Results 16,401-16,420 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Nearly all pre-school services in the State are now participating in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. This programme requires that staff members acting as pre-school year leaders hold a child care qualification equivalent to FETAC Level 5 on the National...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority of Ireland has had extensive dealings with its Indian counterparts (CARA). In 2011, CARA notified the authority that CARA was reviewing its intercountry adoption guidelines and would not be accepting dossiers from Irish applicants either until 30 September 2011 or until further notice. Following several attempts to get clarification from CARA in this regard, a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Lottery Funding (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has a funding provision this year of €500,000 in respect of the National Lottery Funding Scheme. Over 500 applications for grant support have been received from individuals, groups and organisations. The current value of these applications amounts to €15 million which far exceeds the available resources. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that, in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bereavement Counselling Services (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 581 together. The Family Support Agency provides funding to voluntary and community organisations providing marriage, relationship, child and bereavement counselling services. Some 600 organisations are funded each year. These services aim to support people to deal with difficulties they are experiencing in their relationships, to help children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Sector Reform (13 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The objective of the Public Service Agreement is to ensure that the Public Service continues its contribution to the return of economic growth and economic prosperity while delivering excellence in service to the Irish public. This is being achieved by staff and management, at all levels, working together to build an increasingly integrated public service which is leaner and more effective...

Seanad: Matter raised under Standing Order 30 (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senator Norris. I want to start by calling for the focus to be kept on the substance of the amendment that is being put to the people two days from now, the primary objective of which is the protection of children. When we debated the Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012 in this House at the beginning of last month, it was clear that there was great...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The 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 the universal free pre-school year. In the current pre-school year approximately 65,700...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides for one free preschool year for all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. The programme includes a number of additional provisions to take account of children with special needs. These include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification under the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The multiannual allocations for each Government Department, including the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, were set out in the Report of the 2011 Comprehensive Review of Expenditure. That Report contained the gross expenditure ceilings within which expenditure was to be managed over the medium term along with savings targets for 2013 and 2014. The expenditure review identified...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Bodies (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. I have set out in tabular format below a list of these Agencies. I can confirm that no quasi-Governmental organisations come under the remit of my Department. Agencies under the remit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs National Educational Welfare Board...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, I announced last week that €2.25 million in capital funding would be made available for youth cafés, youth projects and play and recreation initiatives between now and the end of 2013. In 2012, €500,000 will be provided for the development of a number of youth cafés which had applied for previous youth café funding schemes....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Sector Pensions (8 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of agencies under the aegis of my Department is set out below: Range Number of Pensioners €0-€10,000 92 €10,001 - €20,000 22 €20,001 - €30,000 16 €30,001 - €40,000 2 €40,001 - €50,000 2 €50,001 - €60,000 - €60,001 - €70,000 -...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad] - Financial Resolution: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move:That provision be made in the Act giving effect to this Resolution for the payment of a levy as respects- (a) milk received for processing, (b) an animal slaughtered in an establishment, registered or approved or required to be registered or approved for the purposes of an act adopted by an institution of the European Union, used for the slaughter of animals, or (c) an animal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Rights Referendum (7 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a provision of €3 million in the Vote of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs relating to the cost of holding a Constitutional Referendum on Children’s Rights. Of this €3m, the Department has allocated €1.9 million to the Referendum Commission for the performance of its statutory functions. The breakdown of this amount will become available when...

Estimates for Public Services 2012: Motion (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move:That leave be given by the Dáil to introduce the following Supplementary Estimate for the service of the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2012:–Vote 35 — Army Pensions (Supplementary Estimate).

Estimates for Public Services 2012: Referral to Select Committee (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move:That, subject to leave being given to introduce the following Supplementary Estimate for the service of the year ending on 31st December 2012, the Supplementary Estimate be referred to the Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, pursuant to Standing Orders 82A(3)(c) and 159(3) and paragraph (8) of the Orders of Reference of Select Committees, which shall report back to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information sought by the Deputy will be provided this week.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has not rehired any staff since March 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Missing Children (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 947 to 949, inclusive, together. The Universal Service Directive requires Member States to "make every effort to ensure that citizens have access to a service operating a hotline to report cases of missing children. The hotline shall be available on the number 116 000." The same Directive also requires Member States to "ensure that citizens are adequately...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (6 Nov 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE has advised that this report is currently subject to detailed internal considerations with relevant staff to ensure learning is maximised and further action is taken as appropriate. The report will be published in early 2013. The HSE also advised that there was an immediate management review and a series of changes including appointment of a new Unit Manager; reduction in capacity...