Results 16,121-16,140 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (30 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The 1991 Childcare Act provided for regulation of the pre-school sector. However, there was a recognition at the time of the difficulties of regulating the childminding sector, given its scale and the strong view that women should not be subject to regulation if they minded a small number of additional children. As a result, the majority of childminders are exempt from the Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foreign Adoptions (30 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Russia has not ratified the Hague Convention future adoptions from Russia, beyond those provided for under the transitional arrangements, may only be possible under a bilateral agreement. The negotiation of bilateral agreements on intercountry adoption with states who have not ratified the Hague Convention is governed by Section 73 of the Adoption Act 2010. It is the role of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (30 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware of concerns raised by prospective adoptive parents whose declarations for eligibility and suitability to adopt will expire on 31 October 2103. The Adoption Act 2010 requires that these applicants must apply to the HSE under Section 37 of the Adoption Act 2010 for assessment and issuance of a declaration of eligibility and suitability to adopt. I have asked the AAI to advise me...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (29 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The School Completion Programme (SCP) aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of its target cohort. The SCP is one of three service strands, which also includes the Home School Community Liaison and the Education Welfare Service, being integrated under the remit of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (29 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Capital funding grants were available to both community and commercial child care providers in the years between 2000 and 2008 for the development and refurbishment of child care facilities, with approximately €425 million being invested during this period. However, because of the economic situation, a review of capital expenditure was undertaken in 2009 and a decision was taken not...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (29 Jan 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 €51.423m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Funding of over €1m is provided by my Department, through...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (29 Jan 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 and the Authority informs me that it expects to finalise these arrangements in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency (29 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Task Force on the establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency reported in July 2012. The work of the Task Force informed the development of detailed legislative proposals to Government, covering a range of areas including the function and services to be overseen by the Agency, governance structures and implementation arrangements. Arising out of these proposals, the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (29 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under adoption legislation, when a child is registered on the Register of Adoption the child is deemed to be the fully legal child of the adoptive parent/couple, having exactly the same legal status as any biological child of the couple born to them within their marriage. In effect, once an adoption takes place, all previous links to the birth family are severed and the adopted person is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Service Reform Plan Update (29 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children's Office (OCO). In July 2011, the Government decided that the Family Mediation Service should transfer from...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (29 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In order to effect an intercountry adoption, prospective adoptive parents must hold a valid declaration of eligibility and suitability on the day of the Court judgement in the country of origin where the adoption is taking place. All declarations of eligibility and suitability issued under Section 63 of the Adoption Act, 2010, expire on 31 October 2013. However, following discussions between...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (29 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware that a number of prospective adoptive parents have been asked to pay substantial fees to ARC within a short time frame. I recently met with a representative group of parents hoping to adopt from Bulgaria. Issues relating to the level of fees charged by an accredited body (ARC) are a matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) and are covered in some detail by the Adoption...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (29 Jan 2013)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Unemployment Measures (24 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: Ireland’s EU Presidency Programme focuses on stability, jobs and growth and this includes a priority objective on tackling youth employment. A range of relevant responses to the employment challenge are being pursued at European level through Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) and the Education Committee. Youth employment is a theme which I will...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Meetings (24 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have not met any representatives of the tobacco industry in the last six months, nor have any of my officials.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (22 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (22 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: In Budget 2012 the Government provided €6 million for remedial, maintenance, and renovation work and/or to purchase equipment for early education and childcare services. This funding has been allocated. A capital allocation of €3.25m for childcare facilities is available to my Department in 2013, and I am currently considering how this allocation can best be utilised for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (22 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 574 together. All inter country adoptions must meet the requirements of the Adoption Act 2010 including the provisions of the Hague Convention on Inter Country Adoption. Ethiopia is not a signatory of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. In these circumstances, future adoptions from...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency (22 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Task Force on the establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency reported in July 2012. The work of the Task Force informed the development of detailed legislative proposals to Government, covering a range of areas including the function and services to be overseen by the Agency, governance structures and implementation arrangements. Arising out of these proposals, the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (22 Jan 2013)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 to 571, inclusive, together. My Department has begun work on Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy which will provide an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland’s Early Years sector aimed at providing a coherent approach to seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to the age of six. One of the policy...