Results 14,081-14,100 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 526 together. As these issues are service matters for which the Child and Family Agency have responsibility, I have asked the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The three Children Detention Schools at Oberstown, Lusk, County Dublin are Trinity House Boys School, Oberstown Boys School and Oberstown Girls School. Under current arrangements, the children detention schools are authorised for detaining males up to the age of 17 years and females up to the age of 18 years. The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the table based on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Costais Aistriúcháin (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Tá an t-eolas maidir leis méid airgid a chaith mo Roinn ar sheirbhísí aistriúcháin in 2013 leagtha amach sa táble seo a leanas Aistriúcháin Costas sa bhliain 2013 Béarla/Gaeilge €9,076 Béarla/Teangacha eile - Iomlán €9,076Ina theannta sin, chaith An Roinn €9.491 milliún ar chostas riaracháin sa...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Recent years have seen a significant fall-off in the number of intercountry adoptions taking place internationally. The total number of children adopted into the top twelve receiving states in 2004 was 43,142. In 2011, this figure had dropped to 21,911 – a drop of 50 per cent. The United States which receives by far the largest number of adoptions has seen a reduction of almost 60 per...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies Staff Recruitment (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The position of Chief Executive Officer of the Adoption Authority of Ireland has been advertised and interviews are due to take place shortly. Following which I expect the position to be filled shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority submitted its 2014 Business Plan to the Department on 28 March 2014. It has been published on the Authority website.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have asked the Adoption Authority to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The decision to deem a person suitable and eligible to adopt is a matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland and is taken under criteria outlined in Section 34 of the Adoption Act, 2010. These criteria include that an applicant or applicants be of good health and of an age so that he or she has a reasonable expectation of being capable throughout the child’s childhood of providing...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have asked the Adoption Authority to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority of Ireland is an independent, quasi judicial body established under the Adoption Act 2010. The relationship between the Minister and the Adoption Authority of Ireland is provided for in the Adoption Act 2010 which outlines the obligations of the Authority in this regard. Matters relating tot he accountability, plans, reports and funding are dealt with in Sections 107 -...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Websites (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have asked the Adoption Authority to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority has advised me that they endeavour to reply to all communications in line with the Authority's Customer Charter. The Authority however have indicated that the complexity of issues raised may necessitate administrative and or legal investigation which can prove time consuming. The Authority's Customer Charter is available on their website www.aai.gov.ie

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Act 2010 has been in operation for nearly three years now. Since the implementation of the Act, as is often the case with complex legislation, issues have arisen in relation to the operation of the legislation and in the circumstances I think it is timely to consider a review of policy matters. Given the range and complexity of the issues this will require scoping and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 539 to 543, inclusive, together. I have asked the Adoption Authority to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 544 and 545 together. I have asked the Adoption Authority to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Act, 2010, which entered into force on 1 November 2010, gives force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. In April 2013 I streamlined the assessment process for those seeking to transfer from declarations of eligibility and suitability to adopt which are due to expire before the 31st of October 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Foster Care Services in the former Local Health Area known as Dublin North West have been inspected by HIQA three times since September 2009. The most recent inspection took place in October 2012. Significant progress has been made since earlier inspections, however inspectors found that some deficits identified had not been rectified. In February 2013, the Minister for Children and Youth...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Parliamentary Questions Costs (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The cost of answering a Parliamentary Question and indeed the time taken to answer all questions will vary considerably according to the nature of the question asked. No staff in my Department are assigned full time to dealing with Parliamentary Questions. Parliamentary Questions are dealt with, as the need arises, by the staff in the sections dealing with the particular issue(s) raised in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme under which funding is provided to support 31 national and major regional youth organisations. Targeted supports for disadvantaged,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education (8 Apr 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children. Children are eligible to avail of the free pre-school year where they are aged more than 3 years 2 months and less than 4 years 7 months at 1 September in the relevant year. Children born between 2 February 2010 and 30 June 2011 will qualify for the free pre-school year in...