Results 17,741-17,760 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

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...

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I have been informed by the Health Service Executive that its 2008 national service plan commits it to developing from the end of the second quarter of this year a means of collecting information on the following for each administrative area: the number of notifications made of child abuse or neglect, the number of assessments conducted following notifications, the number of children on...

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: As Deputy Shatter knows, reports were made available for 2005. We have preliminary data for 2006 which has not been analysed. With regard to the performance indicators to which the Deputy referred, the January report has come to the Department as has the February report. We await the March report and expect to have it within the next two weeks. When we have this, it will enable us to...

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am anxious that we have the up-to-date information available as soon as possible. As Deputy Shatter knows, the first year for which the HSE——

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: ——had responsibility for this report was 2005. This report was completed.

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: It was completed prior to that.

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: That is different.

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: Just one second, Deputy Shatter. The scheduling and publication of the report is a matter for the HSE. It is not a matter for the Office of the Minister for Children.

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: The HSE completed its report for 2005 in 2007. The report for 2006 is nearing completion. I am informed by the HSE that the report on 2007 will be completed in the summer of this year. We want a more timely publication of reports. We want the information to be more accessible and a better quality report. I stated the reports in respect of January and February of this year have been made...

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: We are not involved in any window dressing.

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I already told Deputy Shatter, if he had listened——

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I will not accept Deputy Shatter's use of the word "masquerading".

Child Abuse. (29 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: The HSE has informed me that the delay in preparing the 2005 report was due to the prioritisation of a service delivery mechanism as it was a relatively new body. Previously, reports were produced by individual health boards. The HSE on its establishment developed a template for a national reporting procedure. As I stated, preliminary data for 2006 has been supplied to the Department but...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (24 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy. As the...

Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: It is a pleasure to make the concluding contribution to the Second Stage debate of this important Bill. When the Minister for Foreign Affairs introduced the Bill on 2 April, he correctly reminded the House that the reform treaty is important for Ireland and for Europe. The Government considers the treaty to be a logical step for the EU in an increasingly globalised world. Ratification of...

Pharmacy Services. (23 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, who is unavoidably absent due to other Department business. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to this House the current position. Over recent years, the Health Service Executive has reviewed the pharmaceutical...

Pharmacy Services. (23 Apr 2008)

Brendan Smith: Community pharmacy contractors are required under the terms of their contract to give three months' notice of their intention to withdraw. This is a serious obligation to ensure continuity of dispensing services to patients. The HSE has written to each of the contractors concerned, seeking formal confirmation of their intentions and pointing out that three months' notice of cessation of...