Results 1,521-1,540 of 1,921 for speaker:Denise Mitchell

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 40 - Department of Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (7 Mar 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I apologise for being late. I refer to the recruitment of social workers. The Minister spoke passionately about the recruitment and retention of staff. I would appreciate if she could update the committee on the numbers who have been recruited and how we can retain current staff. I ask the Minister to bear with me because I will probably get this wrong. Under the context and impact...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 40 - Department of Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (7 Mar 2018)

Denise Mitchell: Could the Minister give us a timeframe between when contact is first made and when a child is allocated a social worker? How long a period are we looking at? What is the timeframe?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Business of Select Committee (27 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I agree with the Chairman because my understanding is that Scouting Ireland itself is undertaking a review-----

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Business of Select Committee (27 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: -----and it will take a few months. Therefore, it would probably be best, if we were to call them in, to do so afterwards-----

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Business of Select Committee (27 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: -----because they may come in and not be able to answer anything.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Support Bill 2017: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I move amendment No. 27:In page 18, line 3, to delete “at all reasonable times” and substitute “during reasonable working hours”. Section 19 refers to the powers of authorised officers to conduct inspections. We all know that child care centres operate at different hours from the regular workplace. This minor amendment to the section proposes that authorised...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Support Bill 2017: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I will withdraw the amendment.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Support Bill 2017: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I move amendment No. 31: In page 25, to delete lines 17 to 22 and substitute the following: “ Child and Family Agency To enable participation in a childcare service as part of the provision of child care and family support services by the Child and Family Agency to promote the welfare of children who are in need of additional care or protection. "...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Legislative Measures (27 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: 470. To ask the Minister for Health when Parts 2 and 3 of the Child and Families Relationship Act 2015 will be commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9832/18]

Digital Safety Commissioner Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I welcome the Bill introduced by my colleague Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire and I welcome that the Government will not oppose the Bill. Digital safety, and in particular the safety of young people online, has been a major news story in recent weeks. Many parents feel out of their depth when it comes to the use of technology. Meanwhile, children are growing up with it and are far more...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: We all agree that the school completion programme was a very important part of Delivering Equality of Opportunities in Schools, DEIS, funding. It provided supports for children who had issues in school and particularly children who were likely to leave school early. We have to acknowledge what it did. It included supports in school, after-school programmes and summer camps. It does...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: It is worth highlighting that, each year, the local governance committee must be advised on a proposal which is subject to scrutiny by Tusla to obtain that year's budget. Issues such as target lists, if deemed too ambitious, can hinder the allocation of a budget. Until a proposal is suitable to Tusla, no budget will be allocated. I find it extraordinary that, if we have a scheme that has...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: We have met co-ordinators who say, when they bring proposals-----

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: -----Tusla is responding to say it is too ambitious.

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: 7. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the publication of a formal new school completion strategy is to be expected; the reforms she is considering on foot of the report from the expert group in the summer of 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8929/18]

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: Will the Minister indicate when we can expect the formal new school completion strategy to be published? What reforms is she considering on foot of the report submitted by the expert group last summer?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: 2. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied that Tusla is implementing the recommendations aimed at rectifying shortcomings identified in the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts periodic report of September to October 2017; the correspondence she has had with Tusla on the issues raised in the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9029/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I ask the Minister if she is satisfied that Tusla is implementing the recommendations aimed at rectifying governance shortcomings identified in the Committee of Public Accounts report of September to October 2017. What correspondence has she had with Tusla regarding the matter raised in the report?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I thank the Minister for her reply. She will agree that some of the findings were very worrying when it comes to public money being spent and whether there has been proper oversight by Tusla. I specifically refer to paragraph A.21, which indicates that Tusla could not identify where €700,000 was spent. The Comptroller and Auditor General had to figure out where the money was spent,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (22 Feb 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I thank the Minister. I recognise that efforts are being made to rectify many of the difficulties faced by Tusla and they are historical. I nevertheless have concerns. I understand that Tusla has said some of the issues are legacy problems, such as the €5.2 million paid in respect of non-competitive processes, including private foster care, interpretation services, insurance and...