Results 1,841-1,860 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I support the Hands Up for Children Campaign organised by the Prevention and Early Intervention Network. It is critical that we are in a position to intervene where required, whether, at a young age, or early in the onset of difficulties, or at points of known increased vulnerability such as school transitions, adolescence and parenthood. Early intervention plays an important role in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Accommodation Provision (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I understand that the Deputy is referring to situations where children and their families find themselves without a home and living in emergency accommodation. In these cases, the primary need is for a family home and responsibility for this lies with local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The December 2014 Action Plan to Address...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The primary legislation in Ireland governing child care policy is the Child Care Act 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. Under these Acts, the Child and Family Agency has a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. The definition of a child contained in both Acts is that of a person under 18 years of age who is not or has...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters was established by Government Order on the 17th February 2015. I met with the three Commissioners in early February to personally thank them for agreeing to take on this important and challenging work. Their wealth of experience and knowledge is critical to the successful examination of these complex...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (DESSA) was contracted by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to provide support, advice and training for Family Resource Centres across the area of disability awareness and staff/volunteer training in personal advocacy for people with disabilities. The organisation is funded by Tusla up to the end of June 2015. Family Resource Centres...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: My Department is currently progressing the Early Years Quality Agenda with the objective of improving the quality of childcare services available to young children. As part of this process, all staff working directly with children in pre-school services will be required to hold a major award in early childhood care and education at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications, or the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: My Department administers the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which is provided through community not-for-profit childcare services. In excess of €40 million is provided annually by my Department to support the CCS programme and this enables the parents of some 25,000 children to avail of affordable childcare. In the region of 900 community childcare services...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: Child Development services are mainly under policy direction from the Department of Health and are principally provided by the HSE through Public Health Nurses and Community Medical services and through General Practitioners contracted to provide primary care services. At the end of February 92.3% (9,818 out of 10,637) of children reaching 10 months have completed their child health...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: Tusla has been tasked with improving outcomes and well being for children and young people. In this regard, the Agency must ensure that it makes the most efficient use of its resources in a way that is efficient, equitable, proportionate and sustainable. In reviewing the make up of current services, Tusla is seeking to address any identified gaps in services, to avoid duplication and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The agecnies operating under the aegis of my Department are Tusla - The Child and Family Agency, The Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. Of these, only Tusla has received funding from Atlantic Philanthropies. The amount of this funding is budgeted at €2,159,443 in 2015 (2014: €Nil) and is split across the following headings: - workforce...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Remit (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I should inform the Deputy at the outset that responsibility for disability services rests with the Minister for Health. Tusla's statutory duty is to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. There are many reasons for children coming into Tusla's care including abuse and neglect but disability alone, whether intellectual or physical, is not one. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Bodies (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: My Department currently provides approximately €260 million annually to early years and school-age care and education services. This funding is largely directed towards a number of childcare programmes, which aim to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of early years and school-age care and education. These programmes support the provision of early years and school-age...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ombudsman for Children Remit (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Ombudsman for Children is independent in his function and is directly accountable to the Oireachtas in relation to the exercise of his functions as provided in the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002. As Minister, I have certain functions and responsibilities for the Ombudsman for Children's Office under the Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002. These primarily relate to governance matters, most...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Corporal Punishment (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: Considerable progress has been made to restrict the use of corporal punishment in Ireland. Corporal punishment in schools is banned, regulations and standards for creches, foster care and residential settings address the use of appropriate discipline. In order to copperfasten the position with regard to care settings, I have instructed officials in my Department to prepare regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: Funding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is provided annually by my Department to support the implementation of a number of childcare support programmes that assist parents in accessing quality childcare services. This funding, which is in addition to the direct support provided to all parents in the form of Child Benefit, supports more than 100,000 children each year. To...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Food Labelling (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: I share the Deputy’s concerns in improving information on nutrition for children, young people and parents, and actively engaged with improving nutritional information on foods and beverages, including calorie posting in restaurants, when Minister for Health. However, in relation to the specific issue raised by the Deputy there are particular practical problems in achieving this. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: As part of the estimates process for Budget 2015 I am pleased to say that I secured gross funding of €1,027 million for my Department to deliver important reform and service developments to support children and young people next year. This includes a provision of €992 million in current expenditure and €35 million in capital expenditure, which in Vote terms, represents an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Policy Proposals for Educational Provision in Gaeltacht Areas, which was launched recently by the Minister for Education and Skills, builds on the earlier Gaeltacht Review. The policy proposals include strengthening early years educational provision by: a)exploring how naíonraí could be accommodated on the site of primary schools; b)ensuring that practitioners in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014 - 2020 (BOBF),which was published and launched by Government in 2014, provides the overarching framework for the development and implementation of policy and services for children and young people. As part of the implementation of Better Outcomes, Better Futures, the Department of Social...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (27 May 2015)

James Reilly: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters was formally established by Government Order on the 17th February 2015. In accordance with its comprehensive Terms of Reference, the Commission is tasked with thoroughly examining the experience of mothers and children resident in Mother and Baby Homes and a representative sample of County Homes. The...