Results 2,541-2,560 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Supports (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The National Youth Strategy 2015-2020 was published in October 2015 and was developed in close consultation with statutory youth interests and the voluntary youth organisations and services that work with young people. The strategy sets out Government’s aims for young people, aged 10 to 24 years, so that they are active and healthy, achieving their full potential in learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested relates to funding schemes that annually support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects throughout the country. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children First Guidelines (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Since the Children First Act 2015 was signed into law on 19 November 2015, a number of provisions of the Act have already been commenced as follows: Sections 1 to 5 (Part I) and section 28 (Part V) of the Act were commenced on 11 December 2015 and Section 18 (Part III) and Sections 20-26 (Part IV) were commenced on 1 May 2016. My intention is that the remaining provisions of the Act,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In 2017, I made €4m in funding available under the Early Years Capital Programme and a separate €3 million in capital funding for services providing school age childcare. The application process for both funds has now closed. Pobal is responsible for administering capital programmes on behalf of my Department. In addition, to providing the online application system, Pobal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I want to ensure a balanced approach to eligibility for childcare subsidies under the Affordable Childcare Scheme. While people will qualify for a subsidy based purely on income, parents’ participation in work or training will determine the number of hours of subsidy available. When parents are engaged in work (including part-time work and labour market activation programmes) or in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: It is not clear from the Deputy’s question the exact legislation being referred to. My Department is arranging to follow up on this matter with the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is committed to supporting and promoting the development, welfare and protection of children, and the effective functioning of families. It is recognised that the dynamics of domestic violence and the safety needs of both children and non-abusing parents must be considered in making appropriate arrangements for children's contact with abusive parents in the case of family...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has advised that the Family Resource Centre (FRC) referred to by the Deputy is now established. A Board of Management is in place and the Centre is in receipt of a budget of €115,000 from Tusla under the Family Resource Centre Programme. The centre in question is the new hub for family support in the region. To date, the centre has received approximately €85,000 in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Officials in my Department have liaised with Tusla, Pobal and the Department of Education and Skills on this matter. The cost of inspections in 2016 are outlined in a table: Organisation/Department 2016 Cost Tusla €3,348,931 Early Years Inspectorate, Department of Education and Skills €1,020,084.82 Pobal €1,383,296

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Gender Recognition (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) conducted consultations with transgender children and young people in November 2016 in cooperation with the Transgender Equality Network of Ireland (TENI), who collaborated with BeLongTo. A research team from Trinity College Dublin was contracted to write a report of the consultations, a draft of which was submitted to the DCYA in March...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Policy Reviews (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In the development and implementation of its policies, my Department considers a child to be an individual under the age of 18 years. The Deputy may be aware that there are matters currently before the courts regarding the rights of the unborn child. Accordingly, it would be not be appropriate for me to comment on this matter at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Data (23 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Data on the number of children attending centre-based early years services is gathered by Pobal annually through the Early Years Sector Profile. The most recent available data are from April 2016. At that time, it was estimated that approximately 38,000 children under-3 were attending centre-based early years services. The figures for 2017 will become available in the coming months, when...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (24 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Under its terms of reference the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes (and certain related Matters) is currently investigating 14 named Mother and Baby Homes and a representative sample of County Homes. The list comprises of those homes which can clearly be identified as having both: (i) the primary function of providing sheltered and supervised ante and post-natal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (24 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Given the importance of financial sustainability for the provision of quality childcare, the Irish Programme for Government commits to conducting and publishing an independent review of the cost of providing quality childcare in Ireland. This commitment aligns closely with work on the design and development of the Affordable Childcare Scheme and is currently being progressed in that context....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (24 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As I have previously announced, the Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) will not be introduced in September 2017, but will be introduced at the earliest possible date. However, I do not want to delay the benefit of higher childcare subsidies for families. I am pleased to confirm that major improvements in childcare subsidies will therefore come into effect this September, including...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes (24 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In 2017, I made €4m in funding available under the Early Years Capital Programme and a separate €3 million in capital funding for services providing school age childcare. The application process for both funds has now closed. Pobal is responsible for administering capital programmes on behalf of my Department. In addition, to providing the online application system, Pobal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (24 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The majority of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 came into effect on 30th June 2016. The Regulations provide that each employee working directly with children attending the service 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: Child Care Services Regulation (24 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The majority of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 came into effect on 30th June 2016. The Regulations provide that each employee working directly with children attending the service 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: Capitation Grants (30 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As part of the introduction of a minimum qualification standard for work in the Early Years sector, my Department has put in place a range of supports for those working in the sector. This included the publication of the DCYA Early Years Qualifications list, which itemises qualifications that meet the required standards. Anyone with a qualification on this list is automatically approved for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (30 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information supplied by the Deputy has been raised with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The issue of data protection is of the highest importance, both to my Department and to Tusla. Tusla has advised that an apology and explanation will be issued to the person concerned, and that this is in progress. I have also requested Tusla to furnish me with a report into this matter as a...