Results 3,741-3,760 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Dormant Accounts Fund Grants (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has received funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund for the development and implementation of the Quality and Capacity Building Initiative (QCBI). This initiative which is envisaged to run until 2020 aims to ensure the mainstreaming of learning from the original Area-Based Childhood and similar programmes in prevention and early intervention. The QCBI will harness and apply this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: On 1st February 2018, I announced detailed application guidelines for the 2018 Early Years and School Age Capital programmes, including details on each of the five funding strands available under these. Lists of indicative eligible and ineligible costs under each funding strand were made available as part of the application guidelines. For example, under Strands 1 and 4, dedicated to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Following recent clarification with the Deputy's office, I understand that the Deputy is querying if the organisation referred to, has applied to join the Family Resource Centre Programme. On Budget Day, I was pleased to announce that additional resources of almost €3.0m were secured to support the inclusion of an additional 11 community organisations to the Family resource...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Support Services (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I have responsibility for Early Years Care and Education and School Age Childcare. I am committed to the provision of childcare options that respect both parental choice and international evidence on how to achieve the best outcomes for children. Stay at home parents can access a number of schemes operated by my Department. From September...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The development of the Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) entails a programme of work encompassing legislative, ICT, governance, administrative and communications work-streams.  Significant progress continues to be made across all these areas.   Of particular significance, the Childcare Support Bill was published in December 2017 and completed Second Stage in the Dáil on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The establishment of the Collaborative Forum is a new approach in the State’s response to the theme of “nothing about us without us” which emerged from my consultations with former residents of mother and baby homes and their advocates.  These consultations were facilitated by Mr Jim Halley and he further assisted me in developing the proposal for a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Health Services Staff Data (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has advised that the breakdown of whole time equivalent Social Workers  by region as at 31 December, 2017 is as follows: Region/Area WTE Child Residential  Service 8.6 Residential DML 1.99 Residential DNE 2.89 Residential West Residential South 3.72 Special Care Services National Services 98.04 Dublin Mid-Leinster (DML) 374.78 Dublin South Central 75.06...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The statutory Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) is independent in the conduct of its investigations. The approach to publicising its work and seeking persons with potentially relevant information to come forward are matters for the Commission to decide. I do not have any role or influence in this regard. The Commission previously informed me...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: On Budget Day, I was pleased to announce that additional resources of almost €3.0m were secured to support the work of existing Family Resource Centres, and to facilitate the inclusion of an additional 11 community organisations to the Family Resource Centre Programme. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre Programme. Applications to the programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Persons Supports (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the publication of the tenth edition of the Children’s Rights Alliance Report Card evaluating the Government's progress on actions for children. The 2018 report acknowledges progress made and the Government’s efforts to improve the lives of children in Ireland. The report rightly highlights the continuing impact of the homelessness crisis on the lives of children. I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The DCYA capital grant funding scheme for play and recreation provides capital funding to support new and existing play and recreation facilities for children and young people. The total amount of funding made available each year is €250,000. A maximum grant of €20,000 is allocated to each Local Authority through the Local Authority Play and Recreation Network (LAPRN). The LAPRN...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Traveller Community (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I must inform the Deputy that my Department has no responsibility with regard to this issue. If the Deputy has any particular questions regarding health issues, including infant mortality, he should address these to the Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD. As a lifelong campaigner for equality, social justice and fairness, I regard the recognition of Traveller ethnicity in 2017 as a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The factors impacting on the costs across delivery of services in any sector are complex and multifaceted. The cost to childcare providers is affected by many factors such as rates, rent, labour costs, and insurance amongst other things. In September 2017 this Government introduced a number of measures to make childcare more affordable for families in Ireland. These measures involved: - A...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: In September 2017 my Department introduced a series of measures to make childcare more accessible and affordable for families in Ireland. These included: - A new, universal (non-means tested) subsidy for all children in Tusla-registered childcare aged between 6 months until they are eligible for the ECCE programme, which amounts to up to €1,040 per year for children in full-time...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Measures (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 provides for the first time a statutory entitlement to identity information for adopted persons. It provides for a structured and regulated access to information and tracing services for those affected by adoption. It sets out the information that can be provided  and the circumstances in which it can be provided to adopted persons and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: A child can be received into voluntary care by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, under Section 4 of the Child Care Act, 1991. This section allows Tusla to receive a child into care without a court order, and with the consent of the child's parents, when this is required for the child’s welfare or protection. A voluntary care agreement may be appropriate in situations where a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Children or teenagers  who are in a situation of immediate risk may initially be dealt with by An Garda Síochána or by Tusla, but in the main both agencies work together in such cases.  Tusla, when alerted to a child at immediate risk, for instance a young child left alone at home or abandoned and  if the child needs to be removed from that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department continues to invest significant resources in the childcare sector generally. In the last three Budgets (2016, 2017 and 2018) investment in childcare has increased by 80% which reflects the emphasis being placed on improving access to high quality and affordable services . This investment includes funding of the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and the After School...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Programme for Government commits to full implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention). Responsibility for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention falls under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. The Istanbul Convention is a significant legal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Homelessness Strategy (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: 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, including children who present as  homeless, and are not in the care of their parents.  Tusla provides assessment  and care to children in this situation, understanding that there is...