Results 5,441-5,460 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Reports (5 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I would like to assure the Deputy that it is not customary for Tusla management to withhold reports dealing with serious and longstanding child protection issues from the Tusla Board or my Department. As a State Body, and like other State bodies, Tusla management may commission and/or produce reports for its own purposes, which may not necessarily be shared with the Board or my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Reports (5 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised me that it is not aware of any existing finished reports in its possession which have not been shared with the appropriate level of governance. I would also like to inform the Deputy that I am not aware of any such reports in my Department which have not been shared with the appropriate level of governance.  

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Policy (5 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: There is currently a Communications, Collaboration and Accountability Protocol between the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The purpose of this protocol is to ensure that there are lines of communication, accountability and decision making between the Tusla Executive, the Tusla Board, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Reports (5 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has informed me that the report referred to was commissioned by Tusla management with the purpose of informing them in relation to certain events, and was accordingly described as an internal management report. The Deputy will also be aware that I have sought written...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 has passed Second Stage in the Seanad.  As I am sure the Deputy is aware, the Bill seeks to respect the rights to identity and privacy, which sometimes conflict with one another. Given the constitutional context, striking the balance between these rights is proving challenging.  Members of the Oireachtas, stakeholders and lobby...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. My Department is examining its records in relation to these matters raised by the Deputy and a reply will be issued in the near future.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to discuss my Department’s Revised Estimate for 2019 which provides for a taxpayers’ investment of €1.5 billion, which represents an increase of just under €107 million, or 8%, on the allocation for 2018, following the Supplementary Estimate in December. As a result, my Department will spend €1.478 billion in current expenditure and €32...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. There are at least two layers to his question and he should correct me if I am not being accurate. The first layer regards the question of the costs and the process associated with Tusla possibly challenging certain services being delivered to individual families and going to court in that regard. Is that what the Deputy is asking?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is referring to a court determining whether a family ought to be provided with certain services.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: On the first layer of the Deputy's question, in some cases the courts require sight of involvement in decisions of that nature. If it is acceptable to the Deputy, I will make inquiries with Tusla on the matters he has raised, particularly in regard to timelines and in terms of individual families.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Is the Deputy referring to a specific case involving a specific family?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: That is another question.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the advice of the Chair and the fact that the Deputy is raising this issue at the committee. He stated this is about a process. My officials and I will need to make inquiries to clarify the process, the decisions made and Tusla's role in these cases. If he will allow us to do that and revert to him------

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: He also raised the issue of cost. Ultimately, if the process in question is reasonable and acceptable in terms of Tusla's statutory role, the cost may be justified. I am not saying that is necessarily the case because I am not clear on exactly what is the process and need to make further inquiries in that regard.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is referring to a specific case involving a particular child.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I have offered to revert to the Deputy with a reply in that regard.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy's second question relates to Tusla transitioning to a way of engaging with providers of services through bringing in a commissioning process that was not there before. I acknowledge there may be difficult aspects to that transition period. However, the rationale for moving towards the commissioning process is an effort to work with the diversity of providers in certain areas....

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As I understand it, that is not the case for individual speech and language therapists. I may need to check that to provide an accurate reply to the Deputy.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: A commissioning process usually relates to organisations or------

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Deputy's questions. I was trying to describe the transition to a new way of doing that. The Deputy is raising more questions in the same territory. What might be most useful would be for Tusla to present to the committee on its general approach to commissioning. The Deputy could raise these questions in that context. I am happy to revert directly to the Deputy following...