Results 1,461-1,480 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: Amendment No. 3 proposes to insert the words “and may be less” and a statement that “[t]he Court shall have regard to the age, level of maturity, best interests of the child and the principle of detention as a last resort in determining the nature of any penalty imposed” into section 149(1) of the Bill. On the insertion of the words "and may be less", it is...

Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: We all want the best outcomes for children. We do not want children to be detained unless it is absolutely essential. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, my focus is on children. As a politician, however, I, like the Deputy, have to take into consideration the victims. If a person who lost a loved one through manslaughter or murder saw the perpetrator get off on the basis of the...

Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: As Deputy Clare Daly pointed out, her amendment proposes to insert a new provision in section 88 of the existing Children Act which deals with the remand of children in custody. The effect of the proposed amendment would be to impose a maximum period of remand in custody for a child of three months from the date of being remanded in custody by the court. Section 88 of the Children Act...

Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: Sinn Féin would know about lead in piping.

Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: Sinn Féin would know about lead in piping.

Leaders' Questions (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: The soldiers of destiny.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: Section 8 of the 2004 Commissions of Investigation Act provides that a Commission, with the approval of the specified Minister, may appoint persons with relevant qualifications and experience to advise and assist the Commission in relation to any matter within its terms of reference. The Commission has selected a panel of Junior and Documentary Counsel and it proposes to assign specific...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: My Department implements a number of childcare support programmes to assist parents to access quality childcare services. The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme provides funding to community childcare not-for-profit services to enable them to provide childcare at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents. This programme support some 25,000 children each...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Local Authority Funding (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together. Funding for National Play Day was introduced to highlight the importance of play in children’s lives and to promote the benefits of structured and unstructured play in the social and physical development of children. The theme and the date of National Play Day is decided each year in conjunction with the Local Authority Play and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Strategies (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: The Deputy refers to first National Strategy for the Participation of Children and Young People in Decision Making (2015-2020), which I launched on 17th June 2015. This National Strategy builds on the achievements and challenges of the National Children’s Strategy in further embedding effective, meaningful and systematic participation by children and young people in decision-making on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Process (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: The Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 was enacted in March of this year. It includes amendments to the Adoption Act 2010, to enable civil partners and cohabiting couples who have lived together for 3 years to be eligible to apply to adopt a child jointly. There are no provisions specifically for step parent adoption in the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015. Work is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 182, inclusive, together. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides a free preschool year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. Funding of over €170 million is provided for the ECCE programme annually in which some 67,000 children receive one year free preschool care and education. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (15 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 to 185, inclusive, together. The After-School Childcare (ASCC) programme provides after-school care for primary school children of eligible parents for a period of 52 weeks. Eligibility for the programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection. The programme contributes €40 per week for an after-school place or €80 per week in...

Children First Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: Schedule 2 lists professions or occupations for the purpose of specifying classes of persons to be mandated persons in accordance with this Bill. Amendment No. 4 proposes to include a person taking care of one or more children in the home who is not a relative of the child. The categories of persons set out in Schedule 2 were included in the Schedule on the basis of their professional...

Children First Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: I do not want to let the opportunity pass to respond to a statement made by Deputy Troy. He said the Child and Family Agency is not fit for purpose. I reject that because I believe it is. There will always be a case for more resources. I made it very clear that in the upcoming Estimates process I will fight for more resources for the agency. I expect that the agency will give me a good...

Children First Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: I move amendment No. 3:In page 23, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following:“5. Occupational therapist registered in the register of members of that profession.”.I signalled my intention on Committee Stage to bring forward an amendment to include occupational therapists as one of the classes of mandated persons under Schedule 2. Deputies will recall that on Committee...

Children First Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: I have already given the Deputy an international example where what he proposes in this amendment hugely increased the workload of the agency concerned without any benefit to children. If an extra burden can be placed on an agency which is to the benefit of children it is something we would not shy away from doing. However, it has been proven internationally, in the case of New South Wales...

Children First Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: Section 14 provides that certain professionals and other persons in specified occupations, as listed in Schedule 2, are mandated persons for the purposes of the Bill. The section sets out the circumstances where a mandated person is required to make a report to the Child and Family Agency. Amendment No. 2 proposes to impose a criminal sanction on a mandated person who fails to report...

Children First Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: No one is asking parents to monitor organisations. We are merely asking that they satisfy themselves that there is a child safety statement. If it is not in place, they should reconsider whether they should let their child attend that service or organisation. It is important to point out that there are over 25,000 organisations involved. The burden of the Deputy’s proposal would...

Children First Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

James Reilly: Section 12 allows the agency to establish and maintain a publicly available register of non-compliance. It also sets out the criteria by which a non-compliance notice may be removed from the register, namely, on receipt by the agency of a child safety statement or the agency being satisfied that the statement is no longer required. Amendment No. 1 proposes a new subsection (10) to provide...