Results 181-200 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (27 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: I spoke briefly with one of the individuals referred to by the Deputy at an event I attended recently. I asked the individual to write to my Office giving details of the matter concerning them. The individual subsequently wrote to me and my Office has responded.

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (27 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the new free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which was introduced in January 2010. Whether a child care service is liable for commercial rates under the Valuation Act 2001, is a matter for the Valuation Office under the remit of the Minister for Finance. In July of last year the...

Written Answers — Foster Care: Foster Care (27 Oct 2010)

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

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (27 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together. I have responsibility for implementing the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme. The objective of the ECCE scheme is to make early learning in a formal setting available to children in the year before they commence primary school. Services participating in the pre-school year are expected to provide...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (27 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: Officials in my Department have been in contact with the Department of Social Protection who have indicated that the payment of child benefit has been amended to reflect the current position. I understand that contact has been made with the relevant officials in the HSE regarding the issuing of a medical card. Furthermore, this issue has been referred to the HSE for their attention and direct...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (27 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: During 2004 and 2005, the Department of Health and Children (DOHC) provided funding for a support network and accommodation service (Avoca House) administered by SOCA UK (Survivors of Child Abuse UK), a voluntary organisation and registered charity in Ireland. This service offered a safe and comfortable environment for survivors of institutional abuse visiting Ireland to attend to matters...

Written Answers — Civil Registration Service: Civil Registration Service (21 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: Under Section 22 of the Adoption Act 1952, an tArd Chlaraitheoir (Registrar General) is required to maintain a register of domestic adoptions (i.e. adoptions effected in Ireland, regardless of where the adopted person was born). The register is called the Adopted Children Register. An index to the register is maintained and can be searched by any person. Any person may obtain a copy of any...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (21 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: I understand that the four child care services referred to by the Deputy have been in receipt of support funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE) for a number of years, to assist them to provide affordable child care and early intervention services to disadvantaged parents and their children including catering for a significant number of child referrals from the HSE and community...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (21 Oct 2010)

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

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (20 Oct 2010)

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

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (20 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Children's and Youth Services Development Unit of my Office received an application on behalf of the Youth Project referred to by the Deputy, to be considered for funding in 2008 under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme. Due to the large number of applications received and the limited funding available it was not possible to provide the funding requested. In light of budgetary...

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (20 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: Aftercare is recognised as a key element to achieving positive outcomes for young people leaving care, aiming to assist young people in care in bridging the transition from care to independent adult life in the community. Aftercare is provided for under Section 45 of the Child Care Act, 1991, which states: "45.—(1) ( a ) Where a child leaves the care of a health board, the board may, in...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (19 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: The Adoption Act, 2010 gives force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, is designed to provide a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed and that all adoptions are effected in the best interests of the child....

Written Answers — Children in Care: Children in Care (19 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: Aftercare is recognised as key element to achieving positive outcomes for young people leaving care, aiming to assist young people in care in bridging the transition from care to independent adult life in the community. Aftercare is provided for under Section 45 of the Child Care Act, 1991, which states: "45.—(1) ( a ) Where a child leaves the care of a health board, the board may, in...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (19 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: Section 33 of the Adoption Act 2010 provides for a minimum age of 21 at which an adoption order may be made or recognition given to an inter-country adoption effected outside the State. There is no upper age limit for eligibility to be assessed for inter-country adoption. However, prospective adoptive parents are assessed for eligibility and suitability to adopt a child. All applications for...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (19 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for implementing the free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which provides for a free preschool year to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. Children qualify for the free preschool year where they are aged more than 3 years 2 months and less than 4 years 7 months in September of the relevant year. This...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (19 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: Registration of domestic adoptions is governed by Section 22 of the Adoption Act 1952. Under that provision, an tArd Chlaraitheoir (Registrar General) is required to maintain a register of domestic adoptions (i.e. adoptions effected in Ireland, regardless of where the adopted person was born). The register is called the Adopted Children Register. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (19 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for implementing the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, which provides for a free pre-school year to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. I have read the correspondence referred to by the Deputy and do not accept it provides any basis for considering any change to the ECCE scheme. On the contrary, the...

National Paediatric Hospital (19 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: No discourtesy is meant by my response to this important issue. The Minister, Deputy Harney, has invested a huge amount of time, appropriately, in this very serious matter for sick children. The Government's priority is to provide the best standard of complex hospital care for children here. To further that priority the Government is fully committed to the construction of the new national...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (14 Oct 2010)

Barry Andrews: I have responsibility for implementing a number of early years programmes including the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) schemes, both of which came into effect in September of this year. The CCS scheme, which replaces a previous support scheme implemented by my Office, provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to...