Results 1,741-1,760 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (25 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As you the Deputy will be aware, my Department has been working to develop proposals for the reform of Guardian ad litemarrangements in child care proceedings under the Child Care Act, 1991. The public consultation carried out by my Department with a wide range of stakeholders has informed the development of policy proposals in this regard. I am pleased to advise you that on 17 January,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, the initial Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme had one entry point (September) from when children could begin pre-school and children had to be aged between 3 years and 2 months and 4 years and 7 months by the September to avail of the free pre-school year (i.e. 38 weeks). The programme was then expanded by reducing the age of eligibility to 3 years...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Schemes (25 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Following the decision in Budget 2017, a new Affordable Childcare Scheme will be introduced later this year which will provide financial support for parents towards the cost of childcare. The new Scheme will provide a system from which both universal and targeted subsidies can be provided towards the cost of childcare. This new Scheme will replace the existing targeted childcare programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (25 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Following receipt of a status report in late December, my Department is currently finalising a package of support for services who have engaged with Childcare Committees Ireland and established through this process that their sustainability is impacted by the full implementation of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. This is the final stage of a process that has...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (25 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: It is unclear to what programme the Deputy refers. If the Deputy wishes to provide further information in relation to the cross border early childhood care and education consortia, this matter can be investigated further.

Questions on Promised Legislation (26 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have been engaged for the last month or so with Tusla on its business plan. I expect that it will be published shortly. There were additional funds that were provided to Tusla, particularly for the issues that the Deputy raised. The Deputy raised that last particular question with me before and I will be in contact with Tusla to ensure that part of that budget is devoted to that measure.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Discipline (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 756 to 767, inclusive, together. I am advised that data is returned by schools to Tusla by student name and date of birth but not by school year. Therefore Tusla has advised that it is not possible to respond to the questions relating to the school year a student is enrolled in. I can confirm that the total number of post primary expulsions for the school...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Data (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: It is my understanding that the Deputy requires the number of children registered under the following programmes since 2011: the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the three programmes collectively known as Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) - the Childcare Education and Training Scheme (CETS), After-school childcare (ASCC) and Community Employment Childcare (CEC). This...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Given the importance of financial sustainability for the provision of quality childcare, the Programme for Government committed to conducting and publishing an independent review of the cost of providing quality childcare in Ireland. This commitment aligns closely with work on the development of the Affordable Childcare Scheme, including options for further development of the Scheme over...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Programme for Government Initiatives (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: A number of wide-ranging measures relating to parenting support have recently been introduced. My Department published a High Level Policy Statement on Parenting and Family Supportin 2015.The Statement sets out 29 policy messages around improved interagency working, workforce development, information and evidence to inform the targeting of resources, integration of service planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is committed to the provision of childcare options for families that respect parental choice and reflect international evidence on how to attain the best outcomes for children. While operational responsibility for parental leave does not come under my Department's remit, I do support its extension for parents; particularly in the crucial first year. The Government has provided...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Area Based Childhood Programme (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is a joint prevention and early intervention initiative led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The ABC Programme commenced in 2013 and is a time-bound co-funding arrangement of €29.7m for the period 2013 to 2017 in conjunction with The Atlantic Philanthropies. Due to contractual arrangements, each of the existing 13 sites are...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commercial Rates Impact (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: It is my understanding that the valuation/rating code as it applies to early childhood care and education facilities was last altered following the commencement of the Valuation (Amendment) Act 2015 in June 2015. In summary; 1. Group 1 type facilities referred to in the correspondence are exempt by way of Paragraph 22 Schedule 4 Valuation Acts 2001- 2015 which provides for the exemption of a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Dormant Accounts Fund (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 774 and 775 together. The Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plans contain a number of specific measures intended to support children and disadvantaged young people for which my Department has primary responsibility. A resource allocation of €5.166 million has been made available in 2017 to my Department to support a number of ongoing projects and programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Data (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The latest information is that all of the young people who have expressed an interest in coming to Ireland are boys of 16 and 17 years of age. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has advised that the young people will need residential assessment, and then, it is likely in the majority of cases, residential placement until they are 18 when aftercare supports will be provided. The most recent...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services Funding (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. At all times, Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic and sexual violence are being met in the best way possible. A network of 60 organisations provide...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has advised that it does not collect the data requested by the Deputy. I should say that homelessness as part of a family group is not, in of itself, a basis for seeking to receive a child into care. However where there is a specific child protection concern, Tusla can investigate and take the child into care, if necessary. Children in emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Single Affordable Childcare Scheme, announced as part of Budget 2017. Until last year, the targeted childcare subsidy schemes operated by my Department were only available to parents whose children were enrolled in community childcare services. During 2016 this was expanded to allow private childcare providers to participate for the first...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Data (31 Jan 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The number of staff in the Department at the grades of clerical officer, staff officer and equivalent grades is set out in the following table, as of 30 January 2017. GRADE HEADCOUNT WHOLE-TIME EQUIVALENT (WTE) Temporary Clerical Officer 8 8 Clerical Officer 37 34.50 Staff Officer 6 4.70 TOTAL 51 47.2