had previously made. As the Minister of State with...

Service User Involvement in the Health Service. (8 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. The Department of Health and Children has led the development of the National Strategy for Service User Involvement in the Irish Health Service and the office of consumer affairs in the HSE is now responsible for implementing it. The Deputy will...

Services for People with Disabilities. (8 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. At the outset, I reaffirm the Government's steadfast commitment to people with disabilities in Ireland and to the national disability strategy and its long-term goals and objectives, which we will continue to pursue in the coming years in partnership with all the key...

Hospital Services. (8 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: I will be taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. I thank the Deputies for raising it, as I am provided with an opportunity to reaffirm the Government's commitment to services for older people generally and, in particular, to the important area of developing day and respite care. Government policy in respect of older people is to support people...

Schools Building Projects. (8 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter, as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the strategy for capital investment in education projects and also to outline the current position in respect of the two schools in Gorey in particular. The...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free Preschool in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), which will be implemented from January 2010. The scheme will be funded from resources re-directed from the Early Childcare Supplement (ECS) which is being abolished from the end of this year. The proposed funding allocation for...

Written Answers — Pre-school Services: Pre-school Services (8 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new Early Childhood Care and Education scheme which provides a free Pre-School year to eligible children and which will be introduced in January 2010. Under the scheme, eligible children will be able to avail of a pre-school year prior to commencing primary school. Children will be eligible where they are aged...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (8 Jul 2009)

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

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (8 Jul 2009)

Barry Andrews: I assume the Deputy is referring to offenders under the age of 18 who are detained by Order of the Courts. In relation to the four Children Detention Schools, which come under the remit of the Irish Youth Justice Service, an executive office of this Department, the information requested is as follows: Children DetentionSchool Certified max. Capacity 2007Rate* 2008Rate* Oberstown Boys...