Results 5,961-5,980 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to ensuring childcare is affordable, accessible and of a high quality. 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 whole and determines the priorities for Early Learning and Care and School Age Capital grants. The capital...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Provision (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Historically, there have been low levels of investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) in Ireland. Over the past four budgets however, investment has increased by some 117% - rising from in €260 million in 2015, to €575 million in 2019. This 117% increase in investment in childcare over the last 4 budgets has assisted with an unprecedented...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Data (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Early Childcare Care and Education (ECCE) services are either privately run or operated by community/not for profit services. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is not the owner or operator of any childcare service, but through a Funding Agreement provides a range of funding supports, through capitation payments and other programmes, to support the sector. My Department generally...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Regulation (29 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018, followed an amendment to the Child Care Act 1991 that was made in the Childcare Support Act 2018. These regulations enable us to begin the long sought after quality assurance of school-age childcare services which is required to best serve children and families In setting regulatory...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (30 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I take it that the Deputy is referring to a National Review Panel report that was published on 28 May 2019, the summary report entitled "Review of a serious incident: abuse of children in the care of the health board/HSE (2003 – 2011)". I am currently considering the recommendations in the light of the ongoing changes being implemented by Tusla in terms of their workforce and social...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services Funding (30 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Senator and I hear the issues she is putting forward. I am going to answer the question as she put it to us last evening. The national childcare scheme, when introduced, will represent a major landmark for all children and families in Ireland, especially for lower-income families and lone parents. It can be accessed by all families and not only those working or studying...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services Funding (30 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As I said at the beginning, I attempted to answer the question as Senator Murnane O'Connor put it to me. It did not specify the service outlined by the Senator in her commentary to me now. Having said that, I appreciate the arguments she has made. I will say a couple of things. International reports have stated that the national childcare scheme will significantly address affordability...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency provides funding and coordination supports to some 59 organisations that deliver a range of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence throughout the country. In 2019, €25.3 million is being allocated to Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence services, an increase of €1.5 million over 2018. I have requested Tusla...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Childminding Action Plan is at an advanced stage of development, and I hope to publish the Plan shortly. The Plan will follow through on Government commitments made in First 5, the Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families, which include commitments to extend the regulation to all paid, non-relative childminders on a phased basis over the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National LGBTI Strategy (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: An implementation report of the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018-2020 will be compiled after end June 2019, which marks the first year since publication and launch of the strategy. It is envisaged that the report will be published in late quarter 3/early quarter 4 of 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Persons Data (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: While my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, has primary responsibility for reducing and ultimately eliminating homelessness, I am committed to helping children and families experiencing homelessness as part of a whole-of-Government response to this problem. As the Deputy will be aware, children and families experiencing homelessness are supported by Tusla,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country. The current allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services Provision (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 830 and 831 together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, will receive Exchequer funding of over €787m in 2019. This represents an increase in funding of some €34m over 2018, and is the fourth year in succession that Tusla has received a significant increase it its funding. I strongly support the work of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Data (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the question to Tusla, and asked them to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Data (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the question to Tusla, and asked them to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: It is important to be clear that the Collaborative Forum and the Commission of Investigation are two entirely separate processes. The Commission of Investigation is an independent statutory investigative process. The Collaborative Forum was established to examine ways to facilitate dialogue with former residents of Mother and Baby Homes and related institutions on issues of concern to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Garda Vetting (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Garda vetting in Ireland is governed by the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 which fall under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 provide a legislative basis for the mandatory vetting of persons who wish to undertake certain work or...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Expenditure (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the question to Tusla, and asked them to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Regulation (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018, which came into force in February 2019, enable us to begin the long sought-after quality assurance of school-age childcare services. In setting regulatory requirements, the primary consideration must be children’s health, safety and well-being.  These were the primary...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to advise the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, publishes data periodically in relation to children in care.  At the end of March, the most recent date for which figures are available, there were a total of 6,005 children in care. Of these, 669, or 11% were awaiting the allocation of a social worker.  I am informed by Tusla that a case awaiting...