Results 17,141-17,160 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 124 and 136 together. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to end the practice of sending children to St Patrick's Institution. This is the central principle of current policy in the area of juvenile detention and facilities. By agreement with the Minister for Justice and Equality, I assumed legal responsibility for the children detention...

Written Answers — Social Work Staff: Social Work Staff (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The latest information from the HSE indicates that 31 social work staff in the children and families care group availed of the early retirement scheme. The HSE is actively reviewing the impact of recent retirements at national and regional level. The National Director of Children and Families Services, Gordon Jeyes, will apply his discretion over the course of the year to the filling of...

Written Answers — Children and Young People's Policy Framework: Children and Young People's Policy Framework (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is developing a new strategy for children and young people. It will build on Our Children - Their Lives, Ireland's first children's strategy which was published in 2000 and it will cover the period from 2012 to 2017. The new children and young people's policy framework is being developed in a holistic way to comprehend the continuum of the lifecourse from infancy, through early...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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. It sets out minimum standards regarding intercountry adoption and covers issues such as subsidiarity, consent and financial considerations. It is designed in such a way as to allow for mirrored...

Written Answers — Adoption Legislation: Adoption Legislation (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Considerable progress has been made in drafting the Heads of Bill for the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2012. The proposed legislation has been included in the legislative programme for my Department for 2012 and it is one of a number of Bills which I intend to introduce in the Oireachtas during the course of this year. It is not possible to give a publication date at this stage.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together. It is not clear from the questions what supports are being referred to and responsibility for dealing with supports for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people is likely to fall to a number of Departments. Within my Department, the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department funds BeLonGTo, a voluntary organisation working with...

Written Answers — Child and Family Support Agency: Child and Family Support Agency (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Approval was granted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the recruitment of a number of key posts to make up the management team for the new Agency. A recruitment process is underway for the following posts; Chief Operations Officer, Head of Corporate and Human Resources, Head of Finance, Head of Policy and Planning, Head of Quality Assurance.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I meet my Government colleagues regularly, both collectively and also bilaterally on specific shared issues. I met with Minister Burton only last week to discuss a number of issues relating to the impact on children and families of the changes made in the Budget. In addition in view of the strong links between the work of our two Departments there is ongoing liaison at official level,...

Written Answers — Ombudsman for Children: Ombudsman for Children (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Ombudsman for Children Act 2002 defines a "child" as a person under the age of 18 years. The remit of the Ombudsman for Children is defined accordingly. I am aware that the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People also defines a child or young person as a person under the age of 18 but extends that definition to include a person under the age of 21 with a disability...

Written Answers — Social Work Staff: Social Work Staff (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government has made additional budgeting provision of €19m for child welfare and protection services compared to the funding made available last year. This compares to a reduction of €14m which was made in the HSE's 2011 National Service Plan which was approved in December 2010. The additional funding made available for 2012 provides further impetus to the comprehensive reform of...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE commissioned an independent consultant to undertake a review of the demand and existing capacity of alternative care placement services, including Special Care, High Support, Foster Care, Residential Care, Emergency Care, Out of Hours, Aftercare and Separated Children Seeking Asylum. The purpose of the review was to audit the current need and current capacity for alternative care...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is currently engaged in a Workforce Planning exercise to compare our current workforce with future workforce requirement relative to the delivery of commitments under the Programme for Government and other strategic objectives of the Department. This exercise is examining how best to have the right people with the right knowledge, skills and competencies deployed appropriately....

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 to 431, inclusive, together. 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. It sets out minimum standards regarding intercountry adoption and covers issues such as subsidiarity, consent and financial...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (15 May 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. The programme emphasises involving local communities in tackling the problems they...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department currently administers the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which provided funding to community not-for-profit childcare facilities to enable them charge reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income families; and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme which provides free childcare places in both community and commercial childcare facilities...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: An audit of neglect cases in Roscommon, Waterford and Dublin South-East has been completed by the HSE. In each area it was determined that a sample 30 cases would be reviewed. The HSE intends to prepare a composite report of the audit in order to maximise the learning from this exercise. The matter of publication will be considered by the HSE when the composite report is completed. I am...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department currently administers three support programmes - the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme and the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme provides funding to community childcare not-for-profit services to enable them to charge reduced...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have an extensive legislative programme to address issues which are within my remit as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Regulatory impact analysis will be conducted at the appropriate time in relation to each Bill. The Children First Bill, which has been referred to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for consideration, will be submitted to Government in due course for...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Adoptions from Ethiopia, 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). These transitional arrangements may lead to adoptions from Ethiopia taking place up to the end of October 2012. The Adoption Act 2010 also contains provision for a one year...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (15 May 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to inform the Deputy that the position in respect of public bodies under the auspices of my Department is that there are four agencies funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Family Support Agency, the National Educational Welfare Board and the Ombudsman for Children. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken...