Results 2,281-2,300 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Staff (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the relevant qualifications (in Early Years or Early Childhood Care and Education) which are placed at Levels 5, 6, 7 and 8 on the NFQ. I would like to bring it to the Deputy's attention that there is no professional registry for early years professionals, however, qualifications of staff members are verified through regulatory inspections (Tusla)...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Staff (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the relevant qualifications (in Early Years or Early Childhood Care and Education) at which are placed at Levels 5, 6, 7 and 8 on the NFQ. I would like to bring it to the Deputy's attention that there is no professional registry for early years professionals, however, qualifications of staff members are verified through regulatory inspections...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The amount of funding allocated to the learner fund in 2016 was €1.5m. In 2017, there is €3m allocated to the Learner Fund. In 2016 the number of applications received under the Learner Fund was 1,032 and is broken down as follows: - The third round of the Learner fund received 169 applications. - The fourth round of the Learner fund received 863 applications. In 2017, my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Revised Estimate for my Department for 2017 provides a gross funding provision of €1.311 billion. This represents an increase of €173 million, or 16%, over my Department’s 2016 allocation. In 2017, youth services have an overall budget of €60 million, an additional €5.5m over their 2016 allocation. This funding supports the delivery of a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 357 together. The latest figures from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicate that, at the end of January 2017, there were 6,323 children in care. Of these, 5,844 (92%) were in foster care and 341 (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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 356 together. Children First National Guidance (2011) gives advice for notifying Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, of situations where abuse is suspected. A range of professionals including teachers, nurses, early years educators, Gardaí and other health professionals, who see children regularly, are in a good position to identify children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care Act, 1991 applies to all children resident in the State, irrespective of their immigration status. 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. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country. In 2017,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Family Services Provision (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 360 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (5 Apr 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 on Tuesday the 28th of March and expect be able to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Consultancy Contracts Data (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The bodies under the aegis of my Department are the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Ombudsman for Children and the Oberstown Children Detention Campus. I have referred the Deputy's question to each of these bodies and asked them to provide the information sought directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Brexit Issues (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 364 together. There is no senior official in my Department with designated responsibility for Brexit matters. My Department is represented at Principal Officer level on the Interdepartmental Committee on Brexit chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. I have no specific Brexit Unit and, accordingly, no funding allocated or anticipated costs.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (5 Apr 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 on Tuesday the 28th of March and expect be able to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am delighted to be here and have the opportunity, with my officials, to engage with the committee on this matter. The general scheme of the Bill provides for the extensive reform of existing ad hocguardian ad litemarrangements in child care proceedings. Before going into the detail of the general scheme, I want to highlight a number of the key positive aspects and features of the reform...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I want to ask one question for the purposes of clarification. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire referred to the ability to cross-examine and referenced a request for a professional assessment. I did not understand what he said.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am sorry. From the way the Deputy said it, I thought he meant that it was related to guardians ad litem. That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: All those are excellent questions. Many of the members have focused on similar issues and I might deal with the issues as distinct from responding to individual members' questions unless a member asked a unique question. Deputy Ó Laoghaire commented that ideally it would be better ultimately if this service provision was located within an independent body as distinct from there being a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Ms Fisher. I will deal with the issue of whether the child has an automatic right to a guardian ad litem, and that being raised in the context of the constitutionality of it. As I understand it, and I can ask officials to support me, the major shift in the Bill is that there is a presumption that the child ought to have a guardian ad litem.Describing it in that way as distinct from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Ms Fisher. She will also address the question in respect of the guardian ad litem's ability to cross examine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: There were couple of questions on the professional qualifications for GALs in the context of non-verbal children. We are open to specifying a wider range of professionals. We will consider the matter. Senator Freeman asked who oversees the tendering process. We follow normal Government procurement rules. The tendering process will be overseen by the Office of Government Procurement. ...