Results 3,161-3,180 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

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

Katherine Zappone: Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is required to support and promote the development, welfare and protection of children. Tusla provides funding to voluntary organisations offering a range of counselling and support services to children and families including: - Marriage and relationship counselling, - Child counselling, - Rainbows Peer...

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

Katherine Zappone: At the end of July 2017, the latest data available, there were 6,297 children living in care in Ireland. Of these, 5,801 children were living in foster care, and 368 in residential care. The remaining children are in other placements, such as supported lodging, specialist care facilities or long term hospital placements. The optimum provision of services for the care and protection of...

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

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection, and if necessary, to receive a child into the care of the State. The placement of children in care is governed by Regulations. These provide, inter alia, for the welfare of the child, the care practices, care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (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,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (18 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 Reports (18 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I announced the Youth Employability Initiative in 2016. 28 youth projects have received grants under this Initiative to support programmes that target disadvantaged young people who are most at risk of unemployment and who are not in education, employment or training. The programmes, which are funded under the Dormant Accounts scheme, assisted over 1,000 young people aged 15 to 24 years...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Youth Strategy (18 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Programme for Government (2016) gives a commitment to develop a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Youth Strategy. I established an Oversight Committee with an Independent Chair, Ms Una Mullally, to oversee the development of the Strategy on 19 December 2016. The group includes cross-sectoral representation from relevant organisations, bodies and Government Departments/Agencies. A...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (18 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...

Seanad: Child Care: Statements (18 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: It is great to be here and I am grateful for the invitation to discuss matters relating to the early years sector with Members. I value opportunities such as this to inform, and engage with, colleagues on this important area. This is my first time in the new House. Since being appointed as Minister, one of my key priorities has been to address the historic under-resourcing in the area of...

Seanad: Child Care: Statements (18 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Congratulations.

Seanad: Child Care: Statements (18 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am delighted to hear all the Senators' contributions. As always, it helps me considerably in my work. I know they prepare and think deeply about these issues. At the beginning of the autumn or the end of the summer, if I were a child care worker, I would join a union. Those in SIPTU know that I support their campaign. Many of the issues raised today relate to the pay and conditions in...

Seanad: Child Care: Statements (18 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I could say a great deal more but I am sure I have used my time.

Seanad: Child Care: Statements (18 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In response to Senator Richmond, it was only in September that measures to increase affordability for parents rolled out. The Senator referred to aftercare. Many of the targeted supports are geared towards supporting aftercare. I was asked about the 15-hour as opposed to 18-hour contracts. It is a really excellent question. I will pursue that and at least have the negotiations. I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Data (19 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy will be aware, ECCE runs on a programme year from Sept to August. I have provided the relevant information on that basis in the table. Programme Year: Number of Registrations: 2014/15 66,762 2015/16 73,964 2016/17 120,601

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Administration (19 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Information and advice was provided to childcare providers both on Sunday 15th and Monday 16th October. On Sunday the 15th of October at 19.41, an announcement regarding the closure of childcare facilities was released on the PIP Portal. The PIP Portal is an IT system that enables communication with all 4500 services funded by DCYA. Operated by Pobal, DCYAs funding and administration...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commencement of Legislation (24 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 363 together. I have signed the Commencement Order to give effect to the provisions in the Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017. All the provisions of the Act other than Section 24(1)(a) were commenced on the 19th of October 2017. Section 24(1)(a) provides that before making an application for a child to be adopted because of parental failure, Tusla - the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reports (24 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department received the report in recent days and it is actively considering the report and its recommendations.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (24 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has advised that there has been no cut in its funding of the Togher Family Centre which receives annual funding from Tusla through the Grants Register mechanism. The core budget funding in 2017 was €144,060, supplemented by an additional amount of €26,000 recently. Tusla considers that the Togher Family Centre provides an excellent service in line with the principles of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Family Services Provision (24 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 356, 359 and 360 together. My Department is committed to supporting and promoting the development, welfare and protection of children, and the effective functioning of families. We recognise 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (24 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together. With regard to services available for access and contact centres for families in County Cork and Munster, I have requested information from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, on any such services that it provides and I will revert to the Deputy once I have been furnished with the Agency's response.