Results 1,941-1,960 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: That is contradictory and shows the lack of any coherence in the Labour Party in Opposition. One wonders what it would be like in Government. I wish to address the House on the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009 as it includes provision under section 17 to effect changes to the early child care supplement. The early child care supplement was announced in the 2006...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: I met with senior representatives of the Catholic Church hierarchy on 24 January 2009. I welcomed the outcome of the Bishops' special meeting on Safeguarding Children, which had been held in Maynooth the previous day, and in particular, the Bishops' renewed commitment to providing the information sought in Section 5 of the HSE audit. It was agreed by all present at the meeting that a fresh...

Written Answers — Child Protection Services: Child Protection Services (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have asked the Health Service Executive to gather the information requested and to forward this information to the Deputy. The Health Service Executive has advised, that due to the length of the period covered by the question it will of necessity take some time to compile as material will have to be retrieved from the archives but every effort will be made to gather the data requested and...

Written Answers — Child Protection Services: Child Protection Services (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: The provision of appropriate robust and responsive child welfare and protection services is a key priority for both myself, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and the Government. I understand from the Health Service Executive that the consistent application of the Children First Guidelines is being addressed by the HSE through the ongoing standardisation of Child Welfare and...

Written Answers — Rights of the Child: Rights of the Child (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: Responsibility within the Department of Health and Children for the proposal to amend the Constitution in relation to children has been delegated by Minister Harney to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. As the Deputy is aware, the Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2007, was published in February 2007 on the basis of proposals brought to Government by the then...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Government and the Health Service Executive (HSE) remain committed to the development of a comprehensive needs-based service for children at risk. In this regard, I personally chair regular meetings between officials from my Office (OMCYA) and Senior Child Welfare and Protection managers in the HSE aimed at improving the provision of services to children at risk. A key component of...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 116 together. There is no specific provision in the Adoption Bill, 2009, to provide for post adoption services for those children who have additional needs. Adopted children who have additional needs have, and will continue to have, the same eligibility and entitlements to health, personal social services and special educational needs as any child in...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Adoption Board is the body responsible for maintaining statistics on the number of intercountry adoptions into Ireland. I would refer the Deputy to the Adoption Board Annual Report 2007 for further information on this matter. Under the recently published Adoption Bill 2009, prospective adoptive parents will be able to adopt from countries which have ratified the Hague Convention, or...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006-2010, which is the successor programme to the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) which concluded at the end of 2007. The EOCP was, and the NCIP is administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department. I understand that the service in question was approved a capital grant of...

Written Answers — Child Protection Services: Child Protection Services (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Child Protection Services: Child Protection Services (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: Children's services provided by the HSE aim to promote and protect the health and well being of vulnerable children and families. A wide range of services are provided including early years services, family support services, child protection services, alternative care, services for homeless youth, search and reunion (post adoption) services, psychological services, child and adolescent...

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: All residential services for separated children seeking asylum are provided by non-statutory service providers on behalf of the Health Service Executive. The registration and inspection service of the HSE is responsible for the inspection of these residential services. The Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, does not inspect residential services operated by non-statutory service...

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: First, it is not correct to state that nothing has been done. The Deputy is correct to state that a number of unaccompanied children seeking asylum went missing. However, that figure has fallen dramatically in the last four or five years, from 66 in 2005, to 22 by the end of 2008. I believe the Deputy referred to 18 such children. The figure fell by two thirds during that period. While I...

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: We are aware of the standards but the inspections to be undertaken by HIQA will come into play on the commencement of the Health Act 2007. The original question pertained to those inspections and as I indicated in my response, the registration and inspection service of the HSE is responsible and does take reports from project workers on a constant basis as to the standards in such...

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: On the last point, being under 12 is the strict cut-off point at which hostel accommodation is completely inappropriate. However, the vast majority of children in hostel-style accommodation are in the 16 to 17-year old age group. As for the care system, 24-hour care is provided for such children. Two project workers are located in each hostel and provide the highest standard of care for...

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: Not many, no.

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: Clearly, one child going missing is a challenge. However, I must say that——

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: Deputy Naughten should wait a second. One must be balanced about this issue. I already have made the point that many of the children who go missing are reunited with their——

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: However——

Health Services. (19 Feb 2009)

Barry Andrews: ——Members should be balanced about this issue. One also must be honest and acknowledge that children have been rescued from abusive situations, be they sexual or pertaining to employment. That is the reason for the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act, which prioritises child trafficking. It is the reason for the existence of an anti-human trafficking unit within the Department of...