Results 15,621-15,640 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (15 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority (AAI) informs me that the following number of intercountry adoptions have been recognised under Section 5, Adoption Act 1991 and Section 57 (2)(b)(ii) of the Adoption Act, 2010 as appropriate: 307 in 2009, 200 in 2010, 188 in 2011, 117 in 2012 and 7 to date in 2013. Figures received from the AAI in relation to domestic adoption registrations are as follows: in 2009,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Education (15 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides for one free pre-school year for all eligible children before commencing primary school. The programme includes a number of additional provisions to take account of children with special needs. These include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the programme where a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Provision (15 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Foster care services in HSE Dublin North West Area have been inspected by HIQA on three occasions since September 2009, the most recent of which took place in October 2012. The purpose of foster care inspections is to review compliance with regulations and standards for all children, interview HSE managers and social workers, a sample of children, carers and birth parents and review files,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (15 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: No such costs were incurred by my Department since its establishment in June 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Abortion Services (14 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested the information from the HSE and I will revert to the Deputy when this information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (14 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.498m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (14 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In 2013, my Department will provide some €53.498m to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. This funding will support youth work programmes and services serving some 400,000 young people, delivered by over 1,400 youth work personnel, who in turn support a large volunteer base of some...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (14 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.498m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (14 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: A delegation from the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) made an official visit to the US State Department in Washington in 2012. Following this visit administrative arrangements in relation to intercountry adoption between the United States of America and Ireland were drafted by the AAI. The AAI and US State Department have recently finalised these administrative arrangements. The AAI...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (14 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested in relation to staff in my Department is set out in the table. Salary Range Number of Staff More than €200,001 0 Between €175,001 to €200,000 1 Between €150,001 to 175,000 0 Between €125,001 to €150,000 1 Between €100,000 to €125,000 11 Between €90,001 to €100,000 2 Between...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (14 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In recognition that Personal Assistants and Personal Secretaries may be required to work overtime from time to time, the Department of Finance Guidelines for Ministerial appointees allows for a maximum of 6 hours overtime per week subject to the normal approval arrangements for these appointees. Since the establishment of my Department in June 2011, my Personal Assistant and Personal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Support Services (14 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I believe the Deputy is referring to the new Child and Family Agency. The Government has approved the Heads of the Child and Family Agency Bill and has also agreed to the priority drafting of this Bill. The necessary legislative and organisational preparations are being prioritised so that the Agency can be established as soon as possible. The Agency, upon establishment, will assume full...

Other Questions: Child Development (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will conclude by saying that I believe the new agency presents us with an opportunity to consolidate and develop effective, evidence-based parenting and family supports.

Other Questions: Child Development (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a huge range of parenting programmes that are in very big demand around the country. Significant numbers of Irish parents are availing of supports out there be they through family resource centres, local voluntary groups or counselling services. We have research about what models of intervention work and that research is coming on stream more and more. For example, we know that...

Other Questions: Ombudsman for Children Reports (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy makes a very reasonable point in regard to reports. Obviously, many reports regarding children and young people are presented to the Department, and the ombudsman's report is a very important one. The Deputy will remember that I said in the Dáil in March 2012, in response to a parliamentary question, that I undertook to consider the recommendations in Ms Logan's report,...

Other Questions: Child Development (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 11 together. The family continues to occupy a central and vitally important place in Irish society, and the quality of family relationships and factors within the home have a huge impact on children's development. In many ways, some of the best descriptions we have seen about the experience of Irish children has been in the recent State of the...

Other Questions: Adoption Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is absolutely no question of stonewalling in this regard. I recognise the importance of this legislation for the many people who are seeking access to more information. As the Deputy knows, many people have found a variety of ways of accessing information themselves. That does not make it less important for us to put the right statutory framework in place. That is what I am trying...

Other Questions: Adoption Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I suggest that the gentleman mentioned by Deputy Wallace who has these adoption records should have a discussion with the HSE or the Adoption Authority of Ireland in relation to the possibility of handing over those records. It seems to me that would be the right thing for this private individual who has access to adoption records from the past to do. As I said, work has already begun with...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Anybody who has access to or who knows about private information or adoption records held in private hands should make that known to the authorities. I am glad that in the case cited by the Deputy, that was done. I accept the Deputy's point regarding the need for the legislation to have a proactive demand that files held elsewhere other than with the statutory authorities, and perhaps...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Adoption Records (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: If one wanted to address that issue comprehensively, it would have to be done through a referendum on privacy issues. The children's referendum was about putting the best interest of the child at the heart of decisions, about hearing the views of the child and about ensuring a broader group of children could be adopted. It was to ensure that children who were in long-term fostering were...