Results 15,661-15,680 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work on the development of Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy for children aged from birth to 6 years, is already underway in my Department. The approach I am taking in developing the Strategy has received Government approval. My intention is to create an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland's early years sector and a coherent approach to seeking...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 23 and 26 together. As part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, was pleased to announce a new After-school Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities. Lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant barrier to many low income and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 27 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Young people who leave State care are entitled to advice, guidance and practical support. This is delivered in partnership with the young person, his or her family, carers, social workers, key or link worker and other statutory, community and voluntary agencies. Before a young person leaves care, a needs assessment is carried out to identify a young person's need for accommodation, financial...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The figures for referrals to the National Review Panel in 2011 and 2012 are as set out in the tables below. Cases referred to the Panel include: - All deaths of children in care, including deaths by natural causes - All deaths of children known to HSE child protection system - Deaths of young adults (up to 21 years of age) who were in the care of the HSE in the period immediately prior to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Internet Safety Issues (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: While the internet undoubtedly presents fantastic opportunities for children, it is equally clear that there is a real opportunity for children to be put at risk by their exposure to material and/or individuals which may be harmful. With the rapid evolution of internet technology, through internet on mobile phones and camera phones, parents need to understand that access to the internet is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: High support units offer a residential service to children and young people who are in need of specialised targeted intervention: they are ‘open’ in that the young person is not detained. High Support differs from ordinary residential care in that the units offer higher staff ratios, on-site education as well as specialised input such as psychology services. High support...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In the first instance, I would like to clarify that the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) is a functional unit of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), a division of the Department of Justice and Equality. RIA is charged with providing accommodation and ancillary services to asylum seekers, that is, adults and their children, under the Direct Provision system while...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Education (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children. 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 child is developmentally delayed and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Adoptions (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Adoption Authority of Ireland that the number of domestic adoption orders made in the period referred to by the Deputy is as follows: Year No. of Domestic Adoptions Orders 2010 189 2011 39 2012 46 Further details in this regard are in the Annual Reports of the Adoption Authority Of Ireland which are available on www.aai.gov.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In September 2012 the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) and the Vietnamese Central Authority for Adoption signed an administrative arrangement for intercountry adoption. The administrative arrangement is the first international arrangement for intercountry adoption entered into by the AAI and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam since both countries ratified the Hague Convention. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE compiles monthly performance reports which include statistics in relation to children in care. These reports are published on the HSE website. The latest published report shows that there were 6,397 children in the care of the HSE in February 2013, of which 5,837 (91.2%) children had an allocated social worker. It is important to note the dynamic nature of children entering and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague the Minister for Social Protection, announced a new School Age Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities. The initiative is expected to receive annual funding of €14 million to provide in the region of 6,000 after-school places for children attending primary school, in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Dialogue (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has always emphasised the importance of regular contact and discussion with key stakeholders in relation to policy and services for children and young people. This includes ensuring that, where appropriate, representative bodies and organisations working with children and young people play a role in the formation of policy. A number of committees and advisory groups are...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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. The proposed legislation is intended to provide for a structured and regulated approach for applicants...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Illegal Adoptions (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issue in Ireland of illegal adoptions relates to illegal registrations, i.e. children who were given at birth to other individuals who registered these children as their own and who are now unable to access personal records and information. I have met with individuals who have found themselves in these circumstance and I acknowledge and empathise with the dilemma that these individuals...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bullying of Children (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 195 and 199 together. My Department is committed to evidence-based policy development and a strong comprehensive research programme is in place; this includes funded research and capacity building programmes, as well as a research infrastructure and dissemination programmes. The National Strategy for Research and Data on Children’s Lives...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (9 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: Child Care Services Provision (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As well as a number of childcare, youth and other programmes, my Department is responsible for the implementation of the free pre-school year in early childhood care and education (ECCE programme). As a result, statistical information in relation to the numbers of children and young people living in Ireland is a crucial factor in my Department’s planning for programme development and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Employment Rights Issues (9 May 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I recently met representatives of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland in relation to these matters. It transpired from our discussions that the issues of concern were primarily in relation to the establishment and protection of employment rights. As such it is a matter for the consideration of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, whose function it is to establish and protect...