Results 5,861-5,880 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (21 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware that media reports have issued recently with regard to the individual to whom the Deputy refers.  I have been advised by Tusla that it cannot comment on individual employment matters.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Meetings (21 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy may be aware that a representative from the organisation in question recently contacted my office with regard to a meeting and a presentation of a petition on two specified dates. My office advised the representative of the organisation in question that I would not be available to attend a meeting on those dates due to the pressures of scheduled business. My office will follow up...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (21 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: 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). As the Deputy will be aware, I secured an additional €1.5m in funding for DSGBV services in 2019. On Thursday 25 April, 2019, I announced that the additional €1.5 million in funding will be used to provide: -...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services Funding (21 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As highlighted to the Deputy in response to her previous question (Ref PQ 21848/19), I secured an additional €1.5m in funding for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services in 2019 and have announced how this additional funding is to be used. I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to respond directly to the Deputy regarding additional funding for the named...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Payments (21 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Policy (21 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The pregnancy of a girl in care will be recorded on an individual file and  the care planning process is the key forum to ensure that robust plans are put in place to support young people who are pregnant.  National level data is not currently collated for all incidents of pregnancy. I thank the Deputy for her suggestion and will include the issue in future...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (21 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for her question and confirm that, as this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (21 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that Youth Work Ireland Galway has not contacted my Department in relation to a request for enhanced funding for youth counselling work. The total 2019 Targeted Youth Funding Scheme (TYFS) allocation for Youth Work Ireland Galway amounts to €370,260. In 2019, €60.4m is allocated in current funding to support the provision of youth services.  This is an...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (22 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. A key priority for me as Minister is to ensure all children can access early learning and care and school age childcare that is affordable, accessible and of high quality. My Department supports the growing sector through the provision of capital funding where it is most needed. After decades of low levels of investment in early learning and care...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (22 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: It is very helpful for me to hear the Deputy's commentary concerning the Mountbellew childcare centre, particularly the way in which he describes the quality of provision for the children and the incredible commitment of the providers, the staff and the professionals. It is so important for us and for me as Minister that they stay there and continue to do that work. I know it can be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (22 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The National Childcare Scheme is a new, national scheme of financial support for parents towards the cost of childcare.  The development of this Scheme is a significant move forward in delivering quality, accessible, affordable childcare to families throughout Ireland.  The Scheme represents a fundamental shift away from subsidies grounded in medical card and social protection...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (22 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Assisting childcare providers in extending their existing childcare services, or establishing new childcare services, have always been key areas of focus of my Department's capital programmes. Capital funding is aimed at increasing the capacity of services, creating new services and maintaining and improving existing services. Each year my Department reviews the capital programmes as a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for the question. The unprecedented increase in investment in childcare over the last four budgets has helped to double capacity in the sector. We have doubled the ECCE-free preschool scheme from one to two years. We have also doubled the number of spaces for the zero to three age group. Baby and toddler places have increased from 13,700 in 2014 to over 31,000 in 2018,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. On the main issue he raised, and Teresa Heeney's comments, the question is whether the sector has been replacing baby rooms with ECCE rooms which are perhaps perceived as more lucrative. I do not think there is any definitive evidence to support that assertion but we have some anecdotal claims. While there has been a significant increase in ECCE capacity in recent years,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: We are aware of the need to provide capital funding to increase the supply and capacity for under-threes. That is why I have moved the capital funding for 2019 in that direction. We are aware of the statistics. Pobal works closely with us. When we fully implement the national childcare scheme in November, there will be incentives of additional supports for childcare providers to have more...

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

Katherine Zappone: The impact of violence and abuse witnessed or experienced in childhood can last a lifetime. Where a child is in the care of Tusla and where there is a history of violence or other forms of abuse, the courts may order, or social workers may arrange, for access to be supervised to ensure safe oversight of the access visit. I am deeply conscious of and sensitive to the...

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

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy described, these are significant issues for the children and the parents. As the Deputy acknowledges and I said in my original response, it is important that Women's Aid and other organisations highlight the significant concerns about potential harm done to children, as well as the ways in which intimidation etc. in a family can continue, especially with regard to children and...

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

Katherine Zappone: I hope to do that. It is a great concern of mine. Over the past couple of years, we have got more information and knowledge, especially from experts, about the importance of ensuring increased complementary State support for this. Often, it is possible for parents to be supported by community contexts or community centres themselves in order to ensure the safety of children, but the Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Caring for adolescents, many of whom have traumatic histories, complex behaviour and an ambivalence about their placement is a challenge. When this care takes place in a residential setting it requires high levels of experienced staff to support these children. As is the case in other jurisdictions, maintaining high standards in residential care is an ongoing challenge. At the end...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Aindrias Moynihan for raising the particular issue, which I will examine personally. As the Deputy said, HIQA has the responsibility to do the inspection and as part of that it works with the providers of residential care to ensure that a plan is put together in order to meet standards and then come up with a report. Oversight and ensuring standards are raised remains with...