Results 17,341-17,360 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 establish a Child and Family Support Agency. The Task Force is chaired by Ms Maureen Lynott and it will base its work on best practice in child welfare, family support and public administration; consistent with the Government's...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 46 and 56 together. The Health Information and Quality Authority may set standards and undertake investigations of pre-school services funded by the Health Service Executive under sections 38 and 39 of the Health Act 2004. However, the overwhelming majority of pre-school facilities in the State are either community-run or commercial facilities, and do not...

Written Answers — Departmental Strategy Statements: Departmental Strategy Statements (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: One of the key objectives of my Department is to collaborate with stakeholders in monitoring and promoting the physical wellbeing of children and young people and reducing inequalities. The Government has prioritised action to tackle childhood obesity. This requires a cross-departmental, cross-agency and multi-faceted response, from all relevant Government Departments and Agencies, including...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 41 together. My Department is aware of the various recommendations from the universal periodic review process and specifically in relation to this matter where the State has agreed to 'examine' the issue of prohibiting Corporal Punishment in the home setting. As the Deputy will be aware, recent research on 'parental styles and disciplines' indicated...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 43 together. In July 2011, I launched the revised Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. The Guidance deals with the recognition, reporting and management of child safety concerns. The revised guidance replaces the original version of Children First which was first published in 1999. The HSE as the statutory body...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together. Special care involves the detention of a child under a high court order, for his or her own welfare and protection in a special care unit with on site educational and therapeutic supports. A special care unit provides secure residential service to children and young people whose behaviour is deemed to pose a risk to themselves or others and...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the HSE that there were 22 agency staff employed by the three special care units on 15 March 2012. Nine agency staff were employed in Ballydowd Special Care Unit and six were employed in Gleann Alainn. Prior to closure for its refurbishment, there were seven agency staff employed in Coovagh House. The agency staff and young people from Coovagh House transferred to Ballydowd...

Written Answers — Foster Care: Foster Care (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act, 1991(as amended) the Health Service Executive (HSE) has a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. If a child is in need of care and protection and is unlikely to receive it at home, the HSE has a duty to ensure they receive appropriate care. The majority of children in care are in foster care. There are a...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (22 Mar 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...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is leading an initiative to develop and implement a planning model for local interagency working to improve outcomes for children. This is known as the Working Together for Children initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to work towards better developmental outcomes for children through more effective integration of policies and services in particular through the...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Adoption Act, 2010, which was commenced on 1st November 2010, coincided with Ireland's formal ratification of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The purpose of the Adoption Act, 2010, is to improve standards in both domestic and intercountry adoption. The Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) is an independent statutory body...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act 1991 children should, in the first instance, be supported to remain with their families. Children should only be taken into care where the HSE has identified abuse or the risk of abuse, including neglect that cannot be prevented or resolved without the child being received into care. The HSE has informed me that in 2010 1,251 children were admitted to care due to...

Written Answers — Constitutional Amendment on Children: Constitutional Amendment on Children (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: Since taking office, both myself and officials of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs have had a very considerable number of meetings and communications with the Attorney General and her officials to progress this commitment. A draft wording is being prepared by the Office of the Attorney General in co-operation with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. We are jointly...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) was established under the Health Act, 2007 and replaced the Social Services Inspectorate. HIQA is an independent authority responsible for driving quality, safety and accountability in residential services for children, older people and people with disabilities in Ireland. HIQA develops standards, monitors compliance with standards and...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The policy of the HSE is to place children in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community. The vast majority of children in care are in foster care and residential care. Some children have...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 by my Department. The ECCE programme was introduced in January...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Report into the Roscommon case was published by the HSE on 27th October 2010. Since its publication the HSE has given assurances that practice in assessing and responding to child welfare and protection concerns is being applied to the necessary standard across all regions. The HSE has already stated that it is committed to learning from this and other reports to ensure that services are...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, improving children's outcomes is my primary objective. Early childhood care and education programmes, in particular those that are aimed at low income families, are priorities to enhance children's opportunities for social and educational development, to support parents and to help to break the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage. The network...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (22 Mar 2012)

Frances Fitzgerald: The latest information available from the Adoption Authority is that 200 new Declarations of Eligibility and Suitability have issued since 1 November 2010 to persons intending to adopt from abroad pursuant to Section 40 of the Adoption Act 2010. In addition, pursuant to Section 63 of the Adoption Act 2010, the AAI has issued 563 revised Declarations to persons who were already in possession...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The issues raised by the Deputy are for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.