Results 7,001-7,020 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (5 Mar 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) has provided my department with the table attached below identifying the five different regions and number of Education Welfare Officers (EWO) in each region. Region 1 Southern Area: Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary. Region 2 South County Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (5 Mar 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency provides funding and coordination supports to some 59 organisations that deliver a range of services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence throughout the country. With regard to statistics relating to the use of Tusla-funded emergency domestic violence accommodation, Tusla has advised that data is collected retrospectively. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (5 Mar 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Draft Childminding Action Plan sets out a phased approach to achieving Government commitments in First 5,the Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and Families. The Draft Childminding Action Plan is firmly based on the 2018 report of the Working Group on Reforms and Supports for the Childminding Sector ('Pathway to a Quality Support and Assurance System for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (5 Mar 2020)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has not provided any payments to providers of early learning and care services  to assist with insurance costs. I did make a Programme Support Payment in December in recognition of the administrative burdens faced by the childcare providers by the need for most to renew their Tusla registration, the introducing of the National Childcare Scheme and the need...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (5 Mar 2020)

Katherine Zappone: From 2017 to December 2019 there were two insurance underwriters offering insurance to the childcare sector in Ireland – Allianz and Ironshore.  On the 6th December Ironshore notified their 1,300 clients that they would be withdrawing from the market.  On 17th December, the broker who had provided the Ironshore underwriting services informed their customers that they had...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (5 Mar 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Commissioning of services is an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have requested that Tusla respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. The Slainte centre accommodates 7 staff currently from Tusla Dublin North PPFS (Partnership Prevention and Family Support Team) This team offers the following services 1 Meitheal 2 Family Support 3 Parenting...

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to be in the Dáil this afternoon to outline the measures the Department has taken to ensure the care and protection of our children and young people during this pandemic. I will begin by placing on the Dáil record my gratitude for the ways in which our children and young people have responded to what is happening in Ireland and in our world at this time. They have...

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Am I to respond to all of the questions of all of the Deputies in the two minutes?

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Is that right? Is that is the way the rules are now?

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I will make a couple of comments in the two minutes allocated. I refer to Deputy Niamh Smyth's initial question on what has happened with the Government and the difficulties therein etc. I have referred many times to the growth of the sector and the 141% investment increase. I support the voices and representatives of the sector and the 30,000 who marched. I said that at the time. I...

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I have the answers.

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On the Deputy's initial questions, on the wage subsidy scheme, especially the focus on the sole trader, she will be aware that it was an issue at the beginning. We made strong representations. The solution was not the perfect one but at least those affected could have access to a payment of €350. This did not feature originally in terms of the initial negotiations for the bespoke...

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy can go ahead. That is okay.

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: For now, I will hold off on responding about what I think about the things I have read in the newspapers as well.

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Acting Chairman is doing a great job, if I may say so.

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I will start with the last question. Much of this is about planning for the future. I will address that a little. Many have asked a variation on Deputy Higgins's question. Needless to say, like other Departments, we have begun planning for the phased reopening of services. As the Deputy knows, when the pandemic hit we immediately started the wage subsidy scheme. We have it planned and...

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. It is good to continue the conversation. In addition to the early years forum briefing and consultation I had last night, I met many of the Opposition spokespeople a few days ago and answered their questions. It is good to meet Deputy Costello again. Why did 764 providers not sign up to the scheme? We are continuing to discuss that with the various representative...

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Yes, the emergency regulations. I intend to sign regulations for emergency foster care effectively to establish a unique panel to fast-track that if we need it. We do not know that we need it yet but if there are additional children who need foster care parents it is to try to get them to those as soon as possible. To ensure that the regulations have the best possible protections, I...

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his questions and his opening comments regarding the importance of childcare and the reality of, although he did not use that phrase, the double jobbing and extra responsibility on mothers. I thank him for his honesty in that regard. As we move forward, we need to find a new way to fund some forms of increased provision. I already indicated that even in the reopening...

Covid 19 (Childcare): Statements (6 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: In regard to the Deputy's other questions, perhaps he would put them on the record.