Results 3,141-3,160 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: There are presently no specific plans to initiate a national long term consultation process on the future service delivery model for the early years sector in this country. However, a number of fundamental developments are taking place which are critical to the future of childcare. My Department is currently in the process of preparing Ireland's first dedicated Early Years Strategy, as...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department operated a discretionary National Lottery Funding Scheme some years ago in which grants were allocated to community groups and programmes to support children, young people and families. The scheme closed in 2014. The organisation in question last received a sum of €7,000 from my Department in 2013 to provide training resources for child contact centres. The child...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As indicated to the Deputy previously, expenditure by Tusla on legal matters is not a direct financial transaction of my Department and as such the Department does not routinely hold information in respect of individual legal costs incurred by the agency. In the circumstances I am requesting Tusla to contact the Deputy directly in relation to the matter she has raised.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Eligibility (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Childcare provisions in my Department operate to support parents to access employment and to meet the needs and well-being of children. It is considered to be in the best interests of children to have regular and consistent patterns of childcare and our systems are set up with this in mind. In certain exceptional circumstances, we do allow for unusual arrangements, but as currently...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In 2017, funding of €57.4m has been provided to my Department for various youth schemes, an increase of €5.5m over 2016. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, will receive an additional €40.6 million in funding next year. This will bring Tusla's allocation to over €753 million in 2018. Arising from Budget 2018, I will shortly be issuing Tusla with its 2018 Performance Statement in line with the provisions of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. Tusla...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to ensuring that childcare is affordable, accessible and of a high quality. The increase in supports I have provided for the 2017/2018 programme year represents a major step towards accessible, affordable, quality childcare after decades of neglect and under-investment by successive Governments. There are two supports being rolled out under the Community Childcare Scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In Budget 2017 I was pleased to secure a gross funding allocation for my Department of €1,286 million, representing an increase of €172 million on 2016. €466 million in 2017 has been allocated to Childcare. The primary components of this spend are capitation for the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE) at €278 million, capitation for the targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware that the Deputy provided more information to allow Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to examine the issues concerned. I am advised that the information was not sufficient enough to allow the report to be sourced. Therefore, in order to facilitate further searches, I would request that the Deputy please provide further detailed information to my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Employment Rights (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Government is not an employer of workers in the early years pre-school sector it is very constrained in what it can do in regard to pay and conditions. It does, however, accept that it is a major funder of the childcare sector and, as such, has a role to play. It is important to note that the most important stakeholders in putting agreed pay structures in place in any sector are...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (17 Oct 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. As the Deputy is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Correspondence (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is working with Pobal and the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO) to establish the current situation and options available to us regarding this matter. In addition to this, the Department is currently engaged in identifying further issues arising from this process, including those relating to the charges placed on the property and associated documentation submitted as of July...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department maintains close contact with the national youth organisations and I and officials from my Department meet formally with 30 national youth organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments in the youth sector. My Department will also shortly commence a process with national youth organisations and local services to identify service development needs...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (17 Oct 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, €57.4...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department does not collate the number of communications received by the Department in relation to children who may be at risk. Such communications received are referred to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency which has responsibility for investigative processes.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am satisfied that Department is adequately resourced to carry out its functions and services. Since my appointment as Minister, the staffing complement has grown from 181 to 236 people, with a further cohort currently being recruited which will bring the total staffing numbers to around 280 people before end 2018. The increase in staffing numbers reflects the continuing growth in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies Staff Data (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, there are four agencies within my remit and I wish to advise as follows: - The Office of the Ombudsman for Children is independent in its function and reports to the Oireachtas on matters within its remit, as required by the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002. I have forwarded the question to the Office of the Ombudsman for Children and asked that they might correspond...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (17 Oct 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: Departmental Functions (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is required under the Child Care Act 1991 to investigate allegations of abuse, including historical abuse, and to engage with An Garda Síochána where appropriate. Tusla provides a comprehensive rage of services and supports for vulnerable children and families. I have secured an additional €40 million for Tusla in the Budget, bringing...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Justice Strategy (17 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Children Act 2001, as amended, provides the statutory basis for dealing with children who come into contact with the criminal justice system. The key principle of the Children Act 2001 is that detention of a child should only be imposed as a last resort. When children come into contact with the criminal justice system there is an emphasis on the promotion of community based options in...