Results 2,181-2,200 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Other Questions: DEIS Scheme (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: To be perfectly clear, there were no funding cuts regarding the school completion programme 2014-2015 allocation of €24.7 million. Tusla has confirmed that the funding this year is €24.756 million and that there has been no cut in funding for the year 2016-17. I am not sure where the Deputy is getting that information from and I am not clear on her concerns about the scaling...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The affordable childcare scheme will give priority to the poorest families. The highest rates of subsidy will go to families with the lowest incomes. In particular, the maximum rate of subsidy will go to families with net income below €22,700, which means that all families below the relative income poverty line will receive the maximum hourly rate of subsidy. For school-age...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank both Deputies who are highlighting a number of interrelated issues. On the initial question, I referred in my answer to people who are working, in part-time work or in training versus being unemployed, and we might continue this discussion. It is about labour market activation but also encouraging people to move into forms of training and if parents are able to do that, those...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I agree with that. It would also be my concern. As part of this debate and if we look at it in the context of the committee, we need to look at access to training and requirements in that regard and whether they have changed enough so that people can have that access because, of course, it would not be something I would wish for, as the Deputy appreciates. At the same time, we have already...

Other Questions: Youth Services (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Meeting children, young people and those who campaign for their rights is the best part of my job. I engage with them every week. Last Saturday, I was delighted to join the FAI, the Shamrock Rovers Academy and their young players at the Roadstone Group Sports Club in Kingswood to open a world-class pitch. It was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the result of a great partnership...

Other Questions: Youth Services (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his additional question. I have met a number of national organisations, as the Deputy is aware, on my travels. When I meet the adults, I always ask if the young people can come to the meetings as well so that I am not just meeting the people who are advocating for them, particularly in the context of Foróige, the National Youth Council of Ireland, Young Voices...

Other Questions: Youth Services (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Without a doubt, I do. A gathering a few months ago at which some Deputies were present involved young people in the context of youth organisations and Comhairle na nÓg and discussed what they want in respect of Brexit. As we know, this is Brexit week. What is the value of such a gathering? When they came together, we heard that they were worried about narrow college choices,...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla funds two emergency children's residential centres that cater for young people in need of emergency care. One such centre in Dublin city centre closes during the day. The young people are not put on the street or left to their own devices. Tusla funds a dedicated service to cater for the young people during the day and afternoons at weekends. Some of the young people attend school...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the additional points and questions raised by Deputy O'Sullivan. They are good questions and I will certainly commit to getting the information identified by the Deputy. I am very clear that the Deputy's question relates to gaps, even though there is a special project or service there, and I hear what the Deputy is saying. The gaps may be around there not being enough people...

Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I certainly can promise the Deputy that, to see how we can find the information. If the Deputy has any suggestions or recommendations, maybe we can have a conversation or a meeting with my officials later in that regard. I take the point that these young people are not necessarily just from the place the Deputy represents and where she resides. I hear what the Deputy says around the...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am very pleased with the progress made to date in implementing the access and inclusion model, AIM. To date, 1,820 children with a disability have benefited from the supports it provides and this number will grow over time. AIM is a child-centred model, involving seven levels of progressive support to enable the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities in...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Funchion. I will bring these concerns back to my officials, particularly on the application for and acceptance onto the LINC programme. The Deputy wonders if the lottery system is the fairest system there could be. It is my understanding that this was well thought out and identified. That is a form and an approach to fairness as distinct from what the Deputy has suggested,...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: What a great idea. I will come back to the Deputy. I and my officials are certainly aware that it is a case of the earlier the better, particularly in respect of special needs or forms of disability. There have been many discussions in that regard and I would further discussion, with the Deputy or even in the context of the committee. The AIM model and programmes started in September...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The school completion programme is a core element of the educational welfare service provided by Tusla. I believe it is a crucial service for parents, children and schools. The service is highly regarded as a key response in securing improved educational outcomes for children and young people at risk of early school leaving. In this regard, the programme enables local communities to...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. Yes I will; it is something to which I am deeply committed. As an educator myself, I have even taught students about the issue, as well as working with many teachers and schools. I take the point that it is, perhaps, an anomaly that the programme is located within the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. My understanding is that the thinking at the time was that...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I will. I have actually been raising some of these issues with Tusla and, of course, they have been raised to me too in the context of schools within my constituency of Dublin South-West. That is why I requested a meeting with the director of educational welfare services, during which we discussed a number of these issues. In the context of the reform programme that I am identifying, the...

Other Questions: Child Care Services (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 65 together. The policy paper for the introduction of the affordable child care scheme was approved by Government in October 2016. Since then, officials of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Pobal have been working intensively to plan for the implementation of this scheme. This is an extremely complex and ambitious project because of...

Other Questions: Child Care Services (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I share the concerns Deputy Jan O'Sullivan has identified. First, we are conscious of the need to have the lowest administrative burden possible and to have a system that is not too complex and which they can get used to before moving on to the next thing. That is why, in the Department, we have had plans A, B, C and D and we have gone through a number of options to try to identify what is...

Other Questions: Aftercare Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to implementing the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015, which entitles eligible young people to a formal aftercare plan, prepared by Tusla in collaboration with the young person leaving care. My Department is working closely with Tusla to ensure that the provisions of the Act can be fully implemented as quickly as possible in the coming months. Consultation is under way with...

Other Questions: Aftercare Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: To give a more specific timeline, it is anticipated that the relevant provisions of the Act will be commenced in the third quarter of this year between June and September 2017. I acknowledge the Deputy's statement about his own Bill. I look forward to considering it. As part of this process, what I have been identifying is the extensive consultation process that Tusla has been engaged in....