Results 5,301-5,320 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 38 together. A key priority for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is to support the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector through the provision of capital funding where it is most needed. In this regard, I have allocated significant funding in recent years for the creation of early learning and care and school-age...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I hear the Deputy and I acknowledge that she does not believe the investment of €9 million this year is enough. Deputy Rabbitte questioned the capacity to target the funding to where it is most needed. She also asked if we miss some places because we do not have enough money or if it is possible that we just miss certain places. The Deputy stated that there is not enough funding. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Generally speaking I would think yes, but obviously they would have to meet the various criteria in that regard. It is also dependent on the scale of funding. I have already accepted the Deputy's colleague's comments to the effect that the funding is not enough. We will continue to seek as much capital investment as possible. If it is required for naíonrí or other smaller...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I will answer the last question first. Yes, from our past experience I see it being taken up in full. There are usually more applications than we can fund. Deputies Rabbitte and Moynihan are aware that the Department works very closely with Pobal on the waiting lists to the extent that it is possible and with the science available. We work regularly with Pobal in scenario analyses to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that, usually, if it is a large county and a large population, more investment in capacity would be required.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware of calls by the Tuam Home Survivors' Network for the Government to begin collecting their DNA samples immediately. They describe this issue as urgent, in light of the age profile and health status of some survivors. The purpose of collecting samples would be to compare against any DNA profiles that may be generated from the juvenile human remains found at the site of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware of the concerns of, and the questions and request, from the survivors. I have heard them through the media, they have been in correspondence with me and I have talked to them directly. Because of that and having known and worked so well with them over the years, we want to respond positively. In answer to the Deputy's question on why, if they volunteer it is not possible to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: That is a great question. The Deputy started by referring to the records showing that the numbers do not add up. The most comprehensive record and analysis of the records will be the commission's report on the burials and we will get that pretty soon. We have many others to be grateful to in regard to the records, not least some of our journalists. What the records show will be part of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am looking forward to the report and its recommendations and analysis, and I do not expect that I will employ alternative principles in making recommendations to my colleagues on how to respond to it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: To Bessborough.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Inspections (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am conscious of the role early learning and care services play in promoting Irish as a living language and how this helps children to develop proficiency in the Irish language. My Department has participated proactively with colleagues in the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in agreeing a comprehensive set of early learning and care actions to be implemented under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Inspections (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am not so satisfied. As I indicated, another inspector with a high level of proficiency in Irish is being recruited. We will see whether that will be sufficient. A point I may not have made in my opening remarks is that there are several actions in addition to inspection to support the use of the Irish language in early years services.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware of the extensive discussion on this matter that took place at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children on 30 January last. At that meeting, the Chair of the Board of Oberstown, Professor Ursula Kilkelly, gave a detailed update on the current situation. She outlined, among other things the serious legal difficulties associated with publishing the full...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I can understand the Deputy’s concern about the use of this powerful legal instrument. Emergency care orders are only granted by the Courts where there is an immediate threat to the safety of a child. Social workers seeking an Emergency Care Order are often acting to protect a child during a crisis. Information from the Child Care Law Reporting Project indicates that Emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Ombudsman for Children commenced an investigation regarding a complaint from the parent of a child who was living at Oberstown Children's Detention Centre. I understand that the complaint related to an incident in November 2016 involving the child. In accordance with the legislation, the Ombudsman for Children issued a statement to the Board in October 2018 under Section 13(6) of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Commission submitted a Fourth Interim Report in December of last year. In it the Commission advised that it would not be able to issue its final report within the previously agreed time frame. It requested an extension of one year in order to complete its work in full. The Government agreed to this extension request and the Commission is now due to submit its final report by February...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware of the appearance of Professor Hardwicke and Professor Goldson at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on 30 January. I note that Professor Hardwicke referred to a telephone conversation he had with me on 21 December 2016, when broad national policy on youth justice was discussed. Any suggestion that this conversation, or any conversation between myself and the reviewers, in some...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The creation of new early learning and care and school age places continues to be of utmost priority for my Department, as evidenced in the capital supports offered to providers for the purpose. The total Capital allocation for Early Years in 2018 was €6.86m. Of this, €3.86m was allocated for the creation of new early learning and care places. This resulted in 85 applications...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I strongly support Tusla’s important work. I have secured an additional €110m for the Agency since becoming Minister with the intention of securing permanent staff resources. I am aware that Tusla has been unable to meet its additional whole time equivalent target each year since its establishment in 2014. The failure to meet its targets include the reality that there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes has issued four interim reports to date. I have published all four reports. The Commission submitted its Fourth Interim Report in December of last year. In it the Commission advised that it would not be able to issue its final report within the previously agreed time frame and requested an extension of one year to allow it to...