Results 3,241-3,260 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Administration (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department funds City and County Childcare Committees (CCC) to support parents to identify suitable childcare places. My Department has raised this query with the relevant CCC who have noted they have a waiting list and are not in a position to provide further ECCE places. It is a matter for the provider to decide how they structure their service. The CCC has noted that other Creches...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have requested information from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I will forward the reply to the Deputy once I have been furnished with this information.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that the Deputy's question relates to complaints in relation to Tusla's Child Protection and Welfare services. Section 64 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, requires Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to establish procedures for dealing with complaints against the Agency or a service provider. Tusla introduced its complaints policy, "Tell Us: You Say, We Listen"in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Law Cases (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I would like to advise the Deputy that this is not a matter for this Department since The Department of Justice and Equality has responsibility for family law matters. The Deputy may ask my Cabinet colleague, Minister Flanagan to make a statement on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Discipline (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Educational Welfare Service of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has advised that Tusla Educational Welfare Services (EWS) Regional Manager (RM), Senior Educational Welfare Officer (SEWO) and the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) assigned to the school met with St Joseph's Principal, Deputy Principal (DP) and Senior management team on 25th April, 2017 to discuss the level of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Discipline (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined below. The following are the number of expelled and suspended students from 2014-2017: - 2014/2015 - 63840C had 653 enrolled, 98 were suspended (15%) and 4 expelled (0.6%) - 2015/2016 - 63840C had 637 enrolled, 75 were suspended (11.8%) and 5 expelled (0.7%) - 2016/2017 - 63840C had 727 enrolled, 66 were suspended (9.1%) and 3 expelled...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Discipline (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla Educational Welfare Service (EWS) has advised my Department that suspension should be a proportionate response to the behaviour that is causing concern. The decision to suspend a student should, in the view of Tusla EWS, require serious grounds such as: - the student's behaviour has had a seriously detrimental effect on the education of other students, - the student's continued...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Discipline (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined below. Tusla has advised there was a 0.6% rate of expulsions in 2014/2015, enrolment 653 (4 students); 0.7% rate of expulsions in 2015/2016, enrolment 637 (5 students); 0.3% rate of expulsions in 2016/2017, enrolment 727 (3 students). There is a downward trend in the number of suspensions and expulsions from the school referred to.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Discipline (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Educational Welfare Service of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised my Department that the school referred to has not recorded the highest number of suspensions and expulsions.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Discipline (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1130 to 1132, inclusive, together. The Educational Welfare Service of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised my Department that there has been a downward trend year on year in the number of suspensions and expulsions in the school referred to. Tusla EWS does not have role in the internal management of a school. Each school's Board of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: There are 109 Family Resource Centres currently in receipt of funding from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla provides funding to the centres under an annual agreement. This funding is provided by way of a contribution towards the running costs of the centres. The financial allocation to support this programme amounts to €13.51m in 2017. I was pleased to announce recently...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that additional funding of approximately €5.0m is being made available to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to be spent between now and the end of 2018 to support the work of Family Resource Centres. This includes the provision of additional funding to Tusla to expand the existing Family Resource Centre Programme. A total of 11 centres will be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (7 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Value for Money and Policy Review (VFMPR) of the Youth Funding programmes 2014 examined three of the targeted funding schemes, the Special Projects for Youth (SPY) scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF) rounds 1 and 2, and Local Drug Task Force (LDTF) projects scheme. The schemes support the provision of youth services for young people who are at risk of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Irish Language (8 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am not clear if the Deputy has particular organisations in mind. My Department is committed to engaging in Irish with all groups and individuals who wish to do so, including those within the Gaeltacht. My Department's main area of engagement within the Gaeltacht is with regard to the Early Years Sector. I established a subgroup of the Early Years Forum, which includes members from...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (9 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I note the Deputy's question relates to the 2016 Childcare Regulations, which have impacted on the eligibility of Community Employment (CE) participants active within some providers including the service in question. Additionally, the communication refers to the affordability of childcare to families in disadvantaged areas and the need for additional funding in relation to payment for out of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (14 Nov 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. I am pleased to confirm...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Severe Weather Events Response (14 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: When Met Éireann extended the 'status red' warning in relation to Storm Ophelia to include Leinster, and taking account of the recommendations of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group, my Department took a decision to close its offices for Monday the 16th of October. We took immediate steps to communicate directly with as many staff as possible on the Sunday evening of the 15th of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (14 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have been advised by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that at this time, the centre concerned is not being used as a residential child care facility. The purpose and function of this centre is currently under review with the relevant stakeholders.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Payments (14 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have contacted Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in regard to this matter. Tusla has assured me that it makes every effort to ensure that invoices for goods or services are paid within a standard timeframe. Tusla has advised that a complaint has been received in relation to an overdue payment. The complaint is currently being addressed under Tusla's Complaints Process. This case does...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Data (15 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: AIM supports children with disabilities to reap the full benefits of free pre-school education. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience. AIM is a child-centred and evidence-based model, involving seven levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child and the pre-school setting. Where a...