Oireachtas Monitor Published: 03 December 2012 Contents 1. This Week in the Houses of the Oireachtas 03-07 December 2. Oireachtas Questions and Debate 26-30 November 2012 - Children’s Rights Referendum - Education: including special needs, minorities, disadvantage, literacy and numeracy, school staffing, school buildings, school patronage, curriculum - Asylum/Immigration - Child Services/ Children in Care: including foster care and social work services, HSE staffing, youth services - Family: including adoption - Child Abuse/Child Protection: including vetting, child abduction - Health and Wellbeing: including disability, mental health, substance misuse, primary care, health services, hospital services, obesity, sports facilities - Child Benefit/Social Welfare/Poverty - Justice Issues/Human Rights/Equality 1. This week in the Oireachtas (03-07 December 2012) http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=22325&&CatID=60 2. Oireachtas Questions and Debate (26-30 November 2012) Children’s Rights Referendum Dáil Éireann 28/11/2012 Children's Rights Referendum. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Information on Frances Fitzgerald the timeframe for the enactment of changes to family law legislation that are expected following the passing of the Children's Referendum. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2012 112800085?opendocument#Children%27s%20Rights%20Referendum Education: including special needs, ECCE and childminding, minorities, disadvantage, literacy and numeracy, school staffing, school buildings, school patronage, curriculum Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Table of Contents. Special Educational Needs. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn when the review of the criteria for receiving an Irish exemption in schools will be concluded; if he envisages this review extending the criteria to include special needs such as autistic spectrum disorder and asperger's syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2012 112700059?opendocument#Special%20Educational%20Needs Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Table of Contents. School Transport. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn if there are any circumstances in which a child attending a primary school other than their nearest primary school may be able to avail of the school transport scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2012 112700059?opendocument#School%20Transport Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Special Educational Needs. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn when the review of the criteria for receiving an Irish exemption in schools will be concluded; if he envisages this review extending the criteria to include special needs such as autistic spectrum disorder and asperger's syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2012 112700059?opendocument#Special%20Educational%20Needs Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Education Welfare Service. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald if he will report on the status of the document one child, one team, one plan; if he will arrange to make this document available on his Department's website and if he will outline his plans for each of the services covered by this document. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12700073?opendocument#Education%20Welfare%20Service Dáil Éireann 28/11/2012 Written Answers. School Patronage. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn if he will update on the consultation process with communities in regard to school patronage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12800070?opendocument&highlight=patronage#School%20Patronage Dáil Éireann 28/11/2012 Written Answers. Education Policy. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn his plans, if any, to sanction more community national schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2012 112800070?opendocument&highlight=patronage#Education%20Policy Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. School Patronage. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn if he is satisfied that legislative measures to protect the religious ethos of schools do not act as a barrier to enrolment; if any complaints have been made to his Department in respect of pupils being denied the opportunity to enrol in a school on grounds of religious ethos; if any cases against the State have been taken on these grounds; his plans to review these legislative provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12700060?opendocument#School%20Patronage Asylum/Immigration Seanad Éireann 28/11/2012 Refugee Accommodation. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/seanad20 12112800027?opendocument# Dáil Éireann 28/11/2012 Asylum Seeker Accommodation. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordán asked the Minister for Justice and Equality Alan Shatter if there has been any movement in changing the way in which pending refugee applicants are being housed in Direct Provision Centres, which are often over crowded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12800081?opendocument&highlight=direct%20provision#Asylum%20Seeker%20Accommodation Child Services/ Children in Care: including foster care and social work services, HSE staffing, youth services Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Children in Care. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald the reason only 92.6 per cent of children in care had an allocated social worker at the end of September; if she expects the Health Service Executive target of 100 per cent for 2012 to be met; the action being taken to ensure that it is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Children in Care. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald the reason 90.4 per cent of children in care currently have a written care plan, as defined by Child Care Regulations 1995; if she expects the Health Service Executive target of 100 per cent for 2012 to be met; the action being taken to ensure that it is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12700073?opendocument#Children%20in%20Care Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Health Service Staff. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald the reason no additional posts under Children and Families 2010 - the Ryan Report - were filled in September 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12700073?opendocument&highlight=social%20workers#Health%20Service%20Staff Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Health Service Staff. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald the reason there were 80 fewer social workers at the end of September 2012 in comparison to the end of 2011; the prospects there are for meeting the end 2012 target; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12700073?opendocument#Health%20Service%20Staff Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Health Service Staff. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald if the 10 posts of social care leader as advertised and interviewed for in 2011 have been filled; where the 10 posts have been filled; if they have not all been filled, if she will explain the reason; when same will be filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12700073?opendocument#Health%20Service%20Staff Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Being Young and Irish Initiative . Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald the number of proposals from the Being Young and Irish initiative she will pursue and the timeline for implementation; in view of the fact that the Being Young and Irish report has been sent to all Government agencies and Departments, the way she is going to follow up and monitor the progress of the report's recommendations within each Department and agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail20121 12700073?opendocument#Being%20Young%20and%20Irish%20Initiative Dáil Éireann 27/11/2012 Written Answers. Child and Family Support Agency. Deputy Jerry Buttimer