Results 17,601-17,620 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Seanad: Hospital-Acquired Infections (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I thank Senator Fitzgerald for raising this very important issue. I wish to express my sympathy to any patients and families who have been affected by this matter. I share the Senator's concerns regarding health care associated infections. I reiterate the Minister's...

Seanad: Hospital-Acquired Infections (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: Senator Fitzgerald's point is important. The putting in place of the infection control steering group chaired by Dr. Pat Doorley is a very important development. It is one I hope will bring rapid progress in this crucial area.

Seanad: Child Care Services (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. The main supports the Government makes available to parents to assist them with their child care costs are child benefit and the early childcare supplement. The latter payment, which is in recognition of the higher child care costs of pre-school children, is the responsibility of my office, and it alone amounts to expenditure of some €500...

Seanad: Child Care Services (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: Quite a number have already been notified and the process will finish in less than 20 days.

Seanad: Child Care Services (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: As Senator McFadden knows, when dealing with public money we must ensure different processes are followed. I know there can be a considerable financial burden when finalising accounts and having audits done. When using public money, the onus is on the Houses of the Oireachtas and statutory agencies to ensure the best possible information is derived. I am not familiar with the matter of...

Seanad: Child Care Services (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I will ask Pobal to investigate the provision of a template to facilitate people and minimise the assistance they need to pay for.

Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007: From the Seanad (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I move: That the Committee do not agree with the Seanad in amendment No.1 to the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007.

Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007: From the Seanad (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am seeking the agreement of the Dáil to two amendments made in the Seanad to the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007. Deputies will note that a third amendment appears on the list of amendments and I will explain the reason later to the House. I need only say a few words on the deletion of section 1 and the transfer of the Short Title commencement section to the end of the Bill....

Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007: From the Seanad (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I will explain the reasoning behind these amendments. I am aware that there is some confusion in the House. Deputies will recall that during the Report Stage debate in this House the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, undertook to consider whether it would be feasible to introduce an amendment creating an offence of having sex with a person trafficked for...

Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007: From the Seanad (30 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Deputies for their positive contribution to the legislation. As Deputy Naughten said, there was a lively discussion in the Seanad on the issue we have just debated. The Department is preparing the criminal law (sexual offence) Bill and it will be in discussion with Ruhama and other organisations about potential provisions. This legislation was extracted from that Bill.

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: The review to which the Deputy refers is part of an extensive regulatory regime which ensures effective governance of services for vulnerable children and families. Under Section 8 of the Child Care Act, 1991 the HSE is required to produce, on an annual basis, a report on the adequacy of the child care and family support services. The purpose of the review was to identify services where...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 58 together. The HSE have informed me that in all cases where there is a serious and immediate risk to the health or welfare of a child, they respond immediately and take appropriate action. They have also informed me that they are committed to addressing the recommendations of the Report of the independent inquiry into the lecturer in child-care...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: The HSE has informed me that it supports comprehensive, ongoing training in the application of child protection guidelines and generally promotes awareness and good practice within the health services and other relevant organisations. On an ongoing basis the HSE provides child protection training for staff in the health service and those working in relevant voluntary and community groups....

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 169 together. Under Section 8 of the Child Care Act, 1991, the HSE is obliged to prepare an annual report on the adequacy of the Child Care and Family Support Services and submit a copy to the Minister for Health and Children. The first year for which the HSE had responsibility for preparing the Section 8 Report was 2005. Previously this report was...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I have been informed by the Health Service Executive that their 2008 National Service Plan commits them to developing from the end of Quarter 2 (i.e. starting 1st July, 2008) a means of collecting information on the following for each administrative area: a) number of notifications made of child abuse or neglect; b) number of assessments conducted following notifications; c) number of...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: Under Section 8 of the 1991 Children Act, the HSE is obliged to prepare an annual report on the adequacy of the Child Care and Family Support Services and submit a copy to the Minister for Health and Children. The first year in which the HSE had responsibility for preparing the Section 8 Report was 2005, the report having previously been prepared by individual Health Boards. A working group...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP) under which the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) is being implemented. The Community Childcare Subvention Scheme was introduced on 1st January 2008 with an allocation of €154.2 million over 3 years. The Scheme continues to support community-based childcare...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: As indicated to the Deputy when the question of funding for Páistí le Chéile was raised in a recent debate, funding for this project was provided by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. While I understand that this funding has now ceased, I must advise the Deputy that my Office is not in a position to accommodate this project under the current provisions of the National...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Health Service Executive commissioned an external expert to undertake a review of the Health Service Executive's involvement in this case and to prepare a report on the matter. Work on the formal report has commenced. The review commenced in April 2007 and all interviews with relevant Health Service Executive staff and relevant staff from the external agencies involved have been...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: In the Visiting Teacher services there are 42 posts as Visiting Teacher for Travellers (VTT) and 42 posts as Visiting Teacher for Hearing and Visually Impaired (VTHVI), of which 13 posts are dedicated to visually impaired students. Taking into account temporary appointments covering job-sharing arrangements, the numbers of visiting teachers in each service employed by my Department at this...