Results 5,661-5,680 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

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

Katherine Zappone: I can certainly speak about the issue of illegal registrations in the context of the recommendations made. The Deputy will be aware that a review of sample files within the custody of the State is taking place. The process is being overseen by an independent reviewer, Marion Reynolds, the former deputy director of social services in Northern Ireland. The findings of the review will assist...

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

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Deputy highlighting the need for urgency. I feel it too, especially when I meet those involved. I met some of them two evenings ago at the extraordinary exhibition at the National Museum that I launched. It was called "(A)ddressing our Hidden Truths" by Alison Lowry. The Deputy made one point about how the commission should have had broader terms of reference to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: After-School Support Services (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: We need to regulate school-age childcare to ensure children's health, safety and welfare. I introduced regulations for the first time for this purpose in February. They will promote quality of service for children. In addition, registration with Tusla will allow school-age childcare services to take part in the national childcare scheme when it opens later this year, thus addressing the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: After-School Support Services (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate that the Deputy has set out her view. The 12:1 ratio is based on many views, as well as international research and evidence. That is how ultimately we came to the figure of 12:1. The second point is that we have discussed the matter previously. Was there enough consultation? The action plan for school-age childcare published in 2017 included a commitment to introduce a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: After-School Support Services (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the questions Deputy Rabbitte always brings. They are rooted in listening to and being with the childcare providers. In terms of the numbers of people who have signed up, I do not have that information but I will certainly get it for the Deputy. Deputy Rabbitte will agree that we need the regulations. We need quality in our school age childcare services. There has been a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 12 and 37 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. I have allocated significant funding in recent years for this purpose and for improving the quality of infrastructure...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: On Deputy Rabbitte's first question on the number of places, I will ask for that information for her. I gather she asks the question because she is wondering if there is enough funding for the places that are required where they are required. As I said, I will certainly ask for that. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department, along with Pobal, has worked diligently and with considerable...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. My answer to the first set of questions was trying to identify grants, up to certain amounts, according to the various strands. In strand A, for example, grants of up to €50,000 will be offered to early learning and care providers for the creation of places for those between zero and three. The Deputy is wondering how, given the limited resources, it will be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: On Deputy Rabbitte's question, I do not know whether the Department has considered the matter. I will feed that in. It is an interesting recommendation. What the Deputy is suggesting is a form of transition to ensure that a year or a couple of years do not go by with insufficient capacity. Anything we can find that offers support in this regard would be helpful. At the same time,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Protection (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The safety and welfare of children and young people are at the heart of all decisions made by me and my Department. I involved myself directly in recent matters relating to safeguarding and child protection when they arose in Scouting Ireland because I was made aware of concerns expressed to the organisation by Tusla. I am not a safeguarding expert but I believe that when issues raised by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Protection (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As I said, what I am expecting this week is the report on the implementation of the van Turnhout recommendations.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Protection (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Protection (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The six-point action plan that has been agreed with Tusla and Scouting Ireland focuses on the issues raised by the Deputy in terms of where are the safeguarding issues. My expectation and understanding is that Tusla will continue to support Scouting Ireland in order to ensure that those actions are implemented. The first step is that Tusla makes a presentation on Children First legislation...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am informed by Tusla that the organisation in question does not receive funding from Tusla. I understand that the organisation to which the Deputy refers is a member of the new communities partnership, an independent national network of more than 150 immigrant-led groups comprising 65 nationalities which has offices in Dublin and Cork. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, funds the new...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware of the article to which the Deputy referred and which made certain assertions. I agree with the points she raises on the substantive issue. Specifically in regard to this issue, it is important to clarify that Tusla provides funding on the basis of certain service level agreements or objectives or looking for certain things to be delivered by a number of organisations under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his very important questions. There are currently 321 vacant posts for social workers in Tusla. The agency is actively trying to fill these funded posts. It is acknowledged that there is a shortage of social workers in Ireland and internationally which makes recruitment of the required staff very challenging. The scale of the challenge is significant. For example,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I will take some of those questions. The Deputy’s first question is on the percentage of agency staff. I can get the figure to him but what I would say is that whatever it is, it is too high.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: All efforts are being made to try to reduce that. That is the objective of Tusla as well as myself. The board has finally agreed this multi-annual strategic workforce plan, which has been quite some time in coming. It is a very significant achievement by the current board under the chairmanship of Mr. Rabbitte. It took a long time because it was a complex thing to develop but it will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: It is important to put all those figures on the record because that is the basis on which we are trying to move forward and improve matters. I would make two brief points in that regard. The Deputy mentioned that Catherine Bond of the Irish Foster Care Association appeared before the committee. One of the points she made that I was particularly struck by was that perhaps Tusla should...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, this Bill passed Second Stage in the Seanad. I will be bringing the Bill back to the Seanad soon and intend to have it passed by both Houses by the end of this session. As I am sure the Deputy is aware, the Bill seeks to balance the rights to identity and to privacy, which sometimes conflict with one another. Given the constitutional context, striking the balance...