Results 1,781-1,800 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (25 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: There is nothing——

Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (25 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I was interrupted by Deputy Bannon.

Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (25 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I know. The Deputy did not interrupt me because he was not here.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (24 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222, 223 and 444 together. The Adoption Bill 2009, which will give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, was published on Friday 23rd January. Under the new legislation, prospective adoptive parents will be able to adopt from countries which have also ratified the Hague...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (24 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: The National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 -2010 is implemented by my Office with the assistance of Pobal, who manage the day to day operation of the programme. As the Deputy may be aware, applications for capital grant funding under the NCIP are processed, in the first instance, by the County Childcare Committee's (CCC's) and are then forwarded to Pobal. Final consideration of...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (24 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243, 244 and 253 to 255, inclusive, together. As the Deputies are aware, the youth sector has received considerable financial support over the past number of years. Funding expanded from €35.5m in 2004 to €52m in 2008. While this funding has allowed for some expansion in the sector including the roll out of a number of sections of the Youth Work Act, 2001...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (24 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 284 together. The Adoption Bill, 2009, which will give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, was published on 23rd January, 2009. A core principle of the Hague Convention is that intercountry adoption should be child centred, that is, in all stages of the process the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (24 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006-2010, under which the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCSS) is being implemented. Services participating in the CCSS receive annual funding on the basis of the number of qualifying parents recorded as using the service in a particular reference week, generally set in late...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (24 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy is aware, the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006 -2010 is implemented by my Office with the assistance of Pobal, which manages the day-to-day operation of the programme. The group in question was approved capital funding of €1.2 million under the programme in May 2008. However, capital grant approvals under the programme are subject to satisfactory...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: The information requested is not readily available to my Department. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am taking the adjournment debate on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the position with regard to the proposed building project for Springdale national school, Raheny, Dublin 5. In September 2008, the Minister announced details of 25 major school...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: That seems to be evident from the response prepared by the Department. The reply notes that once it is established the documents are in order, the school will be authorised to progress to the invitation of tender. That seems to be the intention.

Seanad: Youth Services (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Minster for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has delegated to me, as Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with responsibility for children and youth affairs, the powers conferred on him under the Children Act 2001, as amended. The matter raised therefore falls under my responsibility. The National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010 sets out plans for...

Seanad: Youth Services (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: In response to Senator Doherty, I met some of the young people from Gweedore who came to Dáil na nÓg recently and I pay tribute to them. They came straight up to me to explain the circumstances and the shortcomings, and the fact that funding was stopped. I assure Senator Doherty that, thanks to them, I am fully aware of the problems in Gweedore. It is an area in which I wish to...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I reiterate that I have enormous sympathy for parents who have to go through this process because it is unnecessarily prolonged and drawn out. It can be tortuous and really tough on parents because much of the time they have had painful and difficult problems relating to having children. I would love, as a Minister of State, to be able to make this reform and shorten that period of...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: They are basically.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: It is the reality on the ground. As I explained to the Senator, the HSE is vilified all the time, especially in the Houses of the Oireachtas. I am a strong advocate for our social workers because they make major decisions in child welfare and protection about whether a child stays within his or her family or is put into foster care or some other type of protection of the State. These are...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: The danger with a timeframe is that it might draw child welfare services away to service adoption towards the end of any proposed timeframe that might be set out in legislation. The dangers of that are self-evident. I would be very concerned about that. Again we need to frame the debate in the context of the country's financial situation, which is parlous as the Senator is fully aware....

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: There has been a big increase in demand for these services in recent years.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: The amendment would provide for a four-year period until the expiration of a declaration. I consider this to be too long a period because in normal circumstances an extension is usually shorter than the original period rather than being exactly the same time. I believe 12 months is an appropriate period of extension. I am advised that difficulties may arise in other jurisdictions in...