Results 16,461-16,480 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children and Family Services (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The purpose of the proposed constitutional amendment is to recognise children in their own right within the Constitution. It also acknowledges that each child enjoys rights and deserves certain protections from the State by virtue of the fact that, as a child, he or she is vulnerable. The referendum will not address all wider issues that impact on children. This referendum is the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Children and Family Services (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have often said, the referendum is one aspect of our serious intentions to deliver on children’s rights and services. The broader issue is how we deliver services and available funding. That is why I was pleased to get the additional moneys last year, such as the extra €13 million to provide an early intervention family support system for all three and four year olds. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bullying of Children (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The scale of bullying in Ireland remains a matter of grave concern. This is borne out by recent research findings. My Department’s Growing Up in Ireland study found that more than 24% of nine to 17 year olds have reported being bullied. The Anti-Bullying Centre in Trinity College Dublin has found one in four girls and one in six boys have been involved in cyberbullying either as a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Unemployment (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The European Commission’s draft EU Youth Report on the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (EU Youth Strategy 2012-2018) looks at the situation of young people in the European Union and evaluates the progress made in achieving the overall objectives of the Commission’s EU Youth Strategy during its first three-year cycle (2010-2012). It also serves as a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 18 and 28 together. The Adoption (Information and Tracing ) Bill continues to be a priority of mine. While the drafting of the Heads of Bill is at an advanced stage in my Department and consideration of the policy issues in relation to all aspects of the proposed Bill is ongoing, it is intended that the proposed legislation will provide for a structured...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Children's Strategy (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The National Children’s Strategy was published in November 2000. The three national goals of the strategy are that: 1) Children have a voice in matters which affect them; 2) Children's lives be better understood; and 3) Children receive quality supports and services. The National Children’s Strategy has had considerable impact and has informed the development of a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The recent publication of the HSE’s diocesan audit report represented the culmination of a long process of engagement between the HSE and the diocesan authorities, to establish the position with regard to the Catholic Church, in terms of the safeguarding of children and on responding to allegations of child sexual abuse against members of the clergy. The Audit highlights recent...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Reports (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I indicated recently in my written response to the Joint Committee for Health and Children, the audit report is being submitted this week to the HSE’s National Director for Children and Family Services, Mr. Gordon Jeyes. It is planned to publish the report by the end of the year. There is no delay in publishing the report, which is a composite work covering three audits in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Play Facilities (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The development of play and recreation policy is an important objective for my Department because of the positive social and developmental impact of play in the lives of children and young people and its significance in promoting active healthy lifestyles. As the Deputy is awareReady, Steady, Play: A National Play Policy, published in 2004, provides a framework for the development of public...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 39 together. Last week, I described the findings of the recent report by the Inspector of Prisons as shocking and unacceptable. I have discussed the content of the report in detail with Mr Shatter, Minister for Justice and Equality and Government colleagues and I have been assured that the action plan which has been drawn up by the Irish Prison...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The policy of the HSE is to place children in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community. There were 6,258 children in the care of the state in July 2012, the vast majority of whom were in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The last decade has seen a growing awareness of the fact of child abuse and neglect and its damning impact on the lives children through-out their adult lives. As a society we know that all families need informal supports and that some families in particular need specific supports to care for their children safely and adequately. We have learned through hard lessons that all services that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the HSE that the preparatory work on the report is well advanced. I will update the Deputy further when the report is complete.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (25 Oct 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: Ombudsman for Children Reports (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Ombudsman for Children operates under the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002. Responsibility for certain Ministerial functions under this Act came under the remit of my Department with effect from 3 June 2011 by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. 218 of 2011). However, the Ombudsman...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The policy of the HSE is to place children in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community. There were 6,258 children in the care of the state in August 2012, the vast majority of whom were...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Benefit Payments (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department works in close partnership with other Government Departments on a range of cross-cutting issues in relation to both policy and provision as they relate to children and young people. As the Deputy will be aware, Budget 2013 will be announced later this year and in accordance with the engagement process all Ministers and their Departments will have responsibility, in the first...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Services for People with Disabilities (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 30, 32 and 38 together. Angels Quest is a service run in the Disability Sector. Accordingly, this is a matter for my colleague Ms Kathleen Lynch, TD, Minister of State in the Office of Disability and Mental Health at the Department of Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE provides a wide range of services to children and families in the context of the Child Care Act, 1991 and other child care and related legislation. Services are planned and delivered in the context of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and national child care policy which provides, inter alia, that services and staff will be: - Child Centred: the best interests of the child...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Guidelines (25 Oct 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, which I published in 2011, provides clarity and guidance for individuals and organisations in identifying and responding appropriately to child abuse and neglect. It also sets out what organisations that care for or work with children should do to ensure they are safe whilst in the care of the organisation. The...