Results 14,801-14,820 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Other Questions: Child Care Services Regulation (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: There has been huge progress and massive change. The first point is the fact that we now have 1,672 inspections of child care facilities online. This is the first time these reports have been available online. Previously, parents or the media had to submit a freedom of information request to get access to those reviews. We also have the most recent inspection reports provided immediately...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Regulation (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a huge amount of work involved in reviewing the reports and ensuring there is a standardised approach for the future. That is being done. As I said, the inspection reports are being published county by county. It is just a question of the time it takes. We expect that by the middle of next year, all the reports on inspections that have taken place will be available. It is...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I did not make that decision.

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have no problem taking it.

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is all very well for the Deputy to make those points but I want to point out that for many years people in this country turned a blind eye to child abuse and did not take action. That is not for a moment to say that inappropriate action should be taken but I want to make that point because I have report after report on my desk where action was not taken by the relevant people. It is...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, and I believe that they will be. It is one of the reasons that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, was waiting to get the initial report before finalising the terms of reference. For example, much comment has been made about the media coverage of these cases. That may well form part of a range of issues which need to be considered. On any necessary matters which...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Ombudsman for Children is the appropriate person to investigate this. At its core, this investigation is about the removal of children into care and then going before the courts system, which must happen as soon as a section 12 action is taken and the HSE gets involved. It involves the relationship or involvement of two agencies - the Garda Síochána and the HSE social workers...

Other Questions: Budget 2014 (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy knows, the legislation is going through the House. I expect the agency to be established in January following the successful enactment of the Child and Family Agency Bill, which we are currently considering. I thank Deputies Ó Caoláin and Troy for their support for the passage of that legislation. I know everybody is committed to ensuring the agency works...

Other Questions: Budget 2014 (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes. Five inspectors are being recruited at present. A budgetary allocation of €500,000 for extra inspectors is being made in the budget for next year. Extra inspectors will be recruited in 2014. Decisions on where they will be based will be made by the national director who is managing that service at present. A capital allocation has been made in the case of Oberstown. The...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Establishment (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will revert to the Deputy on the last question because I do not have those details with me. I will communicate directly with her on those 60 posts. The 2014 budget included an additional €12 million in a full year to support the ongoing programme of reform of child welfare and protection services. The Deputy is right that there is ongoing pressure on the services. There is no...

Other Questions: Budget 2014 (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Estimate provision for my Department in 2014 will amount to €449 million. The allocation consists of €414 million in current expenditure and €35 million in capital expenditure. This level of investment demonstrates that while operating within difficult budgetary constraints, this Government is strongly committed to delivering important reforms and service...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy should be concerned about the detail in the report, which outlined serious and ongoing failures that were not actively managed. HIQA officials go in to inspect residential facilities. They went in and they found serious difficulties so much so that there was active involvement and engagement by HSE staff, including the director. Instead of criticising the director, we should...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Establishment (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy made her comments during the debate on the legislation to establish the new agency, the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013, which is progressing through the Oireachtas. The agency will be established on 1 January 2014. It will assume responsibility for a wide range of services for children, including child welfare and protection services currently operated by the HSE, preschool...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will ensure the Deputy gets a reply to that letter. As he will be aware, the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, recently published a report into Rath na nÓg high support unit outlining serious concerns. As I have said previously, Gordon Jeyes, the HSE's national director for children and family services, had met HIQA officials in September and had discussed the report...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let us put this in context. More than 6,000 children are in care in Ireland. A tiny proportion, 0.3%, and that is rightly so, are in residential care. They represent some of the children and young people in Ireland who are most in need of specialist care, protection and intervention. Poor standards cannot be accepted when working with our young people in any setting. The closure of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My question to the Deputy is why, when in government, his party gave back more than two thirds of the funds for the early child care supplement, that is, of the €480 million that was allocated to child care at the time? Had that money been retained and invested in child care services, it would have gone a long way towards providing free child care but not a cent of it was reinvested...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is something in which the State should be investing increasingly because it is an economic imperative, as well as being a personal imperative for the families. As the OECD has noted, we will need to have quality child care available for parents-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: -----in the years ahead in order that work and family life can be combined.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Years Strategy Publication (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I reject the Deputy's comments, as for the first time an early years strategy is in place. I remind the Deputy it is the first time there has been a national early years policy. It is the first time in recent years that a group has been established to specifically examine the sector and to make a series of recommendations that effectively will form the framework for the recommendations on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records Provision (12 Nov 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is different here because we have a Constitution that respects privacy and there are real issues in this regard. My approach to the legislation has been to make it as broad as possible in order that people can access information. These are the instructions I have been given and that is the way I have been working. I have been getting legal advice all the way through and I intend to...