Results 15,841-15,860 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133, 135 and 139 together. My Department is currently developing a new Children and Young People’s Policy Framework which will set out high-level goals for both my own and other Departments for the next five years. The Policy Framework is expected to be published in mid 2013 and will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland’s first...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: On March 14th I lead a delegation to India which included Dr G Shannon, Chair of the Adoption Authority of Ireland and a Departmental Official. The visit, which was in conjunction with representing the Irish Government at official functions in India for St Patrick's Day, afforded me the opportunity to assess the position in relation to inter country adoption in India. During the visit...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: At present the Health Service Executive provides out-of-hours emergency services for children at risk in the greater Dublin area through the Crisis Intervention Service (CIS), and outside the greater Dublin area through the Emergency Place of Safety Service (EPSS). The Crisis Intervention Service provides out-of-hours emergency social work assistance to young people aged under 18 years. The...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137, 143 and 156 together. The Deputy will be aware that I published the Draft Heads and General Scheme for the Children First Bill 2012 on the 25th of April 2012 and immediately referred the Heads of Bill to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for consideration and advice. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children published their...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 145 together. The free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. In line with the Programme for Government, my Department has made a significant commitment to maintaining this...

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: Child Care Services (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that I am currently examining options, in association with the Attorney General, to strengthen legislation regarding the provision of aftercare. I have recently held round-table discussions with HSE, service providers, advocates and the voluntary sector in relation to the recent improvements in aftercare service delivery and the proposed legislative change. My...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Issues (16 Apr 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: Youth Services (16 Apr 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 €53.173m 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 supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding of €53.173m, including €1.75 for a new capital funding programme, has been provided to my Department in 2013 for the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country through a number of schemes. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The General Scheme and Heads of Bill of the proposed Adoption (Amendment) Bill was published in September 2012 in conjunction with the publication of the referendum proposal to inform the public of proposed changes to adoption law envisaged if the Constitutional amendment was approved. The Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children was established in 2007 to examine the...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department was set up to drive the delivery of key commitments in relation to children and young people. The Department was established in June 2011 with a mandate to put in place a unified framework of policy, legislation and provision across Government in respect of children and young people. The responsibilities of my Department encompass a wide range of policy and service activity,...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 155 together. 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...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Two separate review processes are being undertaken in respect of child protection practices in the Catholic Church in Ireland. The HSE is involved in a two-phase audit exercise. The report of phase 1, covering safeguarding arrangements in twenty-four Catholic dioceses, was published in October, 2012. The second phase involves a review of safeguarding practice in respect of approximately 140...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: HIQA undertakes inspection of foster care services against the National Standards for Foster Care, under Section 69 of the Child Care Act 1991. The purpose of foster care inspections is to review compliance with regulations and standards to support safe quality care for children placed in foster care. HIQA's inspection methodology includes interviewing HSE managers and social workers, a...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: In the HSE social workers receive training from Children and Families Services Trainers through a variety of standardised training programmes and complementary training modules that are delivered on the basis of locally identified need. Child and Adolescent Mental health issues are delivered on the basis of locally identified need. Child and Adult Mental health issues are complex and can be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Death Review Group Report (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I indicated when I published the report of the Independent Child Death Review Group (ICDRG) that I welcome the findings and recommendations of this report, and that I accept fully the need for action in the areas identified. At an operational level the HSE has developed an implementation plan which responds to each of the recommendations in the Review Report. This plan identifies persons...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Cross-Border Projects (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. Funding of €53.173m has been provided to my Department for the provision of youth services in 2013. Funding is provided by my Department to a number of programmes which...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 1090 together. The report of the child neglect audit, which is a composite report including the findings from the Roscommon area, will be published shortly. I will contact the Deputy directly when the details are confirmed. The report is a composite work covering three audits in Roscommon, Waterford and Dublin. A decision was taken within the HSE to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Cross-Border Projects (16 Apr 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The ongoing North South work of my Department takes place under the auspices of the North South Ministerial Council. The North South Ministerial Council meets in Sectorial Format to oversee co-operation in agreed areas/sectors. At these Sectorial meetings the Irish Government is represented by the Minister or the Minister of State responsible for that Sector, and the Northern Ireland...