Results 1,141-1,160 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Services Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware of the Taoiseach's comments in the House on 15 June during his interaction with Deputy Howlin on this important issue. Tusla has allocated funding of €20.6 million in 2016 to support front-line services dealing with domestic, sexual and gender-based abuse. This includes additional funding of €200,000, requested by Tusla, to implement the provisions of the...

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Services Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I agree that we do not need there to be a gap in services. I fully support the Women's Aid helpline but there are other national helplines and Tusla is developing the commissioning of a service which could mean a number of helplines. It will take a look at the best way to provide a proper service and ensure that, as well as value for money, we get quality too because this is integral to...

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Services Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I completely agree with Deputy O'Sullivan. People need access and it needs to be clear. We need to have enough capacity and it needs to be done right. That is what Tusla is doing at the moment in reviewing the process and in due course it will invite service providers to apply so that we have a better service for the women and others who need it.

Other Questions: Child Care Services (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The programme for Government commits to conducting and publishing an independent review of the cost of providing quality child care. I envisage that my Department will tender for independent expertise to conduct the review in the autumn with a view to commencing it later this year. The report will need to be finalised by quarter two of next year and will be published. This commitment will...

Other Questions: Child Care Services (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy's question was about me working as hard as I can to increase investment in early years provision. I am committed to doing that and I will do that. I have met with child care providers and county child care committees in the past couple of months and I have supported them in their efforts to advocate and organise. They are amazing individuals. The challenges are to invest to...

Other Questions: Child Care Services (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am very aware of that and of concerns that some workers are paid close to the minimum wage and are requesting a living wage. I am also aware of concerns around non-contract hours. In terms of their own learning, there are concerns also about accessing the learner fund. We may need to examine the different schemes that have been developed over the years to ensure that they can access the...

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Wallace. At all times my priority and that of Tusla is to ensure that the needs of women and children fleeing domestic violence are being met in the best way possible. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, allocates funding for a network of 60 organisations that provide services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland. This includes 20 services that...

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I accept what Deputy Wallace outlined. I will take a look at that. It is important to investigate it. However, there is great need throughout the country in terms of other settings. There has been a slight increase in funding but I hear what the Deputy is saying, and it would be important to take a look at it again.

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy has put forward his case regarding Wexford and I have agreed to take a look at it. The action plan was very important to me and I was keen to ensure that within the context of the action plan we did something about the fact that some of the people who are moving into homelessness are fleeing their homes because of domestic violence. I have identified an action to provide...

Other Questions: Child Care Costs (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Reducing the cost of child care is a key priority for me and for the Government. We have a number of commitments in the programme for Government relating to enabling access to high quality and affordable child care, including subvention of child care for nine to 36 month old children. I am determined to deliver on these commitments. From September 2016, the extension of the early childhood...

Other Questions: Child Care Costs (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Coppinger. I identified those statistics and numbers again because that investment is reducing the costs of child care. Clearly that is not enough and I absolutely agree with the Deputy on that point. I agree that the scheme works for families with children from the ages of three to five and who are entering school age, but they are making the savings at that stage of their...

Other Questions: Child Care Costs (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Coppinger for her suggestions. I would be very interested in taking a further look at them with her. We are both agreed on the need to invest more. How to do that is a complicated process of identifying the best way to deliver access to quality and affordable child care for every child but especially for children from birth to six years of age and for a diversity of...

Other Questions: Adoption Records Provision (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Deputy Daly has identified the question of the possibility of carrying out a full audit of the records. I have been advised by Tusla that the records of Saint Patrick’s Guild Adoption Society transferred to Tusla on 25 May 2016. The records transferred include details of adoption and fostering arrangements of children from 1910 onwards. Tusla received in excess of 13,000 records...

Other Questions: Adoption Records Provision (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: There are two parts to the Deputy's question and I will deal with the issue of indemnity first. I assure the Deputy that I will commit to investigating the matter of indemnity. With regard to the importance the work of the investigations and how Tusla is managing the process, the agency has informed me that it now has a designated records storage facility in Dublin for the long-term...

Other Questions: Adoption Records Provision (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I accept the concerns of the people involved, which the Deputy articulated. Like her, I am committed to investigating the issue. I would be willing to meet the survivors because hearing testimony or bearing witness directly is integral to the development of the best policy and practice the Government can provide. I thank the Deputy for bringing this matter to my attention.

Other Questions: Child Care Services Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As of 18 July 2016, there were 739 children availing of the after-school child care programme. This equates to 318 after-school places. Of the 450 parents who are registered for ASCC this year, 29 have used their 52-week maximum allowance. For parents who have used their maximum allowance, the community child care subvention programme and the community child care subvention programme,...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. I was not aware of those statistics. I am distressed to hear that. I would be very committed to looking for ways to ensure that as they move on to different ways of providing public support the lone parents and their families get back what they may have lost through previous cuts. I have identified some of the ways to do that within the programme for Government. ...

Other Questions: Child Care Services Funding (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome Deputy Bríd Smith’s presentation of cost-benefit analyses of quality child care and the importance of dealing with prevention and early intervention with other Ministers. I am trying to voice that to them. I am in complete agreement with what the Deputy says. This goes across the board. We need to ensure that those who govern the nation can see this. I think they...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Work on drafting the adoption (information and tracing) Bill is under way and I am committed to publishing it as early as possible after the summer recess. The heads and general scheme of the Bill were published in July 2015. It was then referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children for pre-legislative scrutiny, and the committee published its report in November 2015, as...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In my earlier reply I tried to indicate that we are dealing with the issue. I very much appreciate that the Deputy has consistently asked questions that help me to maintain pressure in terms of the work of the Department. I hope to publish the Bill as soon as possible after the summer recess. We are waiting for a redraft of the Bill from the Office of the Attorney General and I hope...