Results 2,361-2,380 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Expenditure (13 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Budget 2017 provided an additional €19m to enable the introduction of more affordable childcare from September. This additional funding includes development costs for the Single Affordable Childcare Scheme (SACS) and is in addition to the existing funding of €86 million, which supports the current targeted schemes, specifically, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (13 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Criteria for particular positions is a matter for Tusla and accordingly the information requested is not readily available in my Department. My officials have requested the information from Tusla and I will forward the reply to the Deputy once I have been furnished with it.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reviews (13 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Given the importance of financial sustainability for the provision of quality childcare, the Programme for Government has committed to conducting and publishing an independent review of the cost of delivering quality childcare in Ireland. Work on preparing a Request for Tender for this Review is currently underway and it is envisaged that this RFT will be published in the coming months. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Information and Communications Technology (13 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I can confirm there is no specific funding provided under the capital plan 2016 - 2021 for the information technology infrastructure across my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1425 and 1427 together. As this is an operational matter for Tusla - The Child and Family Agency. I have asked the Agency to respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The remit of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Home's and certain related Matters is set out in the order which established the Commission and its terms of reference S.I. No. 57 of 2015. The Commission is tasked with thoroughly examining the experiences of mothers and children resident in these homes. The scope of the Commission’s investigation includes several...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Guardians Ad Litem (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is currently working on legislation to reform the Guardian ad litemservice in child care proceedings. Guardians ad litemperform a very important function in these proceedings both as a support for the children and young people involved and as an invaluable source of advice to the Courts in determining the best course of action in relation to the child’s care and welfare....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As I announced on 12 April, a number of significant changes will be made to the existing targeted childcare schemes this September, including an increase of up to 50% in subsidy-rates. The Affordable Childcare Scheme, which will replace the existing targeted schemes, will be introduced at a later date, when it is fully ready for operation. The Deputy’s question relates to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In response to the expansion of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme announced in Budget 2016, and to support the development of capacity in the sector, my Department initiated a number of actions: my Department made detailed information available to the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) at the beginning of 2016 indicating the number of children, by every...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to acknowledge that further information has been provided by the Deputy following my response to parliamentary question number 830 of 7 March 2017. However, I am advised by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that this information is insufficient to allow a search of the archives. Therefore, in order to facilitate an enquiry into the matters raised, I request that the Deputy please...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Welfare Service (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the Education Welfare Services (EWS) and the School Completion Programme (SCP) is in the below table. Year EWS Funding SCP Funding 2012 €9,622,000 €26,456,000 2013 €8,753,000 €24,756,000 2014 €8,318,000 €24,756,000 2015 €7,333,283 €24,756,000 2016 €7,437,384...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (2 May 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, the Child and Family Agency, 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 Deputy should note that all urgent and emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: It is incorrect to suggest that my Department cannot access income information from the Revenue Commissioners, or from the Department of Social Protection. Throughout the development of the Affordable Childcare Scheme, both the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection have worked closely with my Department to ensure the new Scheme will have full and efficient access to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The initial Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme had one entry point (September) from when children could begin pre-school, and children had to be aged between 3 years and 2 months and 4 years and 7 months by the September to avail of the free pre-school year (i.e. 38 weeks). The programme was then expanded beginning in September 2016 by reducing the age of eligibility to 3...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Currently the commitment by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Education and Skills is to deliver a new workforce plan for the Early Years sector by the first quarter of 2018 (School Age Childcare Report). The two Departments are currently scoping a proposal for this work.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Data (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption Authority has provided details of domestic adoptions orders by county for 2006 and 2016. The county referred to below refers to the county in which the adoptive parents resided at the time the adoption order was made. This information broken down by county is not available for 1986 and 1996 at this time. However, I am advised that the total number of domestic adoption orders...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Foster care is the preferred option for children who have been received into care. This can be as a result of abuse and/or neglect and their parents' inability to care for them due to a combination of difficulties in their own lives. The most recent figures provided by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicate that there were 6,309 children in care at the end of February 2017, which is a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1439 and 1440 together. The latest figures from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicates that, at the end of February 2016, there were 6,309 children in care. Of these, 355 (6%) were in a residential placement of which 177 were in a private residential placement. A child is placed in a residential setting only when they have an identified need that can...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am advised by Tusla – The Child and Family Agency that they received over 13,600 records from St Patrick's guild in May 2016. Tusla initially began addressing the waiting list of clients it received from the guild and in September 2016 began to address new referrals related to the guild records. Tusla offers a full information and tracing service and those who wish to avail of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (2 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy's question refers to contractual issues, I am unable to comment. I have referred the question for direct response by Tusla to the Deputy.