Results 15,801-15,820 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Other Questions: Inter-Country Adoptions (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Other Questions: Child Care Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issue of local authority commercial rates comes within the remit of the Department of Finance, which has responsibility for fiscal policy, and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, which has responsibility for the local authorities. The Valuation Office, which comes under the remit of the Department of Finance, is responsible for the implementation and...

Other Questions: Inter-Country Adoptions (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I met representatives of the group in question in December 2012 to discuss a number of issues it raised regarding inter-country adoption with Bulgaria. Issues of particular concern included the role of the agencies, Arc Adoption and the ANIDO Association, which have been accredited to facilitate adoptions from Bulgaria, and concerns regarding the expiration of declarations of eligibility and...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The overall policy areas we are examining in the context of implementing a national strategy for children and young people involve the early years group as well as the older age group. The early years group has met and worked hard on its report and much work has been done. We consulted thousands of children. I received a report following a consultation with 68,000 children in primary...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I referred to consultation in the context of the development of the national plan and the Deputy will agree it is necessary to consult young people and hear their views about what needs to change. However, I agree with him about the need to focus on youth unemployment. Clearly, it is a critical area but matching skills is a challenge at European level as well with 2 million jobs available...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bullying in Schools (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I reiterate it is a scourge that destroys lives. It also undermines people's confidence and ability to learn and even to engage with life. I accept what the Deputy says. Many initiatives are needed to deal with it. The recent UNICEF report was very worrying as it highlighted very high levels of bullying in Ireland compared with some other countries. The guidelines issued by the National...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I proposed to take Questions Nos. 114 and 140 together. Action Plan for Jobs 2013 contains actions relating to my Department in two specific areas: child care and youth work. With regard to the action relating to child care, including action 235 in the current 2013 plan, I can confirm that in budget 2013, I announced, together with the Minister for Social Protection, a new €14...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bullying in Schools (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Deputy. I do not underestimate the scale of the challenge. The Deputy has outlined how hidden bullying has been in the past and how facing up to it in schools, for example, can be quite challenging for them. A school sometimes may even feel ashamed it is happening in that school and this probably has been the traditional attitude, which is what we must change. Work is under...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bullying in Schools (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The implementation of the Action Plan on Bullying, which is being led by the Department of Education and Skills, is an important step in the Government’s absolute commitment to working with a broad base of interests to protect children and ensure a safer childhood. I understand that the plan has been well received by the education partners, including school management bodies, teacher...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bullying in Schools (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I was happy to be able to support the work of BeLongTo by increasing its resources for 2013 in order to do this type of work in its local groups throughout the country. The funding I have made available to those youth services will ensure that BeLongTo's local and regional work will continue. That is very much part of the action plan on bullying. Additional information not given on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assure the Deputy that much work has been done on both pieces of legislation. I have already outlined clearly how much work has been done with regard to the child and family agency, at an organisational level and into drafting the legislation. The legislation will have more than 100 heads and is extremely complex. The Attorney General and Parliamentary Counsel have been doing much work...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assure the Deputy that a very significant amount of work has been done with regard to Children First and the agency, and this work is ongoing. Those are two priority Bills for us and we are working on them. I have already explained that I am linking with the Department of Justice and Equality on the Children First legislation and ensuring coherence between the Vetting Bill and the Children...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I appreciate the Deputy's support for this work. However, many of my ministerial colleagues have to take decisions about services they would prefer not to have to take. I am also in that position. That is the reality of the financial situation we face at present.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As with other Departments I must ask services to reform and manage on less. I pay tribute to the work being done. CDYSB can engage in discussions with the organisations the Deputy has mentioned to examine the precise impact. It has assured me that it has had discussions and that the higher cutbacks are being demanded in those organisations that have received the biggest funding and which,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have said in response to a previous question, the legislative priorities for this Dáil session are to introduce the child and family agency Bill, which is substantial legislation taking up a considerable amount of time and resources in my Department, and to finalise a revised general scheme and heads for the Children First Bill. Drafting of the legislation to establish the child...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased that we have been able to keep 90% of the funding in those services. I take the Deputy's point regarding the challenges faced by some of the services. Cherry Orchard, which she mentioned, gets €297,488 and it has been asked to make a 2% saving. The Base, with a budget of nearly €393,000, has been asked to make a 10% saving. I appreciate this is challenging but...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will not go over the details here - the Deputy has heard me speak before about the precise services transferring at present. Deputy Ó Caoláin supports the principle, as does Deputy Troy, that the new agency should not just be a child protection agency but should be concerned with family support and early intervention. If that is to be the reality, a range of services must be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In 2013, my Department will provide some €53.173 million 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 youth services serving some 400,000 young people, delivered by over 1,400 youth work personnel, who in turn support a large volunteer...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The answer to the Deputy's first question is "the current Dáil term". We are not talking about the next number of years.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency Establishment (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, it will be within the current Dáil term. The legislation is very close to finalisation. It is an enormous Bill and I want to be absolutely sure that all the preparatory work is done. I know the Deputy is aware that much work is ongoing in setting up the agency and it is not that we are just waiting for legislation and nothing else is happening. I will set a precise date for the...