Results 15,821-15,840 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am sure Deputy Troy will agree that many parents out there are finding times very difficult and the cash payments are incredibly important to them, obviously. The point I was making regarding the spend was to explain that we do not have more accessible and affordable child care because the money is going on those cash payments. In terms of the future direction and where the money will be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: We will certainly be examining this in the context of budget discussions for 2014.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Work is well advanced on the establishment of the new child and family agency. Last week,as part of the ongoing preparatory work, the Government approved, on my recommendation, the appointment of Ms Norah Gibbons as first chairperson of the board of the agency. Ms Gibbons has proven herself to be a true champion for reform of children’s services and one of Ireland's leading advocates...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: This situation did not develop overnight. Let us look at what happened in the past 12 years in terms of investment in child care. Of the money invested in child care, 60% went into bricks and mortar, 40% went on direct payment to parents and there was little focus in recent years on building up precisely what Deputy Troy describes, namely, an affordable child care service for parents across...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputy Troy. Since becoming Minister, I have sought, notwithstanding the severe financial constraints faced by the Government, to maintain and increase my Department's investment in early years and child care support programmes. In the budget for 2012, I secured an additional funding requirement of nearly €9.8 million to meet increased demographic pressures and to protect the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As of 31st December 2012, there were a total of 1,457 young people in receipt of aftercare services. The HSE Children and Family Services has developed a National Policy and Procedures Document which sets out eligibility, assessment and service available to young people on reaching 18 years. A key focus is the care planing review process which identifies children as they approach 16 years...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: EU Youth Conference (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am delighted to report to the Deputy on the EU Youth Conference which was the flagship event in the Irish EU Presidency Youth Programme 2013. The European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Ms Androulla Vassiliou, joined me at the opening of the Conference to hear what young people have to say about matters that affect them. The Conference is the highlight...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Strategy (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is developing a new strategy for children and young people. It will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland’s first children’s strategy which was published in 2000 and it will cover the 5-year period from 2013 to 2018. In keeping with my Department’s responsibilities for children and young people, the new Children and Young People’s Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: UN Convention on Children's Rights (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The third Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was opened for signature by member states in February 2012. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1989 and entered into force on 2 September 1990. The UNCRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty, enjoying almost universal ratification by...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Reports (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I very much welcome the publication of the UNICEF's Report Card 11 titled "Child well-being in rich countries". Indeed I was delighted to accept the invitation from UNICEF to launch this report last Wednesday. This was an important event and it was appropriate that it took place in Dublin during Ireland's EU Presidency. The league table represents the latest available overview of child...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: National high support units offer a residential service to children and young people who are in need of specialised targeted intervention. Special care units provide secure residential services to children and young people who are in need of specialised targeted intervention. I am advised that there were currently 10 children placed in national high support units and 15 in special care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have no official responsibility to the Dáil in relation to this matter as the question relates to Guidelines on Reasonable Standard of Living/Reasonable Living Expenses to be prepared and issued by the Insolvency Service of Ireland under Section 23 of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012. The Insolvency Service of Ireland is independent in the exercise of its functions under Section...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Programme for Government commits to developing early childhood care and education as resources allow, and the Government has made a very significant commitment to maintaining the childcare support programmes implemented by my Department. In 2013 the total expenditure by my Department on these support programmes is expected to be in the region of €260 million. These programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125, 160 and 166 together. The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.173m 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bullying of Children (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, I am committed to working with colleagues in Government to ensure that integrated policy responses to combat bullying are high on our agenda. Recent research confirms the scale and impact bullying has on our young people. - My Department’s 'Growing Up in Ireland' study has found that over 24% of 9 to 17 year olds have reported been...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (16 Apr 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 6,353 children in the care of the HSE in January 2013. 87.3% (5,549) of these children had a written care plan and 12.7% (804) did not, while 91.6% (5,810) of children had an allocated social...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Homelessness Strategy (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has engaged the Centre for Effective Services (CES) to undertake a high level review of the implementation of the 2001 Youth Homelessness Strategy. The purpose of the review is to establish the extent that the strategy has been successful, to identify blockages and challenges to its implementation in respect of any outstanding actions and to make recommendations for future...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Strategy (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is developing a new strategy for children and young people. It will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland’s first children’s strategy which was published in 2000 and it will cover the 5-year period from 2013 to 2018. In keeping with my Department’s responsibilities for children and young people, the new Children and Young People’s Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130, 132 and 144 together. 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 in the year before commencing primary school. The Government has made a very significant commitment in maintaining the pre-school year on a universal and free basis despite the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 148 together. As part of Budget 2013 I, together with my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, was pleased to announce a new School Age Childcare initiative which will be targeted at low-income parents availing of employment opportunities. The initiative is expected to receive full year funding of €14 million to provide over 6,000...