Results 2,041-2,060 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill was published on 25 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 information in so far as is legally and constitutionally possible. It...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Authority of Ireland (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In 2003 the 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 developments that have taken place since then in particular the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Freedom of Information Data (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: There have been no legal fees incurred on Freedom of Information requests received, my Department does not collate the number of staff hours involved in the processing of Freedom of Information requests.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As I outlined in this House on 14 February 2017, I heard first hand of the file referred to by the Deputy from the persons concerned on 25 January 2017. This meeting was arranged with the person referred to by the Deputy after they had contacted my Department on 18 January 2017. At my meeting on 25 January I received a number of queries from the family and responded as quickly and as...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have forwarded the information provided by the Deputy to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency for immediate attention.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Data (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: To date 67 childcare services have joined the special provision of the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme for homeless children. The number of homeless children who have registered under the programme is 14. This is only a small portion of those who are eligible. While uptake of new schemes can be low in the early stages, I am keen to ensure that a lack of awareness is not...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Board of the Child and Family Agency appointed the current Chief Executive Officer in February 2016, in accordance with Section 28(1) of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. The appointment followed a competitive selection process run by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency and in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for the information provided and have referred it to Tusla for attention. I asked them to contact the family directly in order to avoid disclosing identifying personal information in this forum. I would advise the Deputy that the family in question should contact the Gardai in relation to this matter referred to in the question.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: This PQ has been referred to Tusla, The Child and Family Agency, for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: At the outset it is important to state that the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes (and certain related Matters) is independent in the conduct of its investigations. Therefore, the advertising strategy is a matter for the Commission to decide and I do not have any role or influence in this regard. The Commission has written to a range of Irish groups in the UK and the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commissions of Investigation (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In accordance with section 9 of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, it is essential to recognise that the Commission is independent in the performance of its functions. Therefore, the precise approach to its investigation is a matter for the Commission to decide and progress. I do not have any role or influence in these decisions. If the Deputy, or any person, has information which...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to publishing this Report. Given the scope of the Commission's work a number of issues in the Report extend beyond the remit of my Department and it has been necessary to consult with Cabinet colleagues and the Attorney General on these matters. I am sensitive to the concerns of former residents and their expectations for an early publication date. I hope to conclude this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I do not propose to request that a full audit of adoption records is undertaken.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Living Wage (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I would refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question 896 dated 21 July 2016 which provided material on the above question. Since that time and based on current staffing numbers, there has been no appreciable change in the estimated implementation costs for my Department and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I can also confirm that no additional cost would arise in respect of the Adoption...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The policy paper for the introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme was approved by Government in October 2016. Since then, officials of the DCYA and Pobal have been working intensively to plan for the implementation of this Scheme. This is an extremely complex and ambitious project because of what is involved – legislation, new business processes, data protection and building...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Information and Communications Technology (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The policy paper for the introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme was approved by Government in October 2016. Since then, officials of the DCYA and Pobal have been working intensively to plan for the implementation of this Scheme. This is an extremely complex and ambitious project because of what is involved – legislation, new business processes, data protection and building...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In accordance with section 9 of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, it is essential to recognise that the Commission is independent in the performance of its functions. Therefore, I do not have access to the information sought by the Deputy. The engagement with witnesses is a matter for the Commission to manage and progress and I do not have any role or influence in this regard. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulation 2016 provide that each employee working directly with children attending a service must hold at least a major award in early childhood care and education at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or a qualification deemed by to be equivalent. While under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Grant Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Tribunals of Inquiry Data (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department was established on the 2nd June 2011. No tribunals have been established to date under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921.

Topical Issue Debate: Rape Crisis Network Funding (1 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for raising this issue. She and I both support the work carried out by rape crisis centres nationwide. I am very pleased that this year an additional €1.5 million will be allocated to domestic, sexual and gender based violence services. In my instructions to Tusla for its 2017 business plan, I highlighted these services as a priority for me and the...