Results 2,261-2,280 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

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

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care Act, 1991 applies to all children resident in the State. Under the Child Care Act, 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. The Agency is obliged to provide care for these children for as long as their welfare requires it. Children First National Guidance (2011)...

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

Katherine Zappone: As part of a whole-Government approach to homelessness, my Department is working closely with Tusla to provide supports for families in emergency accommodation in order to mitigate the challenges faced by parents and children in this situation. As the Deputy will know, Tusla has agreed a joint protocol with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE). This covers child welfare...

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

Katherine Zappone: I wish to assure the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, deals immediately with emergency cases, including for instance, if a child has been abandoned or is in immediate physical danger or at immediate risk of sexual abuse. Social work duty teams keep high priority cases under review by regularly checking to ascertain risk to the child, and where necessary will reprioritise the...

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

Katherine Zappone: The latest figures from Tusla indicate that, at the end of December 2016, there were 6,258 children in care. Of these, 5,817 (93%) were in foster care and 316 (5%) were in residential care. Foster care is the main form of alternative care for children in need of care and protection, and it is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their parent(s)/guardian(s). Of the 5,817...

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. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: On 20th March 2017 I announced that funding will be made available under the Early Years Capital programme for 2017 in three strands, as follows: - Strand 1: Additional Places (€3 million total available – maximum €50,000 per grant); - Strand 2: Building improvements and maintenance/refurbishment (€500,000 total available, maximum €20,000 per grant,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Guidelines (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The issues raised by the Deputy relate primarily to matters (Garda vetting and schools) which come within the remit of the Departments of Justice and Equality and Education and Skills respectively. The welfare and protection of children and, in particular, vulnerable children, is everybody’s concern. Responsibility for children’s welfare arises in all settings where children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised that the current 2017 allocation to the Family Resource Centre Programme is €13.512m. In 2016, Tusla provided financial support to some 109 communities nationwide under this Programme. This will continue in 2017. Tusla plans to build on the strengths of the Family Resource Centre Programme in the years ahead to deliver its mandate for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Voluntary Sector Funding (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested is not readily available in my Department and is currently being collated. The information sought will be forwarded directly to the Deputy when available.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts Data (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department was formally established on 2nd June 2011; no private investigation firms have been hired in the past five years and to date in 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (30 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, holds the statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection, and is the appropriate body to receive reports of concerns relating to children at risk. I wish to assure the Deputy that Tusla deals immediately with emergency cases, including for instance, if a child has been abandoned or is in immediate physical danger or at risk of sexual abuse. At...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafés Provision (30 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In 2013 a capital allocation of €1.5m was made available by my Department for the provision of new youth cafés. Pobal assisted my Department with the administration of the scheme. Some 95 applications were received and 30 proposals for new youth cafes around the country were approved for funding. I am advised that an application was received in respect of a youth café...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Occupational Therapy (30 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am concerned about the waiting times for children who need occupational therapy, and the negative impact delays in receiving appropriate early intervention may have on the development and well-being of that child. However, the responsibility for occupational therapy provision rests with the Minister for Health. I have received representations on behalf of children who have occupational...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Qualifications Recognition (4 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has published a list of Early Years qualifications which shows all qualifications approved by my Department for work in the Early Years sector to date. This list can be found on www.dcya.gov.ie Where a qualification is not published on the list of DCYA Early Years Recognised Qualifications but the holder considers it to be an appropriate Major Award at or above Level 5 on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (4 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department does not have a specific grant scheme available to assist with the provision of childcare facilities for pre-school children with autism. However, in September last year, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was introduced. This is a new programme of supports to enable children with a disability to access and fully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (4 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Budget 2017 provided an additional €19m to enable the introduction of a new single Affordable Childcare Scheme. This is in addition to the existing funding which supports the current targeted schemes and which equates to €87m annually. The full year costs of the scheme will be approximately €150m. Of this €150m, the expected cost of the universal element of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (4 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Budget 2017 provided an additional €19m to enable the introduction of a new single Affordable Childcare Scheme. This is in addition to the existing funding which supports the current targeted schemes and which equates to €87m annually. The full year costs of the scheme will be approximately €150m. The universal element of the scheme provides a €0.50 per hour...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Information (4 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In the time period referred to, no requests were received by my Department, for material to be made available in braille format.

Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Corkmen. Child care in Ireland is changing, and changing forever. Sustainable community services have a place in our ambitious plans. There should be no doubt about that. Services in Cork city have been proactive in producing research that makes clear the unique benefits of high quality care and education for children living in areas of urban disadvantage and elsewhere. This...

Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I might begin with Deputy Barry's questions on the campaigners' call for the universal payment to be doubled. I would love to see that, but it will require significant additional investment. I have indicated that I am committed to doing that in the next budget. I achieved a significant increase in investment for this year and am looking for something similar in 2018. We are far behind...