Results 7,221-7,240 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The initiation of any independent inquiry is a very significant matter and one which will require careful consideration. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I have previously taken a number of actions in response to allegations of poor safeguarding policies and practice in Scouting Ireland. These included the suspension of funding pending the appointment of a new Board, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Attendance (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) has statutory responsibility under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 for ensuring all children attend school regularly. Educational Welfare Officers (EWO's) work with families and children to overcome barriers to their school attendance, participation and retention. All schools in Ireland closed on 12th March 2020 and currently remain closed....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented situation and the precise duration of this crisis cannot be known. The re-opening of ELC and SAC services will be guided by public health advice first and foremost, in accordance with the phases announced by the Government recently. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS), launched by my Department on 15 April, builds on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: €297m has been allocated to the Early Childhood Care and Education programme in 2020. The Early Childhood Care and Education programme runs for 38 weeks each programme year. The standard capitation rate paid to providers is €69 per child, per week. The higher capitation rate paid to services is €80.25 per child, per week. The programme currently provides 15 hours of free...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Social Workers Recruitment (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: While this is not a matter for my Department I am aware of it and I understand that the Higher Education Institutions are working with CORU on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reports (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Crowe was commissioned by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to undertake an independent review on the cost of providing quality childcare in Ireland. The brief included: - analysing the current costs of providing childcare and the factors that impact on these costs; - the development and delivery of a model of the unit costs of providing childcare that allows analysis of policy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Home Tuition Scheme (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Department of Children and Youth Affairs does not operate a home tuition scheme for pre-school children. The Department funds the ECCE preschool programme for children in the two years prior to school entry. To support children's inclusion in the ECCE programme, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) has since 2016 provided a range of supports for access and meaningful participation of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware it was with regret that I had to cancel the Temporary Childcare Scheme for Essential Health Workers on the 13th May. Identifying essential workers will be part of the wider Government effort to ensure that society and businesses are re-opened in a carefully managed and safe manner. The proposal submitted by the Deputy relates to operation of the Temporary Wage Subsidy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: We have come a long way in recent years in improving Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) support in Ireland. Investment in ELC and SAC has increased by 141% over the last five years. This has enabled us deliver, for example, a second year of free pre-school to all children, the international award winning Access and Inclusion Model for children with disabilities, a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that the Temporary Childcare Scheme for Essential Health Workers was cancelled on the 13th May. My primary focus now, and that of my Department, is to work towards the significant challenges of a phased reopening of early learning and childcare facilities for 29th June, in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. Identifying...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 868 to 870, inclusive, together. As the Deputy is aware, at present the public health guidance issued by the HSE is that childminding should only take place in the child's home, not in a childminder's home. This is to avoid households mixing, and is important as part of the stay at home measures. On 1 May the Government released its Roadmap for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The members of the Advisory Group on the phased re-opening of childcare services are the Association of Childhood Professionals, the Community Forum, Early Childhood Ireland, National Childhood Network, PLÉ and Seas Suas, Childminding Ireland and SIPTU. Pobal and Tusla are also members of the Advisory Group. In establishing the Advisory Group, I provided six places for sectoral...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is aware that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented situation that has required a series of emergency responses from the Government and my Department. My Department and I are engaging extensively with stakeholders in the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age (SAC) sector, including the representative groups referred to by the Deputy. Consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 873 and 877 together. On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 874 and 876 together. On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (27 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The COVID-19 Pandemic has created major challenges for Ireland. The closure of centre-based Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services including those providing Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services on 12 March was an unexpected but necessary move to safeguard public health in Ireland. On Friday 1 May, the Government published the Roadmap for Reopening...