Results 2,001-2,020 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of the Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. What I hear the Deputy saying relates to a taxation matter, but my colleague will respond on the other aspects of the question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of the Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Hague Convention would facilitate placements similar to those currently operating under Brussels II. Consideration is being given to the need for putting in new protocols for consistency of practice and effective communications. Those discussions are ongoing with the convention operating in the background.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of the Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Senator is correct about going back to the young people. It is in my memory of those larger events. In the ongoing conversations about the reality of Brexit, young people have voiced concerns and effectively stated there are things that cannot change on our island. They do not have any memory of ways other than what they have experienced. They are not willing to go back and want the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of the Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (19 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I acknowledge the Chairman's eloquence. It has been helpful to be with the committee and I appreciate the questions the members have asked. My officials have listened carefully and we will take those forward. There are not as many significant issues for my Department as there are for many others but, at the same time, we are here to assure the committee that, to the best of our ability, we...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Detention Centres Staff (14 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 to 246, inclusive, 248, 252 and 253 together. I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that there were 103 incidents of injuries to staff in 2018, 25 of which related to assaults on staff. I am advised by Oberstown that the other 78 incidents of injuries to staff consisted of injuries sustained during a restraint, approved sporting activities...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Detention Centres Staff (14 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that the information on staff sick leave requested by the Deputy is as set out below: 2016 2017 2018 Between 1 and 3 months 24 20 24 Between 3 and 6 months 12 7 6 Between 6 and 12 months 2 7 5 12 months or more 4 9 9 Please note these figures are for periods of continuous absence.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (14 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has no records of any expenditure being paid to this company from 2015 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: It should be noted that the Early Childhood Care and Education programme (ECCE) is a two year pre-school programme. There is no routine provision for a third year which may not be in the best interests of a child and may lead to breaching the statutory school starting age. Overage exemptions were introduced at the onset of the ECCE programme in 2010. At that time ECCE operated for a 38...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (14 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that it has an assault and injury leave scheme. I have requested Oberstown to forward a copy to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Capital Expenditure Programme (14 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested by the Deputy is nor readily available in the format requested. Officials from my Department are currently compiling the information and a further response will issue as soon as possible.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Inspections (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am not so satisfied. As I indicated, another inspector with a high level of proficiency in Irish is being recruited. We will see whether that will be sufficient. A point I may not have made in my opening remarks is that there are several actions in addition to inspection to support the use of the Irish language in early years services.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that, usually, if it is a large county and a large population, more investment in capacity would be required.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware of calls by the Tuam Home Survivors' Network for the Government to begin collecting their DNA samples immediately. They describe this issue as urgent, in light of the age profile and health status of some survivors. The purpose of collecting samples would be to compare against any DNA profiles that may be generated from the juvenile human remains found at the site of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware of the concerns of, and the questions and request, from the survivors. I have heard them through the media, they have been in correspondence with me and I have talked to them directly. Because of that and having known and worked so well with them over the years, we want to respond positively. In answer to the Deputy's question on why, if they volunteer it is not possible to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: That is a great question. The Deputy started by referring to the records showing that the numbers do not add up. The most comprehensive record and analysis of the records will be the commission's report on the burials and we will get that pretty soon. We have many others to be grateful to in regard to the records, not least some of our journalists. What the records show will be part of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am looking forward to the report and its recommendations and analysis, and I do not expect that I will employ alternative principles in making recommendations to my colleagues on how to respond to it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: To Bessborough.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Inspections (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am conscious of the role early learning and care services play in promoting Irish as a living language and how this helps children to develop proficiency in the Irish language. My Department has participated proactively with colleagues in the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in agreeing a comprehensive set of early learning and care actions to be implemented under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I hear the Deputy and I acknowledge that she does not believe the investment of €9 million this year is enough. Deputy Rabbitte questioned the capacity to target the funding to where it is most needed. She also asked if we miss some places because we do not have enough money or if it is possible that we just miss certain places. The Deputy stated that there is not enough funding. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (13 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Generally speaking I would think yes, but obviously they would have to meet the various criteria in that regard. It is also dependent on the scale of funding. I have already accepted the Deputy's colleague's comments to the effect that the funding is not enough. We will continue to seek as much capital investment as possible. If it is required for naíonrí or other smaller...