Results 16,761-16,780 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: It is intended that the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill will provide for the safeguarding and maintenance of all adoption records in the State with the Adoption Authority having responsibility for ensuring that adopted persons and birth parents have access to their records in accordance with the proposed Bill. However, because all persons have a constitutional right to privacy it is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Numbers (25 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department continues to consider requests for special leave without pay in accordance with the relevant Circulars governing such leave and taking account of the operating requirements of the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Meetings (25 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: On 19th September, the Government published the Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012 which sets out the wording for the proposed Children’s Referendum which has been announced for Saturday 10th of November. Since taking office as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I have engaged extensively with non-governmental organisations and other interested...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is advised that in cases where there is concern for the welfare and protection of a child, a report should be made at the earliest opportunity to the HSE and/or An Garda Síochána as set out in Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. It is in the best interests of the child, his or her family and the person reporting the concern that...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The 2011 Report of the Special Rapporteur for Child Protection, Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, was published on the 24th July 2012. The report is available on the websites of the Oireachtas (www.oireachtas.ie) and of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (www.dcya.ie). The report is a wide ranging report and makes a series of recommendations in relation to child protection and the criminal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Absenteeism (20 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 to 204, inclusive, together. Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 all recognised schools are obliged to submit an Annual Attendance Report to the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), which operates under the remit of my Department, on the levels of school attendance each year. The Deputy may be aware that I launched the publication of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (20 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme was introduced in September 2010 and is implemented by my Department. The CETSprogramme provides €145 towards the weekly cost of full time childcare places to participating childcare services for qualifying FÁS and VEC students for the duration of their course. Students on part-time courses are funded on a pro rata...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (20 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Adoptions from Russia, effected under the transitional arrangements provided for in the Adoption Act 2010, are ongoing and are currently being examined, and recognised, by the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI). Under the provisions of the legislation, such adoptions may take place up to the end of October 2013. As regards adoptions thereafter, Russia has not ratified the Hague...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Inter-Country Adoptions (20 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Adoptions between Ireland and India must comply with the terms and conditions of the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The Hague Convention is a co-operative agreement drawn up to allow countries to mutually support one another in protecting the best interests of children in the intercountry adoption process. The Adoption...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: United Nations Conventions (19 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is my stated intention to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography in due course following full consideration of the content of the Protocol with my colleague Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter. I recently discussed the issue of ratification of this Protocol in a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children Services Committees (19 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Children’s Services Committees bring together a diverse group of agencies in local county areas to engage in joint planning of services for children. These include representatives from the HSE, local authorities, An Garda Síochána, VECs, National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, Irish Primary Principals Network, NEWB, and other organisations who provide...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency Remit (19 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The final report of the Task Force, which I established to advise on the necessary transition programme to establish a Child and Family Support Agency, made recommendations on a number of key issues. These include recommendations on a range of services, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, which, in the opinion of the Task Force, should fall within the remit of the new...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: United Nations Conventions (19 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is my stated intention to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography in due course following full consideration of the content of the Protocol with my colleague Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter. I recently discussed the issue of ratification of this Protocol in a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children Services Committees (19 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Children’s Services Committees bring together a diverse group of agencies in local county areas to engage in joint planning of services for children. These include representatives from the HSE, local authorities, An Garda Síochána, VECs, National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, Irish Primary Principals Network, NEWB, and other organisations who provide...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Support Agency Remit (19 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The final report of the Task Force, which I established to advise on the necessary transition programme to establish a Child and Family Support Agency, made recommendations on a number of key issues. These include recommendations on a range of services, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, which, in the opinion of the Task Force, should fall within the remit of the new...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (18 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: This matter is appropriate to the HSE and, accordingly, I have forwarded the information to Gordon Jeyes, National Director of Children and Family Services for his attention and consideration.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Health Services Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has brought this matter to the attention of the HSE, and asked that it provide the Deputy with the information requested as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Support Services (18 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Family Support Agency, under my Department, operates the Family Resource Centre Programme. The aim of the Family Resource Centre Programme is to combat disadvantage and improve the functioning of the family unit. There are 107 family resource centres throughout the country funded under the programme. I understand that 12 FRCs have been established in Kerry under the Family Support...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (18 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Health Service Executive (HSE) compiles monthly performance reports which include statistics in relation to children in care. These reports are published on the HSE website. The latest published report shows that there were 6,248 children in State care in June 2012. 5,772 / 92.4% of these children had an allocated social worker. In February 2011, there were 6,015 children in State...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (18 Sep 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that I published the Heads of the Children First Bill in April 2012. The purpose of the Bill is to ensure that organisations and professionals who work with children have a statutory responsibility to report reasonable concerns about the abuse or neglect of children in their care to the HSE Child and Family Services. I asked the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health...