Results 1,181-1,200 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

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

Katherine Zappone: I was delighted to announce recently that more than €6.5m in capital funding has been allocated through my Department to 1,006 pre-school providers nationwide. This represents an increase of over €2.5m on the amount of €4m announced for this programme in February 2016. This grant has been made available for early years pre-school services, both private and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Drugs Strategy Implementation (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Minister of State with responsibility for the Drugs Strategy and Communities has overall responsibility for coordinating the National Drugs Strategy across Government Departments. My Department has a key role in the prevention arm of the current National Drugs Strategy 2009- 2016. In 2016, funding of €51m (current) and €3m (capital) has been allocated to my Department to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Educational Needs Staff (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to inform the Deputy that I am aware of the issue of the alleged withdrawal of HSE supports for children with disabilities attending the Early Education and Care Programme in County Donegal, although I have not seen the specific survey referred to by the Deputy. My officials have been informed by the HSE this week that no services are being withdrawn and that the same amount of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In Budget 2016, my Department announced a significant expansion to preschool provision under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. This measure, which will be introduced from September 2016, means that children will be eligible to start free pr-school when they reach the age of 3, and continue to avail of free preschool until they start primary school (once the child is...

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

Katherine Zappone: It is recognised that particular groups of children and young people can face more challenges in achieving the five national outcomes set out in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020), and numerous specific commitments of the Framework reflect this. My Department identified prevention and early intervention as a key...

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

Katherine Zappone: I reject the characterisation put forward by the Deputy regarding the quality of provision across the range of residential services provided by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. In the case of private residential centres, Tusla carries out a robust process of registration, monitoring and inspection. This process ensures that the quality of provision is put in place from the start and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I understand from my colleagues in Kerry County Childcare Committee that your constituent, to whom you refer in your question, has made an application to participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme for the coming academic year. New Service Agreements will be processed shortly by my officials with the cooperation of the City and County Childcare Committees. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As my Department was established on 2nd June 2011, the information requested by the Deputy is provided from June 2011 onwards. Lost Time Rate 2011 (June - December) 2012 2013 2014 2015 5.48% 3.49% 3.52% 5.75% 4.2% As a small organisation, this Department is more susceptible to fluctuations or high percentages as a result of long term absences and this was particularly the case for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Accommodation Provision (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As these are operational matters, I have asked Tusla – The Child and Family Agency to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

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

Katherine Zappone: As this information is not readily available in my Department, I have asked TUSLA to reply directly to the Deputy with the information required.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Each childcare provider who operates the ECCE programme must have a Service Agreement with my Department. One of the terms of this Agreement is that the Agreement may be terminated by either party by serving 3 months written notice to the other party. It follows that the childcare provider should inform the parents as soon as is practicable after serving notice to my Department. Closure...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Where there is an obvious ongoing risk to a child, whether in their family home or in a care placement, the child has to be made safe. That either involves removing the risk, or removing the child. The impact of removing a child from their home is a serious one with possible adverse implications for them, and so should only be done where there is no alternative and where it is based on an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has a range of systems in place to ensure it is informed of risk to children and families. Tusla, within its national office, has a dedicated Quality Assurance Team. This team produces monthly, quarterly and annual reports in respect of Tusla's functions, and includes detailed reporting on key performance indicators on waiting times for cases to be allocated. Tusla also...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has been provided with additional funding of €38m in Budget 2016, including additional funding of over €6 million to reduce the number of cases awaiting allocation of a social worker. As part of its Business Plan for this year, Tusla has committed to a number of key targets to achieve by the end of 2016 to reduce the number of cases waiting to be allocated a social...

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

Katherine Zappone: The shared vision of the Government in relation to child welfare and protection is that children are safe and protected wherever they are. While my Department has a key role in this, as does Tusla, responsibility for children is shared by all sectors of society, including parents, Government departments, statutory and non statutory agencies and service providers. There have been recent key...

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

Katherine Zappone: Children coming into care have been subject to abuse, including neglect, or are in need of care due to welfare reasons. It is a priority of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that children in care are safe and have opportunities to thrive. Tusla's arrangements for the monitoring of the safety of children in care is based on the following: - Comprehensive assessment of foster carers; -...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Juvenile Offenders (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Oberstown Children Detention Campus, located at Oberstown, Lusk, Co. Dublin, currently provides a total of 54 detention places for young people ordered to be remanded or committed by the courts. This comprises 6 places for girls up to the age of 18 and 48 places for boys up to the age of 18 who are remanded in custody and up to the age of 17 for those serving a sentence of detention....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In recognition of the higher risks and life-long consequences of child poverty, the Government set a child-specific poverty target in Better Outcomes, Better Future: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young Peopleto reduce consistent child poverty by at least two-thirds by 2020. This figure currently represents 100,000 children. In order to understand and improve the lives of our...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bullying of Children (21 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: "Psychological intimidation" is a term that would need to be clearly defined for the purpose of understanding its effect on young people. Under Growing Up in Ireland, the National Longitudinal Study of children's lives, my Department collects information about the extent of bullying reported by children and their parents. Based on the responses of mothers for the 9-year-old cohort, 24%...

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

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to the principle of fairness, and would very much wish to allocate additional resources next year to the youth sector as the economy recovers. Any additional amount available will depend on the Budgetary process in 2017. I will be closely involved in the decisions to be taken by Government in this regard. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes...