Results 17,321-17,340 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 42 and 52 together. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) inspects Special Care Units annually under Section 69 of the Child Care Act 1991. HIQA undertook a full unannounced inspection of Ballydowd Special Care Unit on 3rd and 4th November 2011, as part of their annual inspection programme. The report of the findings from this inspection...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 51 together. The primary legislation governing child care policy is the Child Care Act, 1991. Under this Act the Health Service Executive (HSE) has a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Thus if a child is in need of care and protection and is unlikely to receive it at home, the HSE has a...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 49 together. Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. My Department established and is leading a cross-sectoral Project Team, including representatives of my own Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, ComReg and An Garda Síochána to advance this matter....

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. These include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund (Rounds 1 and 2) and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres, European Youth in Action Programme (administered...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is committed to fundamental reform and transformation of the delivery of our family support, child welfare and child protection services. A number of significant structural and legislative changes are key to effecting such reform. This includes the establishment of the new Child and Family Support Agency with dedicated responsibility for the delivery of child welfare and...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: There were 6,160 children in care at the end of December 2011, 443 of whom were in residential care. Children in residential care are placed in open residential centres run by either the HSE or private/voluntary providers in communities across the country. Typically between 3 and 5 young people live in the centre and are cared for by a qualified team of staff, attend at school and other...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: A structured collaboration with my Department and the Department of Education and Skills has been put in place to ensure that policy developments through the continuum of the early childhood care and education sector and the formal education sector are developed within an overall strategic policy framework for children. The approach adopted is based on the co-location of a unit staffed by...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: In the context of the proposed referendum on children's rights I am very aware of the need to provide clarity around the associated proposals for legislative change regarding adoption. Work is ongoing in the Department in this regard. It is my intention that the adoption proposals will be published in conjunction with the publication of the proposed wording of the referendum.

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Appointment of a guardian ad litem (GAL) is provided under section 26 of the Child Care Act 1991. Under this provision, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to a child who is the subject of care proceedings, if it is satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of the child and in the interests of justice to do so. They are always appointed where a child is subject to Special Care...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government has decided that child welfare and protection services will transfer from the Health Service Executive to the new Agency. It has also decided that the services of the Family Support Agency will similarly transfer. I established the Task Force on the Child and Family Support Agency in September last, to advise my Department in regard to the necessary transition programme to...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The HSE compiles a monthly census of employment in the public health and social care sector. This shows that the total number of social workers employed in the HSE and in directly funded agencies at the end of 2011 was 2,442 whole time equivalents (WTEs). This is an increase of 252 WTEs from the position at end 2009 and reflects the recruitment which has taken place following the...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware that children and teenagers are susceptible to bullying which can emanate from a variety of sources. An unacceptably high proportion of children have been the subject of some form of bullying, and we know that there have in some cases been tragic consequences. According to the 2008 survey "Growing Up In Ireland" the most common form of bullying identified by children who were...

Written Answers — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Child and adolescent mental health services are the direct responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Health, in conjunction with the Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People. I work very closely with both Ministers, as I do with all Government colleagues, in relation to children's matters. Nevertheless, as stated, specific...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for the care and protection of separated children seeking asylum until they reach 18 years of age. Their immediate and ongoing needs as well as their application for refugee status are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in accordance with the Refugee Act, 1996 (as amended) and the Child...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Authority of Ireland is an independent statutory body charged with implementing the Adoption Act, 2010. The Authority has responsibility for the direct operational implementation of legislation and Government policy. 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...

Written Answers — School Absenteeism: School Absenteeism (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the single national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework to promote regular school attendance and tackle the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognised...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I have statutory responsibility for the child welfare and protection services. My colleague, the Minister for Health in conjunction with the Minister for State with responsibility for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People has responsibility for mental health team and disability teams. I work closely with both colleagues, as I do with...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand that in October 2011 the General Scheme of an Education and Training Boards Bill was referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education. The General Scheme was also published at that time. It is also my understanding that the General Scheme has now been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government for formal drafting....

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is currently developing an overarching Children and Youth Strategy 2012 – 2017 which will contain discrete, but complementary, strategies i.e. a Youth Policy Framework and a National Children's Strategy. It is intended that the Youth Work Act, 2001 will be reviewed in the context of the development of the Youth Policy Framework.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that a gross funding allocation of €427 million has been made available to my Department under Vote 40 to support a range of programmes and services in respect of children and youth affairs. Details of the allocation are included in the Revised Estimates of the Public Service 2012 which was published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in February...