Results 3,321-3,340 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Other Questions: Homeless Persons Supports (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Those are excellent questions and I will certainly investigate them. I do not know if I have specific answers, but my understanding, having asked, is that Tusla is working closely in particular with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive with specific reference to women who are pregnant or those who are at risk of or experiencing domestic violence. We have identified some potential...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I would like to take this opportunity to highlight my commitment to ensuring that a quality 24-hour emergency social work service is available across the country. I am pleased to have secured funding for Tusla to establish this service. In my performance statement for Tusla's 2018 business plan preparations, I have asked that this important service is in place in early 2018. Tusla has...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In June of this year I appointed a multi disciplinary team of technical experts to ensure that decisions on the future of the site of the former Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co. Galway would be informed by international best practice. As I have advised the Deputy recently, I have now received the Expert Technical Group's final report. I propose to bring the report to Government shortly with...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 62 together. My Department has conducted an analysis of ECCE capacity and is satisfied that there will be no shortfall in ECCE places for the 2017-2018 programme year. ECCE providers have catered for over 120,000 children for this programme year and while there can be pressures in some immediate localities; all eligible children have been catered...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Budget 2017 announced a radical redesign of how we deliver support to make quality childcare accessible and affordable for families in Ireland. The new Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) will provide financial support for parents towards the cost of childcare. This new Scheme will replace the existing targeted childcare programmes with a single, streamlined and more user-friendly scheme and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I can inform the Deputy that, in my opinion, the lives of children living in Direct Provision improved significantly when it was confirmed that the Ombudsman for Children had remit to receive complaints from them and on their behalf. Even if no complaint is ever made, the ability to make a complaint to the Ombudsman or Ombudsman for Children is a key right of a child or a parent in respect...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My paramount objective for Oberstown is the safety, care and well-being of all young people detained there. While each young person is in Oberstown the aim is to provide best care, education and therapy programmes that will support their reintegration into the community through the development of individual and comprehensive placement plans. The so-called "CEHOP" framework supports the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department maintains close contact with the national youth organisations and I and officials from my Department meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments in the youth sector. A separate meeting is held on that day with the five national organisations in receipt of targeted youth funding to keep them updated on the ongoing work...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In light of the developments and improvements detailed below regarding the use and monitoring of single separation, I have no plans to introduce a legal framework governing its use. In January 2017 my Department published A National Policy on Single Separation Use in Secure Accommodation for Children: Special Care and Oberstown. It is my Department's policy that the use of Single...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Laois Youth Services received €86,803 in funding in 2017 under the Special Projects for Youth scheme. Under this Scheme, grant-aid is made available in respect of out-of-school projects for disadvantaged young people. Priority is given to projects in the spheres of special youth work initiatives, young homeless people, young people at risk of substance abuse and young travellers. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am delighted to state that as of November 22th, 3,274 services have signed up for the more affordable childcare measures I introduced in September 2017. This represents approximately 88% of Early Years services which provide non ECCE services. This number continues to rise and applications from providers wishing to provide these subsidies will continue to be accepted for the duration of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mental Health Services (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My officials, in collaboration with colleagues in the Department of Health, are currently identifying a date in December for the inaugural meeting of this group. It is envisaged that this group will comprise of representatives from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Department of Health, Health Service Executive and Tusla. The key objective of the working group is to examine...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am placing a strong emphasis on family support services next year, and the development of capacity within the Family Resource Centre Programme. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency currently allocates funding to 109 Family Resource Centres. This funding provides a contribution towards the running costs of centres. In 2018, I am providing Tusla with additional funding of almost €3.0m...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The total budget allocated to the School Completion Programme (SCP) in 2017 is €24.72m and my Department is currently working with the Educational Welfare Service of Tusla in relation to 2018 allocations. Under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Plan 2017 a number of new schools are now included and will be joining the SCP from September 2018. In this regard it is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Cyber Security Policy (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Protecting children from online abuse, bullying and grooming requires a whole of government approach. The devastating effects are becoming increasingly obvious in our homes, schools and communities. While my department does not have a lead responsibility in this area, it does play an important role in a wider range of actions across a number of departments. Last week, I met with the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The safety and well-being of young people and staff in Oberstown is my primary concern. In addressing the challenges posed by the issues on the Oberstown Children Detention Campus (Oberstown), the Board of Management commissioned independent reviews in a number of key areas including operations, security, health and safety and behaviour management. In addition, all policies are being...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Schools participating in the School Completion Programme have not been asked to cut the numbers of students they are working with down to 10% of current numbers. Schools have however been asked to ensure that the School Completion Programme funding is focused on achieving its primary purpose, that is, to target those children most at risk of early school leaving. Ireland's school...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reports (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is very actively involved in the North East Inner City Initiative which is progressing apace on foot of the Mulvey Report. Officials from my Department are represented on the Senior Officials Oversight Group and the Programme Implementation Board. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is also Chairing the Integrating Social Services subgroup under this initiative. My...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In March 2017 the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) undertook an inspection at Oberstown Children Detention Campus. A number of areas which require improvement were identified. An Action Plan to address these areas was agreed between HIQA and Oberstown and published on the HIQA website. I understand that work in this regard is progressing in line with the timetable agreed in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Cyberbullying Issues (28 Nov 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I refer the Deputy to the reply that I provided to the same question that she asked as a Priority Question today.