Results 1,981-2,000 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to inform the Deputy that I share his concerns regarding this scheme, and that I have met with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to express these concerns, which they have taken on board. I wish to assure the Deputy that at present schools in receipt of the grant will continue to do so, up to September 2017. I have been advised by Tusla that the School Counselling Grants scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Staff (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I believe that staff in the childcare sector have a critical role to play in delivering high quality childcare services and that they deserve to be valued and respected for the important role they play with our children. Because childcare costs to parents in Ireland are one of the highest in the OECD, we need to address affordability and quality at the same time. My Department is not an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Youth Strategy (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The following table names the members of the Oversight Committee and the organisations they represent: Organisation Name Independent Chair Una Mullally Transgender Equality Network Ireland Catherine Cross, Family Support and Education Officer Gay and Lesbian Equality Network Áine Duggan,CEO TUSLA Cormac Quinlan, Interim Director of Policy and Strategy BeLonG To Moninne Griffith,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Discipline (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has advised that the Agency does not hold data in relation to school populations. This is retained by the Department of Education and Skills. The other information requested by the Deputy is in the following tables. County Louth School Year 2013/2014 Students Expelled Students Suspended School A 0 4 School B 4 19 School C 0 14 School D 0 27 School E 0 8 School F 0 12...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Staff (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a current policy relating to adult disclosure of child sexual abuse cases, "Policy & Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Child Abuse & Neglect" (2014). This policy was prepared in the light of Court judgements, including the High Court ruling referred to by the Deputy, and legal advice obtained by Tusla. Section 2 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Data (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The direct provision system is under the policy remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. I understand that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency records any relevant information on the child's individual files, including where they have been living, but does not collate data in the manner requested by the Deputy. Children living in direct provision are in the care of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Care Orders (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency may receive a child into care on a voluntary basis or following an application to the Courts. There are a range of orders provided for under the Child Care Act 1991, as amended. I can confirm that Tusla does not hold data on the reasons for the divergences in the granting of care orders by different courts. Decisions on the variation or discharge of a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The payment calendar for the ECCE scheme is published in advance of the programme year and begins with an advance payment to services. This provides a balance between efficiency and certainty for providers on levels of payment. The 2017-18 payment calendar is currently under consideration and will be circulated to services well in advance of that programme year. Provision of clear...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Investment in ICT infrastructure is essential to support both social workers and other staff in their work. The capital provision for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency in 2016 included provision for the continued roll out of the National Child Care Information System (NCCIS). Tusla has also been provided with the full amount of capital funding requested for 2017 to continue the roll out of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Information and Communications Technology (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The use of the Eircode location code did not necessitate any upgrade to my Department's information technology systems or databases and as such, no costs were incurred in relation to its application. However, the Deputy might note that Eircode is featured on all Departmental business cards, headed stationery and used in all email signatures and other outgoing correspondence originating in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency provides a range of out-of-hours services to all areas of the country, aimed at addressing emergency situations in the area of child welfare and protection. In the main, these emergency situations arise out of hours. Out-of-Hours Services are provided outside of normal office hours including Saturdays, Sundays and Bank holidays. These services can be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy's question would appear to refer to matters that have been reported in the media recently. I understand that the counsellor involved in the case referred to in the Deputy's question was an employee of a service that is provided by the Health Service Executive, and that this question is one of the issues to be examined by a Tribunal of Inquiry. This matter will be dealt with in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As I have previously confirmed, it is my intention to publish the Second Interim Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby homes. Given the broad scope of the Commission's work a number of issues in the Report extend beyond the remit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Therefore, it has been necessary for me to consult with Cabinet colleagues and the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: EU Funding (21 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has access to the PEACE IV Programme 2014 - 2020 through which European Regional Development Fund investment is available to support activities in a number of areas, including children and young people. This is a valuable programme and I am keen to ensure that my Department derives the full benefit from the available funds. There is strong awareness of the impact that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (22 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239, 240, 247, 248, 255, 256, 283 and 284 together. An adopted person aged 18 years or over who was adopted before the proposed legislation comes into operation, will be provided with his/her birth certificate information, as held on record, following a request to Tusla, subject to certain conditions. Where an adoption order was made before the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (22 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241, 242, 249, 250, 257, 258, 285 and 286 together. The Government approved the publication of the Heads and General Scheme of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill and referred it to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Committee issued its report in November 2015 and included reference to the issue of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (22 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243, 251, 259 and 287 together. The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill was published on 25th November 2016. The Bill provides at section 14 that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, shall establish and maintain a register to be known as the Register of Adoption Contact Enquiries. The existing National Adoption Contact Preference Register (NACPR) will...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (22 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244, 252, 260 and 288 together. Adoption records are currently held by the Adoption Authority of Ireland, Tusla and agencies accredited under the Adoption Act 2010. Under the proposed legislation, the Authority will have overall responsibility for the safeguarding of all adoption records, including information relating to informal adoptions and persons...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (22 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245, 253, 261 and 289 together. The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill was published on 25th November 2016 and it provides a statutory basis for the provision of information related to both past and future adoptions. The Bill is intended to facilitate access to adoption information and operates on the basis of a presumption in favour of disclosing...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Authority of Ireland (22 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 246, 254, 262 and 290 together. In 2003 then Minister for Children, Brian Lenihan TD, launched a consultation process in regard to adoption. As a result of this process in January 2005 the Department of Health and Children published "Adoption Legislation: 2003 Consultation and Proposals For Change". The Report has served to inform the legislative...