Results 14,381-14,400 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I share the Deputy's concerns and recognise that the scale of the challenge, particularly as the number of social media outlets, and platforms to use them, is ever increasing. Research on the problem shows there are no simple answers and there is no magic solution to tackling this complex social issue. It is important that a cross-departmental approach is taken to tackling this issue. In...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am responsible for answering Parliamentary Questions pursuant to Standing Order 34 for the following bodies: the Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the board of management with responsibility for the Children Detention Schools and the Ombudsman for Children's Office. In addition, I would note that under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, the Family Support...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Appointments (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Minister has the authority to appoint board members to the following bodies: the Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, and the board of management with responsibility for the Children Detention Schools. Gaisce, The President's Award is a limited company set up under the Companies Acts (in 1996) with a memorandum and articles of Association. The Articles of...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that, in the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 which was commenced with effect from 1st January 2014, I have made provision at Section 10 for public bodies, including local authorities, to make agreements with the Child and Family Agency (CFA) in respect of the performance by the Agency of the local authorities' functions and vice versa. Section 11 allows for...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. Approximately 68,000 children availed of the ECCE programme in the 2012/13 school year. Children qualify for the free pre-school provision when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 3 months to 4 years and 7...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I have noted the concerns raised by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in its concluding observations on the second periodic report of the Holy See. Reports such as these remind us once again of the scale of historical abuse and of past failures to protect children. As regards the issue of cooperation between the Irish church authorities and the relevant civil agencies I would like...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Considerable capital funding was made available to community and commercial mainstream childcare providers for the development and refurbishment of childcare facilities under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006-2010, and previously under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP). Because of the economic situation, a review of capital expenditure was undertaken in...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: On 3 February 2014, in conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, I launched the Youth Justice Action Plan 2014-2018. The overall mission statement of the Action Plan is to create a safer society by working in partnership to reduce youth offending through appropriate interventions and linkages to services. It is focused on continuing the downward trends in high...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 189, 190, 195, 196, 198 and 200 together. The Child and Family Agency was established on 1st January, 2014. Responsibility for promoting the welfare and protection of children at risk is a key function of the Agency. The context within which our child welfare and protection services operate today is very challenging. The number of child welfare and...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is taking a lead role in the cross-sectoral implementation of Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children [2011]. A Children First Implementation Inter-Departmental Group has been established involving key Government Departments, An Garda Síochána and the Child and Family Agency. The purpose of the Group is to promote the importance of...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together. 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...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Revised Estimates for Public Services 2014 allocated gross funding to my Department of some €997 million which includes over €955 million in current funding and €42 million in capital funding. When Appropriations-in-Aid receipts of just over €22.8 million are taken into account, the net current funding allocated to my Department in 2014 is some €974.3...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Juvenile Offenders (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 411 of 12 November 2013 for background information on the extent of my Department's engagement with the issue of juvenile offending and youth justice issues in general. In addition, I wish to advise that on 3 February 2014, in conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, I launched the Youth Justice...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Tax incentives for working parents who incur childcare costs were previously proposed, and the issue of tax allowances or credits was considered, prior to the introduction of the targeted childcare supports which are now in place to support parents with the cost of childcare. A number of issues emerged at that time which did not favour the introduction of childcare tax relief. Tax relief...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (12 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Years Strategy is one of a number of detailed strategies under the National Children and Young People’s Policy Framework 2014-2018 which is nearing finalisation. This will set out the overall principles, vision and outcomes for children and young people and will guide actions across Government over the period 2014 to 2018. I hope to publish the Policy Framework later this...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Childcare Directorate of my Department implements the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, with assistance from Pobal in relation to issuing payments. Community childcare services qualify for funding under the CCS programme on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service. The information provided in the parental...

Early Childhood Care and Education: Motion [Private Members] (11 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises the importance of:— quality early years interventions in supporting the emergence of best outcomes for young children, including in relation to school-readiness and cognitive and behavioural development; and — affordable and accessible childcare to support low...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Garda Vetting (11 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 require that a person carrying on a pre-school service shall ensure appropriate vetting of all staff, students and volunteers who have access to a child. I am aware that a problem exists in relation to the sharing of student vetting information by training colleges with a third party. It is my understanding that timing issues...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (11 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. This includes provision for the Youth Service Grants Scheme under which funding is made available to support 31 national and major regional voluntary organisations involved in the development and provision of youth programmes and services. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (11 Feb 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Area Based Childhood (ABC) scheme 2013-2016 is being implemented by my Department, in partnership with Atlantic Philanthropies who are co-funding the programme's total allocation of €29.7m. The programme will deliver the Programme for Government commitment to adopt an area-based approach to child poverty, drawing on best international practice and existing services to break the...