Results 15,041-15,060 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 1: In page 10, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following:“ “child” means a person under the age of 18 years other than a person who is or has been married;”.The aim of this amendment to section 2 is to ensure clarity about the definition of a child. The proposed amendment is in accordance with the legal advice received. The first print...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am very pleased to bring the Bill before the sub-committee. I pay tribute to the staff in my Department and the officials who have worked so hard on this legislation. I pay tribute also to the Deputies with responsibility in this area, including Deputies Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and Robert Troy, in particular, and the NGOs, the ISPCC, Barnardos, the CRA and many other bodies...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafés Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding in the region of €1 million is available in 2013 from my Department for fit-out, refurbishment works or building enhancement projects for the startup of new Youth Cafés. One of the core functions of a youth café is that it offers support to young people, ranging from practical support to advice through their participation in activities that are of interest to them...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE has advised me that this case is not closed and they are actively engaging with the family in question. The HSE is providing family providing supports via their Liberty Street Service in Cork.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 469, 470 and 473 together. Work is continuing in relation to the preparation of the Heads of Bill of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill. My view is that persons affected by adoption should be provided with a statutory right to as much information as possible within permissible Constitutional boundaries. I am anxious to bring the Heads of bill...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafes Expenditure (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding in the region of €1 million is available in 2013 from my Department for fit-out, refurbishment works or building enhancement projects for the startup of new Youth Cafés. One of the core functions of a youth café is that it offers support to young people, ranging from practical support to advice through their participation in activities that are of interest to them...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: On foot of last week's budget, I will be allocating €4.5m in Exchequer funding to support the implementation of the Pre-School Quality Agenda which will seek to support and assure higher standards in pre-school services. Of this funding, €2.5m is being provided for the introduction of a new mentoring service for pre-school services and €1.5m is provided to support staff...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Estimate provision for my Department in 2014 will amount to €449 million which represents an increase of almost €15 million over its 2013 allocation. This level of funding is especially significant when account is taken of the €9 million in savings, identified in Section C of the 2014 Expenditure Report, which are built-in as a result of commitments made in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Family Services (22 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been advised by the HSE that the premises and resources at Rath na nOg, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan are being re designated to provide services as a child well-being centre. The HSE has also advised that this child well-being centre will provide specialised time limited interventions to children within the catchment area in conjunction with social work services under the auspices of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education Issues (17 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Years Strategy which is one of three, more detailed strategies under the high-level Children and Young People's Policy Framework is currently being developed by my Department. Following my announcement that I would lead the preparation of Ireland's first Early Years Strategy, I appointed an Expert Advisory Group, chaired by Dr. Eilis Hennessy of UCD to advise my Department and I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Supports (17 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Decisions in relation to foster care rates for 2014 have not yet been taken. My Office is currently liaising with the Department of Finance regarding the rates of the Foster Care Allowance to apply.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on budget 2014. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I welcome the measures outlined in yesterday's budget which will support families while seeking to ensure the best outcomes for children, in particular by delivering important investments to underpin real reform for children and families. I welcome the broader economic strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Sexual Offences (16 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE Children and Family Services publishes a wide range of data and information in regard to services provided. Approximately 600 individual child care data metrics are collected. These metrics do not include the total numbers of children who made disclosures of sexual abuse. However, the number of reports to social work departments which may have a sexual abuse component is collected....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (16 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), which operates under the auspices of my Department, has a statutory remit to ensure that 'each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education'. In particular, the NEWB has a key role to respond to instances where children are not attending school regularly, or where there is concern about a child's educational...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Programme (16 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department was established on the 2nd June 2011 and since then I have published the Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012, the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013 and the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2013. A Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013 is published on www.dcya.gov.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (15 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: When a young person becomes known to the HSE, the needs of the young person and their family are assessed in order to identify the most appropriate services which may assist them. Direct services are provided through the HSE Social Work and Family Support Department, or where necessary, a referral may be made to another service, such as the Youth Advocacy Programme. The Youth Advocacy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (15 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 378 together. I have the utmost concern for the position that the prospective adopters who were close to finalising adoptions from Russia now find themselves in following the recent changes to the Russian adoption process. The issue that has arisen is that the changes introduced by the Russian authorities mean that a small number of Irish applicants...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Programme (15 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Amendments of the Child Care Act 1991, including Section 54, are being brought forward as part of legislative changes necessary to provide for the establishment of the new Child and Family Agency. This legislation is currently being finalised in conjunction with Parliamentary Counsel and it is my intention to bring it before the Oireachtas during the current term.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (15 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Child Care Act, 1991 is the primary legislation for regulating childcare policy. The Act currently provides for the making of regulations for pre-school services and amendments to the Act to provide for the regulation of after-school services are being brought forward as part of legislative process for the establishment by my Department of the new Child and Family Agency. This...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafés Provision (15 Oct 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding in the region of €1 million is available in 2013 from my Department for fit-out, refurbishment works or building enhancement projects for the startup of new Youth Cafés. One of the core functions of a youth café is that it offers support to young people, ranging from practical support to advice through their participation in activities that are of interest to them...