Results 16,201-16,220 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Other Questions: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: This question was transferred from the Department of the Taoiseach. I met Government colleagues and senior officials on 8 November to discuss the ruling delivered by the Supreme Court in the McCrystal case on that day. Subsequently, discussion of the Supreme Court ruling featured in various meetings with Department officials and colleagues in the intervening period. Further to the meeting...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I appreciate the work of the county child care committees, which carry out excellent work around the country and will be involved in this. An expression of interest form will be circulated in early January to the county child care committees for onward transmission to all the sets providers in each county child care committee area to establish their interest in participating in the extended...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The task force on the establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency reported in July of this year. 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...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Some 500 places will be available on a pilot scheme early in the new year, hopefully around March. The full 6,000 places will be available - that is fully the intention - from September 2013. A new initiative at a time of severe difficulties in our finances must be welcome. I acknowledge that child care provision in this country has not got the attention it has deserved over the years....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: September.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The composition of the board of the child and family support agency is under consideration. While the composition of the board will reflect the component organisations being amalgamated into the child and family support agency, it is important for such an agency that the criteria for board membership ensure board members have the requisite mix of experience and competence needed to steer...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I take the Deputy's point but I hope he accepts what I am saying about the skills level that will be essential to lead such an organisation in terms of human resources, accountancy and standards. We have discussed the findings of the independent child death review group that state we have not had standard models for risk assessment or proper inter-agency work. There has been a huge deficit...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Care Services (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As part of the budget for 2013, together with my colleague the Minister for Social Protection, I was pleased to announce a new after school child care initiative which will be targeted at low-income families and supporting parents availing of employment opportunities. The initiative is expected to receive full year funding of €14 million to provide more than 6,000 quality after school...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My reply to that question has to be that there is a hearing in the High Court. To give further comment would not be the right thing to do. I recognise the importance of that case and of not making any comments that might prejudice its outcome.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Support Agency (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government has approved the heads of the child and family support agency Bill and has also agreed to the priority drafting of this Bill. The necessary legislative and organisational preparations are being prioritised in order that the agency can be established early in 2013. From its establishment the child and family support agency will have service responsibility for a range of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: While I would like to engage in a long debate on the issues raised, I reiterate that I am constrained in terms of the hearing in January. The issues raised will be considered by the Government. In the conduct of future referendums I am committed to working within the parameters of the judgment delivered. I agree with the Deputy that we must carefully consider the conclusions of the court....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: It certainly was not. In fact, the highest court in the land disagrees with what the Deputy said and accepts the bona fides of myself and my Department in this regard. However, I accept that the Government, as the court has found, in attempting to fulfil its duty to inform the people strayed beyond the boundary in the provision of information to the electorate. I readily accept and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to reiterate the need to be mindful of court proceedings with regard to the referendum result and the particular constraints which I face as a defendant in the High Court application at this stage. I should point out that the activities of the Referendum Commission in respect of the recent referendum were funded by way of an allocation of €1.9 million from the sum of €3...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I remind the Deputy that the Government is defending a petition in the High Court. Recognising the separation of Parliament and Judiciary, moreover, I have no wish to, and will not, prejudice the upcoming hearings. I am sure my parliamentary colleagues will respect and accept the position I am in. Ms Justice Denham stated in regard to the case: "In all the circumstances of this case, as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children's Rights Referendum (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform Deputies that the High Court is currently hearing an application for leave to petition the court under the provisions of the Referendum Act 1994 to question the validity of the provisional referendum certificate issued by the referendum returning officer in respect of the children's referendum poll held on 10 November. That petition stands adjourned until January 2013. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As part of the ongoing ‘change agenda’ in Child and Family services I am committed to developing the capacity of our child protection services to appropriately and effectively address the needs of children who present in emergency situations outside of normal working hours. Two out-of-hours pilot projects, one in Donegal and the other in Cork, were commenced by the HSE in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Responsibilities (18 Dec 2012)

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. My priorities for 2013 relate primarily to the ongoing implementation of the Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Combatting Cyberbullying (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Minister for Children & Youth Affairs I am concerned about the impact that bullying of any kind. My Department’s 'Growing Up in Ireland' study has found that over 24% of 9 to 17 year olds have reported been bullied. A recent EU study to examine the safety of children on the internet found that 4% of children between the ages of 9 and 16 in Ireland experienced online bullying...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Aftercare Service (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that I am currently examining options, in association with the Attorney General, to strengthen legislation to make explicit the HSE's obligations in the provision of aftercare. In this regard, the National Director for Children and Family Services in the HSE was asked to prepare a report on aftercare to guide the development of policy to underpin the strengthening of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Care Placements (18 Dec 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are three designated special care units in the country where children are detained on order of the high court for their own safety. There is a unit in Ballydowd in Dublin, Gleann Álainn in Cork and Coovagh House in Limerick. There are two National High Support Units in Ireland, Rath Na nÓg, Castleblaney and Crannóg Nua, Portrane. As of the 23rd October 2012, there...