Results 16,861-16,880 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (17 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The material requested by the Deputy has now been compiled and is as follows. My Department replied to 309 written parliamentary questions between 1 January 2012 and 31 March 2012. 231 questions were answered in full by my Department, 13 related to issues where details supplied were personal matters and where the reply was supplied directly to the Deputy and 75 indicated that the...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (17 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 702 to 709, inclusive, together. The Government currently supports the provision of early childhood care and education through three support programmes - the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme.These programmes are implemented...

Written Answers — Ministerial Allowances: Ministerial Allowances (17 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Oireachtas (Allowances and Facilities) Regulations 2010 govern the provisions of the Parliamentary Standard Allowance payable to members of the Oireachtas. I can confirm that in addition to the Parliamentary Standard Allowance, Ministers are entitled to claim motor transport in respect of the use of their own private car for official business purposes. Under the motor transport...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (17 Jul 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. The programme funds 107 family resource centres throughout the country. It emphasises involving local communities in tackling the problems they face, and creating successful...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (17 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have no responsibility in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (17 Jul 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. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken responsibility for the Children Detention Schools as provided...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (17 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Pre-school services, including childminding services, are currently regulated under the Child Care (Preschool Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006, as provided for under Part VII of the Child Care Act,1991. Under the regulations, the National Children and Family Office of the Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible generally for inspecting preschool services with the objective of securing...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (17 Jul 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. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken responsibility for the Children Detention Schools as provided...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (17 Jul 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. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken responsibility for the Children Detention Schools (CDS) as...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The only retired public servants employed by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs are two civilian drivers whose positions are coterminous with my position as Minister.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy is not routinely gathered by my Department. I have requested my officials to collect and collate the information required and furnish it directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (12 Jul 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 — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (12 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department will be in correspondence with the Deputy regarding his question this week.

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (12 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has no specific funding allocation to provide for bodies such as that referred to by the Deputy. However it is open to organisations working with or providing services to children and young people to apply to my Department for lottery funding. The criteria for lottery funding and the application form are available on my Department's website, www.dcya.ie.

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (11 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 200 together. 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...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (11 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: A delegation from the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) made an official visit to the US State Department in Washington on 30th March 2012. The AAI reported that meeting was very positive and productive for both sides. Subsequently a Memo of Understanding relating to intercountry adoption between Florida and Ireland drafted by the Authority was transmitted to the US State Department in its...

Written Answers — Adoption Legislation: Adoption Legislation (11 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Tracing services currently provided by the Adoption Authority through the National Adoption Contact Preference Register are available to all adopted persons and birth parents who wish to obtain information about or make contact with a person from whom they have been separated as a consequence of adoption. The Heads of Bill of the proposed Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2012 are...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (10 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 35 together. Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 places a statutory duty on the HSE to form a view in relation to each person leaving care as to whether there is a "need for assistance" and if it forms such a view, to provide services in accordance with the legislation and subject to resources. All young people who have had a care history with the...

Written Answers — Children's Rights Referendum: Children's Rights Referendum (10 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 44 together. The Programme for Government 2011 - 2016 states that the Referendum on Children's Rights is a priority, and that the wording of the proposed referendum will be along the lines of that proposed by the All Party Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children (JCCAC). Both myself and officials of my Department have engaged...

Written Answers — Departmental Functions: Departmental Functions (10 Jul 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that towards the end of 2011, following discussions at Ministerial and Official level and in consultation with the Attorney General, it was agreed that certain youth justice functions would transfer from my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality to myself as the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Advices were received from the Office of the...