Results 2,201-2,220 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Action Plan on School Age Childcare, a cross-Department report, was launched at the meeting of the Early Years Forum on Monday 6 March. The Action Plan was heavily informed by consultations with various groups over 2015 and 2016, and contains information related to school age childcare provision in Ireland and international best practice. The Action Plan sets out the actions that the...

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

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 35 together. The survivors and loved ones of those who were resident in the Mother and Baby Homes must be central to our consideration of this complex and very emotive issue. Like many of the Deputies in this house I have met and engaged with them. Indeed one of the most memorable days of my time as Minister was at the site in Tuam before the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to confirm that I have allocated an extra €5.5m in current funding to support the provision of youth services in 2017. This will bring the total youth funding by my Department to €57.4m, an increase of 10% over last year's allocation. Following the cuts during the economic crises, I have now restored youth funding to 95% of its 2011 figure, and I hope to be able...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department will provide an allocation to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board for the provision of a full time youth officer for County Kildare in 2017. My Department is engaging with the ETB in this regard and I expect that the post will be filled shortly. In the interim, the ETB has a Youth Officer in place who is very active in both...

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

Katherine Zappone: The Affordable Childcare Scheme will provide progressive financial support for childcare costs, with the largest subsidies going to the families with the lowest incomes. Where a family has childcare needs and has a net family income below €47,500, they will be eligible for an income-related subsidy under the scheme. The highest rates of subsidy will apply to families with net incomes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have placed a high priority on addressing the number of children who are without an allocated social worker. I secured additional funding for this purpose in 2017, and Tusla is now in the second year of a 3-year plan to ensure the allocation of a social worker to all children and young people who need one. The number of children with an allocated social worker at the end of 2016 was...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Internet Safety (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Online abuse in its various forms, as described by the Deputy presents serious and complex issues, exacerbated by the rate at which technology continues to develop. In its recent appearance before the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs, the ISPCC outlined and discussed with the Committee a number of concerns about online habits and how young people interact with each other using...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Traveller Community (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: At the outset, I want to confirm my strong support for the recognition of the Traveller Community as an ethnic group and the recent events in Dáil Éireann, led by the Taoiseach, at which it was confirmed. It is important we recognise the significant challenges facing this indigenous Community and the significant disadvantages experienced by Traveller children with poorer outcomes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Reports (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy will be aware, a major investigation into historical child abuse has already been conducted by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. Its remit was to inquire into the abuse of children in institutions in the period 1940 to 1999. Its terms of reference were broad and the institutions covered included schools, industrial schools, reformatory schools, orphanages, hospitals,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In 2017, funding of €57.4m has been provided to my Department for various youth schemes, an increase of €5.5m over 2016. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services. My Department has now notified projects and services of their 2017...

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

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 45 and 63 together. It is my understanding that the Deputy is referring to the the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 which require that all staff members working directly with children in pre-school services must hold at least a major award in early childhood care and education at level 5 on the National Qualifications...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Juvenile Offenders (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Irish Youth Justice Service oversees a significant investment in community based programmes to divert young people from further involvement in criminal or anti-social behaviour. In 2016, approximately €17m has been allocated by the Department of Justice and Equality to the Irish Youth Justice Service to administer Garda Youth Diversion Projects, Young Persons Probation Projects...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I do not have any plans to make recommendations to Cabinet in relation the Congregational Indemnity Agreement. As the Deputy may be aware, this agreement was negotiated 15 year ago and relates to the contribution of 18 religious Orders to the cost of the Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. My colleague the Minister for Education and Skills is currently responsible for these...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme provides early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age. From September 2016, children are eligible for the ECCE scheme if they are aged over 3 years and not older than 5 and a half years. The State pays a capitation fee to participating play-schools and daycare services. In return, they provide a pre-school service...

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

Katherine Zappone: It is my understanding that the Deputy is referring to the the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 which require that all staff members working directly with children in pre-school services must hold at least a major award in early childhood care and education at level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework, or a qualification deemed by the Minister to be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Policy (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to confirm that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has recently revised its Policy, Procedures and Best Practice Guidance for Foster Care Committees. Following extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders to review the original policy and guidance document, which had been approved in 2012, the revised guidance was signed off by Tusla’s National Policy and Oversight...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Young People’s Policy Framework (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: It is recognised that particular groups of children and young people can face more challenges in achieving the five national outcomes set out in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020), and numerous specific commitments of the Framework reflect this. My Department identified prevention and early intervention as a key...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Area Based Childhood Programme (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is a joint prevention and early intervention initiative led by my Department. It was designed as a time bound co-funding arrangement in conjunction with The Atlantic Philanthropies, with resources of €29.7m from 2013 to 2017. The aim of the ABC Programme is to test and evaluate prevention and early intervention approaches to improve outcomes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Supports (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: At the end of December 2016, 82% (3,376/4,134) of foster carers had a link worker and 92% (5,374/5,817) of children in foster care had an allocated social worker. It is important to note that if a child has not been allocated a social worker, their needs are reviewed regularly by the principal social worker. The additional funding of €37 million which has been secured for Tusla...

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

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 59 together. I recognise the heightened demand for a thorough and holistic understanding of events and experiences following confirmation of the discovery of human remains on the former site of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. Before we commence such a process, it is important that we do not lose sight of the breadth and considerable scope of the...