Results 1,681-1,700 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 -2010, under which the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme is implemented. Under the previous childcare support scheme, the EU/Exchequer co-funded Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) 2000 -2006, community-based, not for profit childcare providers with a strong focus on...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have been honest, fair and I have said that Fr. Healy had other things to say about it. Deputy Costello can quote as he wishes, but it is important that the key issue of this budget is the fairness of the tax regime. If Fr. Healy has said that it is fair, there must be some grain of truth in that. The other major development in the budget is in regard to the banking issue. Everybody in...

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: I want to pay tribute to the CECDE which is now being subsumed into my office for the work it has done. It was only set up for the purpose of developing this quality framework and again it is fortuitous that Síolta is now available to be rolled out and to ensure quality during the pre-school year throughout the country. In tandem with the curriculum and the framework for early learning,...

Medical Cards. (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: I will take this Adjournment on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. The assessment of eligibility for medical cards and general practitioner visit cards is statutorily a matter for the Health Service Executive and is determined following an examination of the means of the applicant and his or her dependants. Under section 45 of the Health Act...

Medical Cards. (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: Under the new arrangements, the HSE will aim for a turnaround time of 15 days or fewer for all medical card and GP visit card applications. Emergency applications will be dealt with immediately with a card issuing within 24 hours. While there are no plans to close any of the local health offices that currently process medical card and GP visit card applications, the process will involve a...

Medical Cards. (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: I will take this adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. Under the Health Act 2008, automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons aged 70 or over ceased on 31 December 2008 and with effect from 1 January 2009 the income thresholds for entitlement to a medical card for those aged 70 or over is €700 gross per week for a single person...

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the debate on this budget. This is a challenging time, as the Minister of State, Deputy Devins, and other speakers outlined. The challenge that faced us during the past few weeks in preparing this budget was to try to strike a right balance between showing the nerve and the political will to make the changes and fiscal adjustments necessary without...

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: The following quote is useful. It states, "The impact of the tax changes in this budget are progressive, those who have more will pay more, while those who have less will pay less." This is also the situation when we analyse the cumulative impact of all Government initiatives in this area for 2009. The quote goes on to state, "The changes introduced in the public sector's pension related...

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: We tend to be partisan. With the best will in the world, we tend not to be generous with each other and somewhere in the middle perhaps the truth can be found. In a test of the fairness of this budget, I acknowledge Fr. Seán Healy's insight into these matters.

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: As part of its work programme for 2009, the National Youth Work Advisory Committee is currently reviewing the progress made on the implementation of the 2003-2007 Plan in the general context of youth work policy and practice in Ireland and the next steps which might be taken with regard to future planning development. When this work is completed, the Committee will submit its comments and...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, with the economic downturn, a review of capital expenditure programmes has been undertaken. While existing capital commitments will continue to be processed during 2009 and 2010, it is not possible at this point to approve additional capital grant applications under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 - 2010. I understand that the position is...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 86, 92 and 104 together. The Adoption Bill 2009, which will give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, was published on Friday 23rd January. Under the new legislation, prospective adoptive parents will be able to adopt from countries which have also ratified the Hague...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: Final decisions on the operation in 2009 of the structured programme of youth cafes in are still under consideration. At this stage, the focus of my Office is to bring greater coherence to the approach taken to date, retaining the strong inter-agency element and identifying appropriate models for the future development of youth cafés. Since September 2007 my Office has undertaken a small...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: I presume the Deputy is referring to a 24 hour social work service for children. The Government and the HSE remain committed to the development of a comprehensive needs-based service for children at risk. I personally chair regular meetings between officials from my Office and senior child welfare and protection managers in the HSE aimed at improving the provision of services to children at...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 - 2010. I understand that the person in question received approval in 2008, for capital grant funding under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 -2010, to develop a childcare service in Castledermot, Co Kildare. I also understand that the applicant does not wish...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Children Act 2001, as amended, provides for a number of measures in relation to parental responsibility in respect of children involved in anti-social behaviour and children found guilty of offences. Section 111 of the Act provides that in any proceedings in which a child is found guilty of an offence, the court may make an order for the supervision of the child's parents where it is...

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: Construction of the new National Children Detention Facilities is scheduled to take place on a phased basis so as to ensure the continued operation of the existing facilities. It is anticipated that phase 1 should be completed by end 2012 and phase 2 by end 2014. The Deputy will be aware, however, that tendering for the construction of the new facilities will be subject to Government...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (7 Apr 2009)

Barry Andrews: I presume the Deputy is referring to young persons under 18 years of age who have come into conflict with the law when he mentions "young criminals". The Children Act 2001, as amended, provides the framework for dealing with children who come into conflict with the law. Comprehensive statistics on the number of children who have come into conflict with the law in 2008 are not readily...