Results 5,641-5,660 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence (26 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the provision of care and protection to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV). In discharging its statutory responsibility, Tusla supports 59 organisations nationally that deliver a range of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Data (26 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I have written to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to request this information. A further response will issue when I have their reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to advise the Deputy that, prior to the establishment of Tusla in 2014, the statutory function of child welfare and protection services rested with the Health Services Executive. The table below refers to the number of referrals received across the four categories of abuse, for each of the years 2011-2018. The Deputy may wish to note that data for 2018 refers to Q1 and Q2 only as Q3...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Yes I have received the report. The Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) submitted a Fifth Interim Report to me on 15 March 2019. It is a substantial report which focuses on the burial arrangements of persons who died while resident in these institutions. The report includes extensive technical reports prepared in the course of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Guidelines (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that I am not in a position to comment on individual cases, or matters which have been before the courts. I have written to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to request information on the operational aspects of the question. A further response will issue when I have their reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am informed that this information is not collated centrally by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla works in partnership with families and their networks to develop plans for children based on the strengths of the family and the individual circumstances of the child. Tusla endeavour, where possible, to support children at home or for their return home where this is in their best...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. Tusla provides funding to seven FRCs in County Mayo. Tusla has advised me that the FRC to which the Deputy refers will receive the same amount of core funding in 2019 as it did in 2018, which is €101,110. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding of some €18 million is being...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: On 11 March, I announced the launch of the national childcare scheme, our pathway to truly accessible and affordable quality childcare. The scheme will open to applications this October and good progress continues to be made as we work towards that timeframe. Following the enactment of the Childcare Support Act last July, detailed secondary legislation and policy guidelines are now being...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Regarding the development of the IT system, and it is important that the Deputy asks these questions in an ongoing way because I know she does and has a particular interest, my information is that it is on target. As the Deputy is aware, an oversight group was established at the very beginning and continues to monitor the development of it. Part of that involves ongoing risk assessment...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for those questions and for alerting me to information she is receiving on not having access to broadband in County Leitrim. I will feed that in and get back to her in terms of looking at and assessing that issue. The ultimate success of the national child care scheme is rooted in that. It is also important to say that there is still the possibility of parents making...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Domestic Violence (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the child and family agency, provides funding and co-ordination supports to 59 organisations that deliver a range of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence throughout the country. In 2018, as part of the planning processes to develop services for victims of domestic violence, Tusla began the process of reviewing emergency domestic violence accommodation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Domestic Violence (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. Those are very important issues that she has pointed out. In terms of the calculation of her figures, I would have to do them myself but let us assume that she has done her maths right. The most important thing that the Deputy is identifying is what guidelines Ireland ought to follow to determine the number of refuge places that we have available. Indeed, as the Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Domestic Violence (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Three matters arise here. First, on the numbers that we ought to have according to the Council of Europe, Tusla is applying a standard of shelter space per 10,000 head of female population. There is another standard of shelter space per 7,500 head of adult population. That is what the Deputy is arguing we should have instead, which means we need to increase provision. I am saying in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foster Care Supports (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: This is an important question and the Deputy is correct in saying that some areas in the country have access to a greater level of aftercare workers. The need for greater consistency in the provision of aftercare planning and services has been identified in Tusla's 2019 business plan. The budget I have secured for Tusla for 2019 will enable it to progress these plans. Individual children in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foster Care Supports (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. I think marches are great. Having said that, being a Minister I need to know what the issues are before they happen. We will have those engagements. In my initial answer I noted that Tusla informs me that there is a really deep assessment of the needs of the individual child or young person. While all of them are entitled to an aftercare plan, some of them will not...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foster Care Supports (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. I wish to say two things in response to her questions. Regarding the number of aftercare workers, I would like to put on record that we need to fill some more posts. Tusla now has 111 posts in aftercare. Some 89 of them are filled by aftercare workers. There are 11 vacancies at aftercare worker grade. Tusla recently held a competition for 11 management posts. An...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Youth Homelessness Strategy (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: We have a very serious problem concerning homeless children and families in our country. Where children are homeless as part of a family experiencing homelessness, my Department works closely with Tusla to provide supports to help them with the challenges they face. It is worth remembering that Tusla only intervenes in family life in exceptional circumstances. Children who are with their...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Youth Homelessness Strategy (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware of the numbers. I find it distressing that there has been such a rise in homelessness and especially that it includes more than 160 children. I am certainly with the Deputy in respect of that. In light of the changes in the numbers, and the increase in numbers that we have in the headlines of the front pages of the newspapers today, a rethink on some of the things the Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Youth Homelessness Strategy (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I support the objective and the ambition contained in the context of the Bill. My view as an Independent Member of Government is that it is very helpful to have the Anti-Evictions Bill 2018. It adds to the debate in respect of what is required in order to ensure we have additional security of tenure in our private rental sector. That is what I will support. Deputy Barry quoted me and,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Child Protection (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The special rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography visited Ireland, at the invitation of the Government, from 14 to 21 May 2018. The special rapporteur met with representatives of a number of Departments and agencies during her visit. I met with her at the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Her report assesses the situation in Ireland and makes...