Results 201-220 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I can. First, as the Deputy is aware, the road map is following the advice in terms of the reopening of childcare services and what happens during that reopening for the childcare profession. We are following the public health advice, and the advice we got in terms of this first effort is that we had to go into the homes. As I have already described, we worked with the Department of...

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: First, as I mentioned, I have established an advisory group of people who represent the sector. I am working with the group and I expect that the scheme we are developing will effectively assist people and ensure we have many more providers signing up. Second, on the question of capacity, we have almost completed a survey that we will be sending out to providers and another survey to...

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: There will be an incident of transmission but we can manage it, not prevent it.

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On the consultation or advice from the Department of Health, we did have it as we went along. I have noted that in the speech. This particular scheme was one of two schemes we were working on devising, as there is a centre based scheme as well. We were working with the Department of Health and the HSE in regard to that and in terms of any kind of concerns in regard to infection control....

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: From whom did the Deputy seek the minutes?

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: What was the response for their not being provided?

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I will bring that to their attention as well.

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: We did look at the issue of the State indemnity and we argued many times with the Department of Public Expenditure for that to be the case. Effectively, that Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said no. That is what happened there.

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Indeed the Deputy can. I outlined in my opening speech the processes of various types of consultation we had in regard to developing the scheme, including with the sector on some of the issues that it was still then raising in terms of the reasons why they did not sign-up. They did identify some of those reasons. We did fight for the insurance, as I have described. In anticipation of a...

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: First, I will address the cancellation of the scheme to deliver childcare to essential healthcare workers. The scheme was intended to be temporary. Other countries had maintained a level of service to the children of essential workers; in Ireland, for strong public health reasons, it was deemed that full closure of childcare services was necessary. As a consequence, staff, to a large...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1099 to 1102, inclusive, together. As per HSE guidance and in accordance with the regulations under the Health (Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2000, childminders who care for the children of essential workers in the children's home were permitted to continue working after childcare facilities were...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy will be aware, I announced on 13 May that the Temporary Childcare Scheme for Essential Health Workers, which was to deliver home based childcare to healthcare workers, would not proceed from 18 May as planned. Unfortunately, uptake for the scheme among early learning and care and school aged care providers was much lower than expected, and so the scheme had to be cancelled. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The list of engagements with external consultants on projects which commenced since 1 January 2020 to date are outlined in the following table.  Only work which cost more than €500 (excluding VAT) are listed. Details Name of external Consultant Cost € (excluding VAT) 1 eDocs - Document Management...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is continuing to progress readiness measures in preparation of phased reopening of early learning and care and school-age facilities, including childminders, in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. Phase 3 of the Roadmap, which is currently scheduled to begin on 29 June, provides for the opening of childminders (along with the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Wage Subsidy Scheme (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented situation and the precise duration of this crisis cannot be known. The re-opening of ELC and SAC services will be guided by public health advice  first and foremost, in accordance with the phases announced by the Government recently. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS), launched by my Department on 15 April,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On Friday 1 May the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Correspondence (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that the Temporary Childcare Scheme for Essential Health Workers was cancelled on the 13th May. My primary focus now, and that of my Department, is to work towards the significant challenges of a phased reopening of early learning and childcare facilities for 29th June, in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. I have established...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) provides subsidies to early learning and care providers during the period of the Covid-19 closure, to contribute to the cost of staff wages and other overheads.  Services which sign up to the scheme cannot charge parents any fees during the closure period, or to retain their child's place on re-opening. 84%...