Results 14,361-14,380 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together. Children who are unable to live with their parent/s for their welfare and protection are taken into the care of the Child and Family Agency and placed mainly in foster care. For approximately 5% of all children in care, residential care is considered the most suitable option to meet their needs. Less that 1% of children in care with...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: European Court of Human Rights Judgments (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 23 together. I have been in direct contact with the Minister for Education and Skills on the matter following the recent European Court of Human Rights judgment. The Minister briefed Cabinet on the 4th of February last on the O'Keeffe judgment. Further consideration of this complex judgment is ongoing and I anticipate that there will be further...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 19 together. The Republic of India has ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. 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 being satisfied...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Functions (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department was established in June 2011 with a mandate to put in place a unified framework of policy, legislation and provision across Government in respect of children and young people. In fulfilling this mandate, my Department engages in a wide range of policy and service activity, both direct and indirect, for children and young people through a number of separate, but inter-related...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Pre-school services are governed by Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 and by the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 and the Child Care (Prescribed Service) Regulations 2014. I am in the process of introducing a number of key reforms as part of the Pre-School Quality Agenda with the objective of improving the quality of childcare services. I have outlined to this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Social Media Regulation (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is very concerned generally about the issue of the level of alcohol consumption among young people, but specifically about the recent tragic death involving a young person participating in the 'Neknominations' trend. Both the Taoiseach and I have condemned the craze and called on individuals not to partake or to encourage others to partake in such reckless and life-threatening...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department administers a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. In 2014, funding of €50.530m including €750,000 for a new capital funding programme has been provided to my Department for these schemes. The schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, under which funding is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: In July 2013, the Government approved the revised Heads and General Scheme of the Children First Bill, which will put elements of the Children First National Guidance on a statutory footing. Officials from my Department are continuing to liaise with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in relation to the drafting of the Bill, which is now at an advanced stage. The Bill is included in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to take this opportunity to advise the House of the historic position regarding adoption in Ireland. The Adoption Act 1952 placed adoption on a regulatory footing in Ireland and all adoptions that have taken place since then should, in accordance with the law, have been in compliance with that Act. I am advised by the Adoption Authority of Ireland that 44,042 adoptions took place in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: An audit report on neglect cases in Roscommon, Waterford and Dublin South East, 'A Review of Practice and Audit of the Management of Cases of Neglect', was published in June 2013 by the HSE. The audit was conducted on foot of an examination of the management of systematic and problematic neglect in a family known to the HSE Child Protection Services. Concerns had been raised that this might...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Remit (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 187 together. The Child and Family Agency (CFA) was established on 1 January 2014 in accordance with the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013 and has service responsibility for:- Child welfare and protection services formerly operated by the HSE including family support and alternative care services; - Child and family-related services for which the HSE...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is giving particular priority to improving services for children and families. In accordance with the Revised Estimates for 2014 as published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Child and Family Agency ("CFA") allocation is €609 million, including €7m in capital provision. This allocation is for the continuing provision of services previously...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Inspections (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The commitment to improve the quality of early childhood care and education for all children has been a key priority for me since becoming Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. My Department and I have been working on a comprehensive Pre-School Quality Agenda which aims to improve quality standards in pre-school services in Ireland. A key element of this Agenda is to strengthen the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ombudsman for Children Reports (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Ombudsman for Children Ms Emily Logan has initiated an investigation of the actions of the HSE in relation to these cases under provisions of the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002. The Minister for Justice and Equality has appointed Emily Logan in a personal capacity to undertake the inquiry into the taking into care of two children from two Roma families. In accordance with Section 42 of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (12 Feb 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. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund, Rounds 1 and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Last year I announced an 8-point Pre-School Quality Agenda to address issues of quality in the pre-school sector. There is clear evidence that the level of qualification held by childcare staff has a significant impact on the quality of the service provided. It was in this context that I decided to introduce a minimum qualification for all staff working directly with children across the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Social Workers Recruitment (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 39 together. The staffing complement for the Child and Family Agency (CFA), which was established on 1 January, 2014 includes 1,385 social workers who transferred from the HSE. The complement was determined following a detailed census and re-classification process undertaken in 2013, through which social workers were formally assigned to particular...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Carers Strategy Status (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: A large number of children act in some capacity in a caring role. This was evidenced by the results of the Census of Population 2011, where over six thousand children indicated that they provided regular unpaid personal help for a friend or family member with a long-term illness, health problems or disability. Children and young people with caring responsibilities face particular...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. Approximately 68,000 children availed of the free pre-school year in the 2012/2013 academic year and €175 million funding was made available to support the provision. It is expected that similar numbers...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am very much aware of the relatively high cost of childcare in this country. Significant investment, totalling more than €260m, is being provided this year by my Department to provide for a number of childcare programmes that assist parents with the cost of childcare. These programmes include the Free Pre-School Year, from which approximately 68,000 children benefit annually. The...