Results 2,221-2,240 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am happy to report to the Deputy that, in keeping with good practice and the conditions set out in the Dail resolution from last November, a group of 19 young people have had their needs assessed and have been security screened in France, and a further 21 young people will be met and interviewed shortly. Tusla has advised that all 19 young persons interviewed to date have been approved for...

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

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the report “Dublin North Inner City – Creating a Brighter Future”. The report found that there was substantial funding being provided to support youth services in the North Inner City but it recommended greater integration of targeted approaches to at-risk young people in the area. Last month, I approved a further 5% increase in funding to each of the targeted...

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

Katherine Zappone: An Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) was established in June 2015 to design a model that would support access to the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme for children with a disability. The IDG included senior officials from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA), the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and the Department of Health (DoH). It also included...

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

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 619 together. The service in question closed in February 2016 following a period of intensive support, where my Department made funding available on an exceptional basis to continue service through a crisis. The decision to close was taken by the management of this service. In a bid to ensure continued childcare provision in this disadvantaged...

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

Katherine Zappone: My Department, Pobal and the County & City Childcare Committees (CCCs) work closely with services who are experiencing financial difficulty. As the Deputy knows, in Budget 2017, I was pleased to secure additional funding of €14.5m, to help ease the burden of administration on childcare providers by paying for 'non-contact time' on top of existing payments. Officials are...

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

Katherine Zappone: 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 information in so far as is legally and constitutionally possible. It...

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

Katherine Zappone: The Affordable Childcare Scheme will be open to all Tusla-registered childcare providers on an equal basis. In addition to more than 4,000 centre-based childcare providers, which operate independently in a market context, all Tusla-registered childminders will also be eligible to participate in this Scheme. It is acknowledged however, that the number of Tusla-registered childminders is...

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

Katherine Zappone: As I am sure the Deputy is aware the issue being raised is now the subject of a Tribunal of Inquiry, which is chaired by the Hon. Mr. Justice Peter Charleton. I would note that I addressed this matter as part of the statements made in this House on 14 February 2017, which were made prior to the setting up of the Tribunal. As the Tribunal is now at work, I will not comment further on issues...

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

Katherine Zappone: I am very pleased to say that in the coming days I will announce the date on which the Oberstown Children Detention Campus (Oberstown) will commence taking 17 year old males who receive a sentence to a period of detention. This is the final step to end the detention of children in adult prison facilities. It is intended that Oberstown will take new cases referred directly from the courts...

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

Katherine Zappone: I would like to inform the Deputy that important steps have been taken to enhance the quality of childcare provision including through the ECCE programme. On 4th May 2016, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs signed new Childcare Regulations, which came into effect on a phased basis from 30th June 2016. Some of the main changes in the new Regulations are as follows:...

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

Katherine Zappone: The latest figures from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicate that, in December 2016, there were 6,258 children in care. Of these, 5,854 (94%) had a written care plan. This is an increase from 90% (5,768/6388) of children in care with a written care plan at the end of December 2015. The additional information requested by the Deputy is not collected by Tusla. I am pleased to inform...

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

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption (Information and Tracing ) Bill was published on 23rd November 2016. I have received a copy of Briefing Notes and Amendmentprepared for by the Adoption Rights Alliance in relation to the Bill. I met with the Adoption Rights Alliance on 1st February and a comprehensive discussion took place in regard to all aspects of the Bill. In particular detailed discussions took place on...

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

Katherine Zappone: I am very conscious that it has not been possible to date to publish the Second Interim Report. However, as I have previously outlined, it has been necessary for me to engage with Cabinet colleagues on issues in the report which extend beyond my remit as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I briefed the Cabinet on the matter again this morning and expect be able to clarify the time...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to improving attendance and participation in education, especially for vulnerable children. The School Completion Strategy is a commitment in the Programme for Government and is a particular priority for me. I will work closely with the Minister for Education and Skills in developing this new Strategy. In preparing it, I want to make sure that it takes full account of a...

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

Katherine Zappone: I am anxious to see an early resolution to all the issues in the Oberstown Children Detention Campus (Oberstown). The safety and well-being of young people and staff in Oberstown is my primary concern. The planned industrial action by staff which was due to commence at Oberstown on 3rd January was deferred on 22 December 2016. Deferment of the industrial action was secured following...

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

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has confirmed that Kilkenny School Completion Programme (SCP) receives an annual grant of €260,172 to support the range of interventions that have been put in place to support young people at risk of early school leaving and young people who are out of school. There is provision within the SCP grant scheme to allocate up to €5,000 of this funding annually towards...

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

Katherine Zappone: My Department has been in contact with Tulsa in relation to the status of these ongoing discussions. They have confirmed that Tusla's Area Manager in Dublin South Central has advised that a meeting is being arranged to discuss the issue. They will keep the Department informed of any further updates.

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

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 599 to 601, inclusive, together. The most recent figures provided by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicate that there were 6,258 children in care at the end of December 2016, which is a decrease of 2% compared with the previous year. Of the children in care, 93% were in foster care nationally; there were 4,102 (66%) children in general foster care,...

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

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has advised that as of the end of January 2017 the number of Social Workers employed by Tusla was 1467.45 Whole Time Equivalent.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am closely monitoring the emerging situation and I am in close contact with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure this whole of Government response to this humanitarian effort is successful. Based on current commitments and the likely number that will be referred from immigration services, which can vary from year to year, it is expected that there will...