Results 2,061-2,080 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

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

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy has raised a couple of key points, which it is important for me to reflect on and consider. The Deputy referred to the centres compelling data from people who are already in a traumatic situation and are victims of some form of violence. I understand what she is saying. This would have to be done very sensitively, in a way that does not scare people and assures them that the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Home Schooling (1 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 every child being educated in a place other than a recognised school must be registered with Tusla. The process of registration involves assessment by Tusla of the education that is being provided to the child. This is a legal obligation on the part of parents/guardians who wish to home educate a child who has reached the age of 6 and is not older...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Prevention (1 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency's powers to investigate allegations of abuse derive from section 3 of the Child Care Act, 1991. Section 3 states as follows: " (3) (1) It shall be a function of the Child and Family Agency to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. (2) In the performance of this function, the Child and Family Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (1 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Quality assurance will be an absolute prerequisite for participation in the Affordable Childcare Scheme. The Scheme will be open to all Tusla-registered childcare providers. In the Heads of Bill and General Scheme for the Affordable Childcare Scheme Bill, it is also proposed that the legislation should allow for the possibility of additional categories of childcare provider to access the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (2 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I can inform the Deputy that Tusla has advised that the numbers of referrals of child abuse received by social work for the years 2014 to 2016 are as follows: - 2014 = 18,676 referrals of child abuse received during the reporting year - 2015 = 18,235 referrals of child abuse received during the reporting year - 2016 = 14,174 referrals of child abuse received up to end of September 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (2 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I can advise that at the end of Quarter 4 2016 there were 1,806 young adults aged 18 to 22 inclusive in receipt of aftercare supports. I have been informed by Tusla that 1,040 (58%) of young adults receiving aftercare supports were in full time education/ accredited training. A total of 766 young adults (42%) were not in full time education/ accredited training. Tusla has advised me...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Process RIA (2 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: A Regulatory Impact Analysis was published in respect of the following Bills: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013 Children First Bill 2014 Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016 Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 In respect of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2015, a Regulatory Impact Analysis was prepared and submitted to Government but not published on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Process RIA (2 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Regulatory Impact Analyses were published by my Department in respect of the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013, the Children First Bill 2014, the Children (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016 and the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016. In respect of the Child and Family Agency Bill 2013, impacts were assessed in respect of a number of matters in the Regulatory...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to advise the Deputy that there are currently just over 150 Non-DEIS schools supported under the School Completion Programme (SCP). The Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has advised that it does not intend to make any changes to the SCP for the 2017/2018 school year as the planning process for the 2017/2018 school year is already at an advanced stage....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Start Programme (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Ireland’s first ever Early Years Strategy is being progressed by my Department. This Strategy, which is expected to be published later this year, will take a whole-of-Government approach outlining Ireland’s vision for the coming decade in seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to 6 years. It will address a range of issues affecting children in their first years of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Since the Children First Act 2015 was signed into law on 19 November 2015, a number of provisions of the Act have already been commenced as follows: Sections 1 to 5 (Part I) and section 28 (Part V) of the Act were commenced on 10 December 2015 and Section 18 (Part III) and Sections 20-26 (Part IV) were commenced on 1 May 2016. I have recently committed to commencement of the remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commercial Rates Impact (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am very much aware of the issue of commercial rates and the impact it is having on early years services. It is my understanding that the valuation/rating code as it applies to early childhood care and education facilities was last altered following the commencement of the Valuation (Amendment) Act 2015 in June 2015. In summary; 1. Group 1 type facilities referred to in the correspondence...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Pupil Data Collection (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table. 2013/2014 Post Primary Roll Number School Name Number of Suspensions 71750U Bush Post Primary School 4 63891T De La Salle College 19 63870L Drogheda Grammar School 14 63920A Dundalk Grammar School 27 71770D Ó Fiaich College 8 63850F Our Lady’s College 12 63860I Sacred Heart Secondary School 9...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has advised that at the end of January, 2017 there were 3,616.02 whole-time equivalent staff directly employed. The numerical breakdown of staff by region and category is set down in tabular format : Tusla Census by Staff Category January 2017 WTE Social Work 1467.45 Social Care 1114.99 Psychologists & Counsellors 23.4 Other Support Staff inc...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Guardians Ad Litem (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Section 26 of the 1991 Child Care Act provides for the appointment of a guardian ad litemin respect of care proceedings where a child is not a party to those proceedings and where the court is satisfied that it is necessary in the best interests of the child and in the interests of justice to have a guardian ad litemappointed. Section 26 of the 1991 Act also obliges the Child and Family...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department had no spending on public relations consultants or on any matters relating to public relations in 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Community Services Programme (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have requested information from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I will forward the reply to the Deputy once I have been furnished with this information.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Cyberbullying Issues (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In its appearance before the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs on 22 February 2017, the ISPCC outlined and discussed with the Committee a number of concerns about online habits and how young people interact with each other using modern technologies. Cyber bullying was one such concern, but discussions also took place around issues such as excessive time spent online, sexting,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The most recent figures disaggregated by abuse category published by Tusla in its Review of Adequacy Report are for the years 2013 and 2014, and are as shown in the following table. Abuse category 2013 2014 Total 19,407 18,676 Physical 4,330 4,066 Emotional 5,271 6,233 Sexual 3,385 3,114 Neglect 6,421 5,263 I understand that the 2015 Review of Adequacy is currently in preparation. I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care (7 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency and I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.