Results 14,481-14,500 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My considered advice to the Senator is to execute a will.

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In outlining the position of the Government on the Bill, I should have said the Government considered the Bill on its own merits. No representations were received from the Law Society in regard to it. I understand Senator Leyden has been in correspondence with the Law Society about this measure. He is correct that the Law Society should not have a conclusive view on legislation of this...

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I commend Senator Leyden and his advisers on their industry in the preparation of this legislation. It was my sad duty to indicate to the House the reservations the Government has about the measure. That said, the Bill seeks to address a wider legitimate concern that wills can be lost, removed, stolen, suppressed or interfered with. Senators mentioned that it is important to make a will....

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (12 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which are being implemented by the Office of the Minister for Children. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Group in question has recently been approved a staffing grant under the EOCP, subject to the...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (12 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There is no funding at the disposal of my Office under which financial assistance can be made available to support the employment of a youth worker in Tramore, County Waterford and in the circumstance I regret that I am not in a position to be of assistance at the present time. However, I understand that this service is currently in receipt of €72,223 from the HSE towards the running of the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (12 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 314 to 316, inclusive, and 319 together. The Deputy's questions relate to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act, 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have these matters...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (12 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 318 together. The latest statistics available to my Department are the Child Care Interim Dataset 2004. These statistics show that the numbers of children presenting as homeless in 2004 were as follows: Former Health Board Area No. of Children who appeared to be Homeless Eastern Regional Health Authority 213 Midland Health Board 18 Mid Western...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (12 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I would like to inform the Deputy that there are a number of legislative, operational and administrative changes under way which will see the transfer of responsibility for the detention of young offenders under 18 years of age, ordered to be detained by the Courts, from the Department of Education and Science and the Irish Prison Service to the Irish Youth Justice Service in my Department....

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (6 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: To apply for the Childcare Services Relief, Childminders are obliged to make an annual tax return of their child minding income to the Revenue Commissioners. For tax exemption purposes, Childminders must also provide evidence that they have notified their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC), through the local Child minding Advisory Officer that they are providing a child minding...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (6 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The examination of the draft protocol agreement with Belarus has raised a number of constitutional and legal concerns. The Department is currently attempting to find ways to resolve these issues with the mutual agreement of both parties. The difficulties in attempting to satisfy both the Belorussian authorities requirements and the legal and constitutional imperatives that apply in this...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (6 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Adoption Board currently has bi-lateral adoption agreements with China, Belarus, Romania, Vietnam, Thailand and The Philippines. Belarus and Romania have, however, ceased inter-country adoption. I am not aware of the position regarding the ratification of the Hague Convention by Russia. The legislation which will ratify the Hague Convention, bringing it into force under Irish law, is...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (5 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Health Service Executive has statutory responsibility for the implementation of the 1996 and 1997 Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations, which give effect to the provisions of Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991. These provide for notification to, and inspection by, the Health Service Executive of pre-school services. The Regulations apply to pre-schools, playgroups, day...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (5 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Investment Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which are being implemented by the Office of the Minister for Children. Capital grant assistance is available to both community based/not for profit organisations and private sector child care...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (5 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237, 273 and 274 together. In 2006, total health funding is €13.147 billion, which represents an underlying increase of 12.04% over 2005. The vast bulk of this funding is provided under the vote of the Health Service Executive which has statutory responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services. This continuing high...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (5 Dec 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 498 and 499 together. The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the single national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (29 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In line with the recommendations of the Garda Vetting Report and the expansion of the Garda Central Vetting Unit, the Garda vetting service is being expanded by means of a phased roll-out within resource capacities. The roll out is accompanied by training for organisations who will be submitting the vetting applications. The expansion will continue over this year and next year and beyond...

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (28 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Article 42.2 of the Constitution confers a constitutional right on parents to provide for the religious, moral, intellectual, social and physical education of children in their own homes or in private schools or in schools established or recognised by the State. The Education (Welfare) Act 2000 provides a major reformulation of the law in regard to all matters connected with school...

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (28 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113, 159 and 160 together. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department's Estimates for 2007 include a provision of €9.8 million for the National Educational Welfare Board. This represents an increase of 20% on the 2006 allocation and of 50% on the 2004 level. This substantial increase in funding is a clear indication of this Government's commitment...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (28 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Young people in the children detention schools attend school and receive tuition in curricular areas, including literacy, in keeping with their needs and age. These schools are monitored by my Department's inspectorate and, like all schools, are subject to Whole School Evaluation. The monitoring of individual student progress is a matter for the teaching staff of each school. Arising from a...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (28 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.