Results 14,461-14,480 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (23 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has passed on the information provided by the Deputy to the Office of the Chief Executive Officer of the Child and Family Agency (CFA) for attention in accordance with the Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. We have asked the CFA to make direct contact with the Deputy in the matter. I wish to thank the Deputy for bringing this matter...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Consultancy Contracts Data (23 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is the policy of my Department to minimise consultancy fees to the greatest extent possible, and to hire consultants only as the need arises and where the required professional expertise is not available in-house. All contracts entered into by my Department must conform with the relevant laws and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on Public Procurement. The data...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Domestic Violence Policy (22 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, I will get a detailed breakdown of those figures for the Senator. The point that has been made on quite a number of occasions is that there is not an equitable geographic spread of services which raised difficulties. It is not always possible to have a refuge in every area. The new agency will examine the matter of an equitable geographic spread of services in order that people around...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Domestic Violence Policy (22 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the opportunity to reply to this Adjournment matter and to update the Seanad on the Government's approach to strengthening the provision of domestic and sexual violence services. Domestic and sexual-based violence is a multifaceted problem which can have a devastating effect on both the victims and the wider community. While overall responsibility policy in this area rests with my...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The funding amounts to €2.594 million, which is a slight reduction on the 2013 Estimate. The reduction in 2014 relates to reduced pay provision as a result of the Haddington Road agreement.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is all, yes.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: When the Department was set up there was a range of expenditure necessary. Now that it is set up, that will not be repeated. Our EU Presidency involved a significant amount of travel by staff who were working on the youth presidency and bringing forward our programme of work. That will be zero this year as opposed to the expenditure incurred last year. The amount in question is...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I do not have that figure here but I can get it for the Deputy. I will get back to the Deputy on that. The reduction is of the order of 24%. That is significant. People always ask if our administrative costs will be cut back.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to see the Deputy welcome that. It is impressive but it is mostly in the area of travel and subsistence and related to the EU Presidency. There was office equipment and external IT services necessary in the setting up of the Department that do not have to be repeated.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, we will.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The reality is that the Department of Social Protection through its work with individuals at its Intreo offices identified the area of greatest need. This was a pilot scheme for which there was an initial allocation. The expectation was that the after school service would be more in demand. In fact the Intreo offices and the Department of Social Protection identified a greater need for the...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: No, it was a pilot scheme

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It was a pilot scheme to assess the best direction in which to go and that is why the decision was made to introduce a new scheme which would allow community employment participants to avail of child care education and training support child care places. It has 1,800 part-time child care places.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I was very pleased this year to receive an extra €1 million for the youth service. Across the whole of Government we have had to examine budgets very carefully. In fact, I have been able to reduce the pressures on the youth service by ensuring that instead of a 10% or a 7% cut that across the board for national organisations and local youth organisations there is a 3.75% reduction....

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Clearly, I prioritised youth services this year and I have got extra funding for them. I would point out that we are borrowing €8 billion this year. Had we not inherited the disastrous economic financial situation we would not have to make these cuts. In the current circumstances we have had to make the cuts to which the Deputy referred. I have protected the youth services this...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: We are working with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, on this issue in order that it will form part of some legislation which he is introducing this year. It has been in place for a long period and needs to be reformed. We will reform it. For example, Barnardos has a very effective guardian at litemsystem which it provides to the courts. Clearly the scheme was...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: We will review the eligibility criteria for the community child care subvention, CCS, and child care employment and training support scheme, CETS, in the course of 2014. I have identified this as a priority because the schemes need to be reviewed. The Department is also developing, in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection, a new child care initiative which will provide 1,800...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I stated, the increased demand is coming from the community employment side, which is where our primary response to need will be. Some 950 community groups participate in the community employment scheme and 2,500 full-time equivalent child care places are provided under the CETS. Trainees contribute €25 per week and there is a capitation fee of €145 for each full-time child...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I ask Deputy McLellan to consider the combined amounts provided in subheads B3 and B4 as they show an overall increase of €3 million for child care. What we are doing is redirecting the funding to the area of greatest demand, namely, the community employment schemes. This is the reason the allocation under subhead B4 has been reduced. The amount in question remains within the child...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Our position was that it is important to prioritise certain areas. I agree with the Deputy that there is scope for management to do further work, as became clear in some of the cases we heard about. Strong management is essential in child care services. We are discussing subsidised places. As with any other professional group, one would expect child care staff to avail of ongoing training...