Results 13,721-13,740 of 16,028 for speaker:Robert Troy

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I support the amendment. In line with good practice, the board will be accountable to the Minister and the chief executive will be accountable to the board, with corresponding lines of communication. In one section in the Bill this relationship is not clear and in another it is inconsistent. On this basis, I recommend section 47(1) should be amended to clarify that the Minister may issue...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I will be brief and will not keep rehashing the arguments. Deputy Ó Caoláin hit the nail on the head. I do not question the Minister's bona fides in this regard. I often question the pace of reform but I do not question her commitment to it. As Deputy Ó Caoláin stated, none of us is here for infinity. We are all only passing through and this is about legislation that...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: It is self explanatory that the purpose of the amendment is to ensure that we have a board composed of professional, competent personnel who have experience of the legal environment pertaining to children and families, the disciplines of child protection, psychology, family support and therapeutic services. We wish to ensure that in filling the board any Minister does so with the best...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I move amendment No. 22: In page 13, subsection (4), lines 38 to 42, to delete all words from and including “under” in line 38 down to and including “child” in line 42 and substitute the following: “under section 8(1)(a), (b) or (c), whether in proceedings before a court or otherwise ensure that the views of that individual child, where that child is...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I have nothing further to add. It is written plainly. It is not restricted to those three Departments, albeit that the new Department has been established and is responsible for the core functions. Many areas extend across the remit of other Departments. The amendment would delete "that" and substitute "any Minister". I support Deputy Ó Caoláin's amendment.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I concur with Deputy Ó Caoláin. This amendment deals with the annual report of the agency. I recently tabled a parliamentary question about the annual report of the government rapporteur and whether the Department of Children and Youth Affairs would implement the recommendations of the report. The Minister in her reply said it could not be done because the recommendations span...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I wish to reaffirm what I said already. As my colleague has said, this is about listening to the views of the child. When dealing with child care issues, professionals should always be concerned about listening to the child's views when making decisions that will affect the children directly. I acknowledge the Minister's amendment has broadened the scope of the original provisions, but not...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: Is my amendment being taken with this?

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: Restricting section 9(4), relating to the voice of the child, to proceedings under the Child Care Act 1991 or the Adoption Act 2010 is a wasted opportunity to ensure that consultation with children could become standard practice for all professionals within the agency. As Deputy Ó Caoláin said, this is far too limited. If we want to be true to and reflect Article 12 of the UN...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I do not have legal qualifications or a legal background, but from a layman's point of view, I would have thought it would be better to include the word "consultation" to ensure it happened. I have engaged with various NGOs and interested parties on this legislation and no one has brought it to my attention as being problematic. Taking the word out seems to make the legislation more...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I move amendment No. 18: In page 13, subsection (3), line 33, after "shall," to insert "consult,".

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I move amendment No. 19: In page 13, subsection (3), to delete lines 35 and 36 and substitute the following:"section 8(1), to ensure that due consideration is given to the views of children as part of any consultation processes undertaken.".This relates to the voice of the child and is an area we believe could be strengthened in line with best practice to ensure that we capture all the...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I am slightly disappointed because this amendment is quite similar to the previous two that we have just discussed and is about giving legal certainty to ensuring the views of the child are taken into consideration as part of any consultation process. The Minister has quite rightly said on a number of occasions that this is new and ground-breaking provision that we never had before, but that...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: Not to rehash the argument, I support what Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has said. Inserting the word "consult" would give legal certainty. The Minister has said it is best practice to consult and that all properly functioning organisations would consult, but, unfortunately, that has not always been the experience. If we wish to provide legal certainty and clarity to ensure...

Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: When did he say that?

Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: The reports on how and why the Garda removed two children from their families in Tallaght and Athlone are disturbing on a number of levels. The fact that the children have been returned to their families has to be welcomed but we must also acknowledge the extreme distress the families experienced over the past several days. While the gardaí involved acted in good faith under section...

Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. We cannot go back to the days of see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. All of us have a responsibility and we do not want to see these cases being used as a deterrent to protecting children. At the same time, however, we have to prevent over intrusion into family lives. The right balance has to be achieved. One lesson that can be learned is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Guidelines (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: 18. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the date on which new guidelines for the planning of onshore wind farms will be published; if he is concerned that wind energy companies may seek to submit their planning proposals in advance of new planning guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44965/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: 58. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider making adjustments to the single-parent tax credit to allow an element of tax planning whereby the spouses could elect which spouse claims the credit or the credit could be split in the most tax efficient way by the Revenue Commissioners (details supplied). [45469/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (24 Oct 2013)

Robert Troy: 59. To ask the Minister for Finance If he will clarify the situation of which parent would be allowed the single-parent tax credit in the case of one child living with their mother and one living with the father, which is a common situation. [45470/13]