Results 14,181-14,200 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Whilst concerns have been expressed to my Department by individuals and organisations about the use by young people in relation to social media and cyber bullying, incidents of internet ‘grooming’ have not been reported, and if there are concerns about this by individuals they should be reported to An Garda Síochána. Internet safety is the responsibility of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I share the deep distaste of colleagues for events such as child beauty pageants which are not at all appropriate for children. However the answer is not always legislative. It is noted that legislative proposals in France on banning pageants ran into difficulties in light of criticisms regarding the vagueness around the specifics of what types of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mental Health Services Provision (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issue of mental health and well-being in young people is a complex issue requiring inputs from a wide range of stakeholders including young people, parents, schools, the media, youth organisations and the Primary Care and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services HSE. The prime responsibility for policy in relation to the treatment and support for young people with mental health...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childhood Obesity (27 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: In Ireland, The Growing Up in Ireland survey, 2011 found that 1 in 4 children as young as 3 years of age are overweight or obese and these figures are similar to those found in the Irish survey for the WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative and The National Children’s Food Consumption Survey, 2005. One in five teenagers is overweight or obese according to The National Teens...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (26 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority advises that there are currently seven cases in relating to intercountry adoption before the High Court. As the Deputy submitted a revised version of her question, which significantly changed the material sought, at a very late date it has not been possible to compile the information in relation to costs. I have requested the information from the Adoption Authority of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Social Workers Recruitment (26 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Further to my response to the Deputy of 6 March 2014, I am advised by the Child and Family Agency that, since its establishment on 1 January 2014, 23 social workers have commenced employment. A further 13 are due to commence employment during March and April 2014 and discussions are ongoing with other candidates to agree starting dates for other approved positions.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Expenses (26 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department does not retain or provide official cars for use by any officers. All travel claims are paid in line with the relevant travel & subsistence circulars as issued by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform since 2011 and previously by the Department of Finance. Expenditure in this regard is examined by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General as part...

Topical Issue Debate: Adoption Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Topical Issue Debate: Adoption Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would not underestimate the help that CAMHS and other specialist child and adolescent mental health teams can give.

Topical Issue Debate: Adoption Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: A well-trained psychologist or psychiatrist should be able to deal with some of the issues outlined by the Deputy in terms of attachment difficulties and the problems children, adopted or not, show. They can be similar. I take the point about some specialist help being available for certain cases and we will examine with Barnardos whether there is a way to move forward on this.

Topical Issue Debate: Adoption Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and I have listened to what he has had to say about it. I realise that he is concerned about this issue. Adoption can be, as he said, an emotional and sometimes traumatic experience and the effects can vary at different stages of the process. We know there are many successful adoptions - of that there is no question - but there is no doubt that a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The new qualification requirements are based on international evidence that says that increasing the qualification levels of staff in childcare increases the quality of childcare services and therefore improves the outcomes for children. However, I recognise that for staff who are planning to retire in the near future, it is not practical to commence a course at this stage. In these...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Child and Family Agency has advised that 719 applicants and/or couples have completed the Health Service Executive assessment for the purposes of applying to adopt a child since the commencement of the Adoption Act, 2010. This figure relates to intercountry adoption assessments up to 31/12/2013 as the Quarter 1 information for 2014 is currently being collated.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under adoption legislation, when a child is registered on the Register of Intercountry Adoptions the child is deemed to be the fully legal child of the adoptive parent/couple, having the same legal status as any biological child of the couple born to them within their marriage. Accordingly, it is open to any adopted child to access Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services operated by...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: A care plan is an agreed written plan for a child placed in statutory care. It is drawn up in consultation with the child, his or her family and all those involved with his or her care, for the current and future care of the child, which is designed to meet his or her needs. It establishes short, medium and long term goals for the child and identifies the services required to attain these...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Child & Family Agency that there are currently 31 social worker posts filled by persons on temporary contracts.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: A total of 1,459 social work posts transferred from the HSE to the Child & Family Agency. The complement transferring was determined following a detailed census and re-classification process undertaken in the HSE during 2013 through which social workers were formally assigned to particular care groups, including child and families services. A rigorous system of risk analysis is in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Staffing vacancies arise for various reasons, including retirements, resignations, career breaks and unpaid leave. In addition, gaps in service cover arise where staff are on paid leave. Vacancies are covered by temporary staff as required to ensure that staffing levels do not fall to an unsafe level. This is risk assessed by Area Managers. I am advised by the Child and Family Agency, that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Republic of India has ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, as such it is not necessary to have a bilateral agreement with India. As a contracting state under the Hague Convention, the Adoption Act 2010 provides that adoptions by Irish prospective adoptive parents may be made subject to Irish and Indian requirements...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (25 Mar 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 936, 938, 941, 954 and 975 together. Efforts are ongoing in my Department in relation to a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. Following my invitation to the Russian Ministry of Education and Science in August 2013 , a delegation of Russian officials travelled to Ireland in October 2013 for discussions on...