Results 2,741-2,760 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Data (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am happy to report to the Deputy that 22 children have arrived from France under the Calais Special Project. Aged between 13 and 17, they are all boys, and come from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Syria, and South Sudan. 20 are in care placements and 2 were reunited with family members. The French authorities are responsible for identifying and nominating separated children seeking asylum who...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Yes – there is training and upskilling provided. In addition to affordability and quality – our radical new approach to childcare must also ensure accessibility. I am fully and absolutely committed to that. One of my first official duties as Minister was to launch the Access Inclusion Model or AIM. The model supports children with disabilities to attend main-stream pre-school...

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

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has two emergency children's residential centres that cater for young people in need of emergency care. One of these is the centre referred to by Deputy O’Sullivan, which is based in Dublin city centre. The young people receive a 24 hour seamless service. For operational reasons, the service for the young people during the day is located nearby. This dedicated service...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Supports (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I think that it is worth commenting that 92% of the children in care under the Child Care Act 1991 are placed with foster families living in the community. This figure is amongst the highest internationally and something about which we should be proud. I do not take this for granted and am aware that Tusla services must constantly be alert to the need for improvements, especially as...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Publication (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to the provision of childcare options for families that respect parental choice and reflect international evidence on how to attain the best outcomes for children. I support the Government’s plans for extension of parental leave for parents; particularly in the crucial first year. The introduction of two weeks Paternity Benefit for the first time this year must also be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have not ceased all funding for counselling services under the School Completion Programme. However, the available funding is very limited and is only benefitting a small proportion of schools. I am retaining the grant in its current form for the present, pending a decision on alternative approaches. In 1994 the Department of Social Welfare opened a grant scheme to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reports (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Oberstown Board of Management commissioned independent reviews in 4 key areas as follows: Operations, Security, Health and Safety and Behaviour Management. The reports relating to the reviews of Security and Health and Safety have been issued to the relevant stakeholders involved in Oberstown by the Director as per terms of references. The review of Behaviour Management is still in...

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

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 60 together. On 20 March 2017 I announced a €4m Early Years Capital programme for 2017 in three strands, as follows: - Strand 1: Additional Places (€3 million is available, with a maximum of €50,000 per grant); - Strand 2: Building improvements and maintenance/refurbishment (€500,000 is available, with a maximum of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In recognition of the higher risks and life-long consequences of child poverty, the Government set a child-specific poverty target in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020 to reduce consistent child poverty by at least two-thirds by 2020. This figure currently represents 102,000 children. Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters was established by Government Order on 17 February 2015. In accordance with its comprehensive Terms of Reference, the Commission is tasked with thoroughly examining the experience of mothers and children resident in 14 named Mother and Baby Homes and a representative sample of County Homes during the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters was established by Government (S.I. No. 57 of 2015) in response to significant public concerns relating to the care and welfare of the women and children who were resident in these institutions. The comprehensive scope of the Commission’s remit ensures it can provide a full account of what happened...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Establishment (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: On 11 April, I announced that the Affordable Childcare Scheme would not commence this September, but that a range of measures would be introduced by my Department to make childcare more affordable for thousands of families throughout Ireland. This honours a key commitment in the Programme for Government. I can confirm that these measures will commence this September. The measures are as...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Establishment (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As announced in April of this year, the Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) will not commence this September, as development continues on the legislation and IT system to underpin it. As the ACS will not be ready in time for this September, my focus turned to ensuring that the benefits of more affordable childcare could be delivered to as many children as possible from this September and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. At all times, Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic and sexual violence are being met in the best way possible. A network of 60 organisations provide services to victims of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 55 together. On 11 April, I made an announcement that the Affordable Childcare Scheme would not commence this September but that a range of measures will be introduced by my Department to make childcare more affordable for thousands of families throughout Ireland. This honours a key commitment in the Programme for Government. I can confirm that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Establishment (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 551 together. The Heads of Bill and General Scheme for the Affordable Childcare Scheme Bill were approved by Government on 24 January 2017 and were examined by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs on 8 February 2017 before being transmitted to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC). Since that time, officials at my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Strategies (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Programme for Government (2016) gives a commitment to develop a National LGBTI+ Youth Strategy. A specific focus on LGBTI+ Youth will aim to ensure that appropriate measures are taken so that young members of the LGBTI+ Community are not in any way prevented from achieving their full potential. Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have not ceased all funding for counselling services under the School Completion Programme. However, the available funding is very limited and is only benefitting a small proportion of schools. I am retaining the grant in its current form for the present, pending a decision on alternative approaches. In 1994 the Department of Social Welfare opened a grant scheme to provide counselling...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 540 and 546 together. I am very much aware of the difficulties being reported regarding the recruitment and retention of early years staff. The matter has been discussed at the Early Years Forum which I chair, and in other fora with my Department. We are working with the Department of Education and Skills to develop a new Early Years workforce plan. This...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Visiting Teacher Service (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy may be aware,the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers was discontinued with effect from September 2011, in line with Department of Education and Skills policy on the phasing out of segregated Traveller provision. The Child and Family Agency, established in 2014 under the aegis of my Department, has statutory responsibility in relation to school attendance and supports for...