Results 1,361-1,380 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Young People's Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF) now under the remit of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) currently operates in 18 areas - 14 Local Drug Task Force areas, (12 in Dublin, Bray and Cork) and in Galway, Limerick and Carlow town. The decision not to provide small grants from the YPFSF in 2009 was made following the agreement of the National...

Written Answers — Departmental Publications: Departmental Publications (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: The information requested is not readily available to my Department. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: This resolution seeks the approval of Seanad Éireann to continue in operation those sections of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 which would otherwise cease to be in operation after 30 June next. A similar resolution is being taken in the Dáil today. Senators will recall that the 1998 Act was enacted in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing in August 1998, a dreadful...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank the Senators for their comments and support for the motion. The people at whom these provisions are aimed have been identified as a serious threat to the State. They participate in some of the worst criminality on the island, both North and South. They are trying to derail the peace process, which was voted for by people on both sides of the Border in a historic vote following the...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank the Senators for their considered comments and their support for the motion.

Seanad: Domestic Violence (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am taking the Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I thank Senator Norris for raising this issue and welcome the opportunity to set out the position on the matter. The service in question is funded by the HSE, by Meath County Council and also by a vigorous local fund-raising initiative. I compliment the organisers of the...

Seanad: Domestic Violence (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: The answer I provided encapsulates the Health Service Executive's view of how this matter should be addressed. It recognises that there are circumstances in which a residential service will be required because of the nature of the incidents which give rise to referrals to the service in question. It is clear to me, as Minister of State with responsibility for children, that children are...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for the implementation of the new scheme to provide a free pre-school year of early childhood care and education, to be introduced from January next. This scheme's introduction is one of the most significant developments in early childhood care and education which has taken place in Ireland to date. Building on the progress made over the past decade, we are now taking...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As I stated, I do not believe that would achieve the goals that the Government is seeking to achieve. It is clear from all the statistics that well-off people put their children through pre-school and it is the disadvantaged who do not benefit from it. As Senator Healy Eames stated, the return for each unit invested in early childhood care and education is significant. She quoted $12 from...

Seanad: School Day Extension (17 Jun 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 Senator Keaveney for raising this matter. The requirements overall in schools are that children should be under the supervision of the school staff for the duration of the school day. While schools are encouraged to use visiting speakers and to promote...

Seanad: School Day Extension (17 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: There is a very interesting article in The Economist this week on the three-month holiday our schools have which refers to the fact that children from disadvantaged backgrounds fare worst as a result of them. President Obama is arguing very strongly against such long holidays. It is something we should all consider.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (16 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 105, 110, 113, 114, 118, 120, 127 to 131, inclusive, and 149 together. The process on this matter has been on-going for many months now and the dialogue with the Vietnamese Authorities is continuing. Many deputies have sought guarantees and specific timeframes for the conclusion of a new agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I must reiterate my...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (16 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (16 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 to 137, inclusive, together. Requests for assessment for inter-country adoption are continuously increasing. The 'Study on Inter-country Adoption Outcomes in Ireland', undertaken by the Children's Research Centre, Trinity College, between December, 2004, and April, 2007, and commissioned by the Adoption Board, revealed that Ireland has one of the highest...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (16 Jun 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 (11 Jun 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 will be introduced from January next. The association referred to by the Deputy wrote to me on 28 April 2009 welcoming the announcement of the scheme, which will allow qualifying children to avail of a free pre-school...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (11 Jun 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 is being introduced from January next. The scheme will allow qualifying children to avail of a free pre-school place in the year before they commence primary school. The scheme is open to all private and voluntary...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (11 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: Requests for assessment for inter-country adoption are continuously increasing. The 'Study on Inter-country Adoption Outcomes in Ireland', undertaken by the Children's Research Centre, Trinity College, between December, 2004, and April, 2007, revealed that Ireland has one of the highest rates for inter-country adoption in Europe. It is against this background that the Office of the Minister...

Ryan Report on the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Motion (11 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: I wish to share my time with Deputy Mattie McGrath. The history of our country in the 20th century will be rewritten as a result of the Ryan commission of inquiry and its report. Things we held to be self-evident have been challenged to their core. Yesterday, survivors brought a banner to Leinster House referring to the phrase in the 1916 Proclamation that the State would resolve to...

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Barry Andrews: With the permission of the House, I will share my time with Deputies John Moloney, Seán Haughey and Billy Kelleher.