Results 18,001-18,020 of 18,372 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (24 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: The main supports the Government makes available to parents to assist them with their child care costs are Child Benefit and the Early Child care 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 over €400m in a full year. These payments are universal and...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (24 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: The main supports the Government makes available to parents to assist them with their child care costs are Child Benefit and the Early Child care 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 over €400m in a full year. These payments are universal and...

Written Answers — Education Services: Education Services (23 Oct 2007)

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

Written Answers — Child Care Provision: Child Care Provision (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: The main supports the Government makes available to parents to assist them with their childcare costs are Child Benefit and the Early Childcare Supplement. The latter payment, which is in recognition of the higher childcare costs of pre-school children, is the responsibility of my Office, and it alone amounts to expenditure of over €400m in a full year. These payments are universal and...

Written Answers — Child Care Provision: Child Care Provision (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 220 together. Under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP), which is co-funded under the EU Social Fund (ESF), targeted support was provided through the staffing support grant scheme whereby community based not-for-profit childcare providers with a strong focus on disadvantage were awarded grant aid towards their staffing costs to...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: I am aware that many prospective adoptive parents are concerned about the waiting times for an assessment. I appreciate the frustration the waiting list causes to those who are anxious to adopt, and who are more than willing to participate fully in the necessary assessment procedures. As the Deputy may be aware, requests for assessment for intercountry adoption are continuously increasing....

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: Adoption in Ireland is regulated by the Adoption Board which is an independent, statutory body. The Board must make decisions regarding adoptions in line with its assessment of the situation in each country, and its responsibility to ensure that all activities are undertaken with the best interests of the child as a paramount consideration. The Adoption Board has discontinued the issuing of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), which are being implemented by the Office of the Minister for Children. The Group in question has recently been approved an interim NCIP staffing grant of €31,200 for the period to 31 December 2007. I...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (23 Oct 2007)

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

Written Answers — Child Care Provision: Child Care Provision (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: The main supports the Government makes available to parents to assist them with their childcare costs are Child Benefit and the Early Childcare Supplement. The latter payment, which is in recognition of the higher childcare costs of pre-school children, is the responsibility of my Office, and it alone amounts to expenditure of over €400m in a full year. These payments are universal and...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: Ready, Steady Play: A National Play Policy, which was published in 2004, provides a framework for the development of public play facilities in Ireland with the overall aim of ensuring that children have access to a range of quality play opportunities to enrich their childhood. While the Office of the Minister for Children has an overall role in supporting implementation of the Play Policy,...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: This group are eligible to apply for National Lottery Funding. Application forms are available from the Finance Unit in the Department of Health and Children.

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy. (23 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the opportunity to join in the tributes to the late John Wilson, who was a personal friend and colleague of mine for many years. I had the privilege and honour of working with John Wilson in each Department in which he served as Minister and, latterly, in his role as Tánaiste. That experience was hugely influential and beneficial in shaping my outlook on public service. John was...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (18 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: The main supports the Government makes available to parents to assist them with their childcare costs are Child Benefit and the Early Childcare Supplement. The latter payment, which is in recognition of the higher childcare costs of pre-school children, is the responsibility of my Office, and it alone amounts to expenditure of over €400m in a full year. These payments are universal and...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (18 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: As signalled at the launch of the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 (NCIP), the successor programme to the EOCP, a new scheme to support community childcare services with a focus on disadvantage will be introduced on 1 January 2008 and will continue to complement the universal supports in place for all parents in the form of Child Benefit and the Early Childcare Supplement....

Written Answers — Judicial Proceedings: Judicial Proceedings (18 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: Issues raised in the correspondence that the Deputy refers to are the subject of ongoing legal proceedings. It would be inappropriate to comment further.

Crime Levels. (17 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I reply on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, who is unfortunately unable to be present. I assure the Deputy that the Minister and I share his concern, and that of the public, with regard to raids and break-ins carried out in rural areas in County Galway in the recent past. Engagement with...

Written Answers — Departmental Inquiries: Departmental Inquiries (17 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: I have not yet received the report that the Deputy refers to. However, the HSE has assured me that the Inquiry being undertaken on behalf of the HSE by Mr Conal Devine is proceeding to plan. I understand that Mr Devine is receiving full cooperation from all parties involved.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (17 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: Under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 (EOCP), which is co-funded under the EU Social Fund (ESF), targeted support was provided through the staffing support grant scheme whereby community based not-for-profit child-care providers with a focus on disadvantage were awarded grant aid towards their staffing costs to allow them provide services to families which otherwise...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (17 Oct 2007)

Brendan Smith: The national review of compliance with the 'Children First' guidelines by State bodies and NGOs, to be carried out by the Office of the Minister for Children (OMC) in partnership with all relevant Government Departments, was part of the Government's response to the publication of the Ferns Report in October, 2005. The review to date has included the following elements: An extensive...