Results 14,561-14,580 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (9 Nov 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 understand from inquiries I have made that the Group in question has submitted a request for a review of the decision on their application...

Special Educational Needs. (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I will outline to the House the position regarding the provision of occupational therapy services and additional funding provided for services for children and adults with a disability in 2006. I thank Deputy Kehoe for raising this matter on the Adjournment and I am making the reply on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. The question of providing therapy services...

Ambulance Service. (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am taking the Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. Deputy Ferris appreciates that the issue he has raised relates to the exclusion of VHI patients from free travel for medical purposes. He has put on the record of the House certain matters as he is entitled to do, but the Minister is not in notice of those in respect of this...

School Accommodation. (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I make this reply on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it affords the Minister the opportunity to outline the open and transparent process in place for the recognition of new primary schools and the position concerning the proposed Educate Together school in Doughiska. The new schools advisory committee, NSAC, an...

Schools Building Projects. (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have the honour of replying to Deputy Naughten on this matter, but I do so on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin. Were I to follow Deputy Naughten's advice, my foothold in the Department might become only a toehold. The Minister wishes to outline to the House the current position regarding the allocation of funding under the permanent accommodation scheme....

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) 2000-2006 is funded as part of the two Regional Operational Programmes under the National Development Plan, and is split between two measures: the Childcare Facilities measure (which receives co-funding from the European Regional Development Fund) and the Childcare Measure (which receives co-funding from the European Social Fund and is...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Nov 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. The NCIP is a key element of the National Childcare Strategy 2006-2010 and is effective from 1 January 2006. Unlike the existing EOCP,...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 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. Where a Question relates to a service provided by the HSE on a national basis or requests statistical information in relation to a service covering a period of years, it may require the collation of...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Nov 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. To date, the Group in question has been awarded a total of €8,349 in capital grant assistance under the EOCP and has also been awarded a...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I indicated to the Senator on Committee Stage that this was an issue we should revisit on Report Stage. My officials have assisted me in carrying out considerable research on the issues involved, and there is an explanation. Having regard to what is provided for in the legislation, the Health Service Executive is necessarily a party in this regard. The foster parent or relative to whom the...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The one point in dispute is that I do not accept the motivation of the 1991 Act was to discriminate against anyone. The Act clearly states the court must have regard to a person who is a parent whether under the Constitution or otherwise. The phrase "or otherwise" recognises every parent of a child irrespective of his or her status. It goes further than the generality of our legislation...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: What other parent? There could be——

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: A child could have a legal guardian who is not a parent. The legislation is silent on that issue and I intend to examine it. A parent may not be disclosed by the other parent, as Senator Tuffy suggested. That can arise. The more inquiries one imposes on a social worker, the slower the process of child protection will be. This is a reality we must face as legislators. The purpose of...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: These are all drafting amendments consequent on the earlier Government amendment which necessitated the insertion of a new sub-section into the Bill.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The purpose of the Bill is to give foster parents or relatives caring for a child for a continuous period of five years more autonomy on the day-to-day care of the child. The HSE will continue to have a role in the life of a child in care through its involvement in the review of the implementation of the child care plan. If foster carers need advice on a significant matter, they will...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Section 37 of the Child Care Act 1991 relates to access to children in care. It provides that where a child is in the care of the Health Service Executive, either under a care order or otherwise, the executive will facilitate reasonable access to the child by his parents, any person acting in loco parentis or any person with a bona fide interest. It also provides that a person who is...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: We discussed this issue at length on a previous occasion. I am of the view that it is for the courts to decide, based on the information provided to them by the executive on the efforts made to contact the person, whether they are satisfied that the parent or other person is missing and cannot be found. Courts are used to conducting this exercise; it is part of their experience. We, as a...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: We have accepted it in the Government amendment.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Senator Tuffy was probably not perusing the amendment when I read it out. The new subsection (10) has been added as a result of the Government amendment No. 18 in response to the Senator's earlier amendment and inserts the following: "(11) Subsection (10) is without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the court to make, at any time, an order under section 37 with respect to access to the child...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Yes.