Results 981-1,000 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The issue referred to by the Deputy is a matter for Tusla the Child and Family Agency and I have asked them to reply to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Employment Rights (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The terms and conditions of employment in the early years sector are matters to be agreed between employer and employee. My Department makes no recommendations in relation to these matters. I have raised this issue with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI), within whose remit the issue of employment rights falls, and I understand that Ireland’s body of employment...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Company Closures (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am not aware of the issue referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department implements a number of childcare support programmes including the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. Pobal works closely with this Department in implementing these programmes and undertakes a compliance process to verify, through on-site visits, that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, provides for the appointment of a nine person Board consisting of a Chairperson, a Deputy Chairperson and seven ordinary members all appointed by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency does not provide a salary and remuneration package for Board members. However, the fees payable to Tusla Board members who...

Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (15 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising an important question, as it gives me an opportunity to put on the record some of the ways in which we have been preparing for the implementation of the new child care regulations. I assure the Deputy that, although I was at an extraordinary event where we launched a report, Children Seen and Heard: 1916 to 2016, at Áras an Uachtaráin, I...

Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (15 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I have a couple of points to make on the Deputy's additional question and one or two points on his original contribution. There are two aspects, the first of which concerns the support my Department provides to the practitioners and professionals in the early-years and child care setting, specifically in regard to the Learner Fund. As the Deputy is aware, Learner Fund 3 was to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (16 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child & Family Agency, have advised that the guidance issued to Projects in April 2016 is to the effect that effort to improve attendance should be through supports that encourage and support attendance. Tusla emphasised that the School Completion Programme continues to monitor school attendance in order to identify young people in need of an intervention. Tusla...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Crèche Facilities Provision (16 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 and 286 together. As this is a service matter, I have asked the Child and Family Agency/Tusla to consider the Deputy’s request, to liaise with the Health Service Executive, if required and to respond directly to the Deputy with the information he requests.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Data (16 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department operates a number of programmes that provide subsidised childcare for eligible parents. These programmes primarily support childcare in formal settings such as preschools and crèches, some of which are run by community/not-for profit organisations, and some by private providers. These include:- - The After-School Childcare (ASCC) programme that provides after-school care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (16 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, there were a number of significant risks identified by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) following the inspection of Child Welfare & Protection services in the Louth/Meath area in January 2015. It should be noted that HIQA was satisfied with the approach taken by the Child and Family Agency, Tusla and the area management to address the issues...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Properties (16 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Appropriation Account for my Department includes no direct payments in respect of rent/leases. The lease for my Department's building is held by the Office of Public Works. As regards Tusla, the nature of its leased properties is complex as many of the leased properties are shared with the Health Services Executive. This is as a consequence of the removal of child and family...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (21 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is in receipt of funding of €20.6m in 2016, to support for frontline Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based services. This includes additional funding of €200,000 to support Tusla in implementing the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention).The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services Funding (21 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency. I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (21 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency. I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Policy (21 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The age of the carers is never the sole reason for deciding on the suitability of a placement for a child in State care. It must be emphasised that the 40 year age difference between a foster carer, or relative foster carer, and foster child is only a guideline, not a policy, and does not determine a decision regarding suitability. It is more important that the relative carer has the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (21 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency. I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (21 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a number of childcare support programmes. These are the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention Private (CCSP) Programme and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. These programmes primarily provide support for childcare and early years education in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Data (21 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption Authority of Ireland has provided details of intercountry adoptions from China 2006 to 2015 as follows: Number of adoptions effected in China between 2006 and 2015 where the adopters were habitually resident in Ireland and held a valid Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability to Adopt 2006 33 2007 31 2008 19 2009 10 2010 9 2011 6 2012 1 2013 3 2014 1 2015 15 Total...

Topical Issue Debate: Foster Care Policy (22 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. It is great that he raised this question and I welcome the opportunity to clarify the 40 year gap guideline on the public record, so we can clarify matters in the minds of the public. The age of a foster carer or relative foster carer is never the sole reason for deciding on the suitability of a placement for a child in State care. The 40 year age difference between...