Results 2,421-2,440 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Services (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I was pleased to present the excellent report of the special rapporteur, Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, to the Cabinet in the past week. Deputy Rabbitte asked about the homeless liaison officer. One is undertaking individual visits to family hubs and emergency accommodation providers to ensure they are aware of the requirements of the Children First legislation. The position involves networking,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Early Years Sector (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I greatly welcome the recently published early years sector profile report. I commend Pobal on its work. Some 3,900 services participated in the survey, making its findings all the more credible. The report shows that more children than ever are participating in State-funded childcare schemes, almost twice as many as three years ago. It also shows that fees for a full-time place have...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Cúram agus Oideachas na Luath-Óige (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Is maith atá a fhios agam faoin luach a bhaineann le tacaíocht a thabhairt do sholáthar seirbhísí sa Ghaeilge do leanaí óga, agus an ról a bhaineann leis an tacaíocht seo chun cumas sa Ghaeilge a chothú agus chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar theanga bheo. Mar sin, tá baill ó dhá eagraíocht Ghaeilge i bhFóram na...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The allocation of €1.2million was made in Budget 2019 and I am pleased to confirm that preparations are well under way for roll-out of training to every registered early learning and care service to meet the new First Aid Response (FAR) standard. Roll out is expected to begin early in 2019, for completion by 1st June 2020. June 2020 is the date after which Tusla will require every...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Data (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: According to the latest figures there are 105,503 children registered on the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme for 2018/2019. The comparable figure for the same time last year was 90,589. The figure in the earlier years of ECCE stood at approximately 67,000 children. The increase in participation for this programme year is explained by the extension of the ECCE programme to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The purpose of my trip to Brussels on 26 November 2018 was to attend the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) Council. The Council of Ministers with responsibility for youth policy in each Member State meet twice a year towards the end of each presidency. Among the issues discussed at the Council was the European Solidarity Corps which brings a number of opportunities for young...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Working Group referred to by the Deputy held its inaugural meeting on 19th January 2018. The group is co-chaired by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Health. The group is made up of senior officials from both Departments with representatives from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency and the Health Service Executive. The key objective of the working...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Travel (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I participated in events in my role as Minister of the Government and also as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. There were three speeches at the United Nations. First to mark a centenary of Irish women’s suffrage with the President of the General Assembly. Poet Eavan Boland and international representatives recited a poem during the celebrations. I addressed the Security...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Data (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The results of the 2018 Early Years and School Age Capital programmes were announced in June 2018, with successful applicants entering into contract as soon thereafter as possible. The budget for the 2018 capital programmes was set at €6.86m, and this was delivered under five strands. These allowed for the creation of new early years places, the creation of new school age places,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Reunification (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for her question. I do not have a role in the family reunification process. Family reunification falls under the policy remit of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. A separated child seeking asylum may make an application for reunification with family members, depending on the circumstances of their arrival and their status in Ireland. Where...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Illegal Adoptions (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Following the discovery by Tusla of evidence of illegal birth registrations in the St. Patrick's Guild files, I initiated a review of adoption records to determine if similar evidence of illegal registration could be identified from the records of other former adoption agencies and other relevant bodies. A targeted review of adoption records in the custody of the State (i.e. in the custody...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 36 together. The Affordable Childcare Scheme is a radical new approach to how we deliver accessible, affordable, high quality early learning and care and school age childcare to families in Ireland. The scheme will open to applications in October 2019, with payments flowing from November 2019. Its launch will mark a milestone in our quest to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Parental Leave (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Government is committed to supporting parents in caring for young children at home in a range of ways. Within the remit of my Department, a number of schemes provide support to parents whether they work full time, part time, or look after their children at home. For example, from September of this year, all children are eligible to avail of two years of universal pre-school,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Policy (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: This question is identical to Priority No. 1 (Dail ref 1 ) answered on 13 Dec 2018, and therefore the answer is the same.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Home School Community Liaison Scheme (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy might be aware, both the DEIS programme and the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Scheme are initiatives of the Department of Education and Skills (DES). HSCL posts are allocated by the Department of Education and Skills to schools which are part of the DEIS programme. I am informed by Tusla Educational Welfare Services that in 2017 the DES reviewed the DEIS programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Reports (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for her important question. The abuse suffered by these very brave young women while in foster care in the early 2000's is shocking, and I am very sorry that their lives were so disrupted and deeply impacted by it. I appreciate that the Deputy is anxious to know the findings of this report. I am also conscious that the matter is the subject of significant public interest. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Supports (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I have no plans to change the rate of the Foster Care Allowance at this time. However, my Department has begun an extensive review of the Child Care Act 1991, and will examine foster care arrangements as part of this review. This will have regard to income support measures available to foster families generally. I acknowledge foster carers as the backbone of our child care services....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Reports (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The National Review Panel (NRP) is commissioned by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, but is functionally independent. Its purpose is to conduct reviews of child deaths and serious incidents and produce reports that are factually based and identify points of learning with a view to improving the quality of services provided to children and families. The panel consists of independent...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am satisfied that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, act immediately if a child is at immediate risk. All urgent and emergency cases receive immediate attention by the local duty social work team. Other cases are screened as they arrive into Tusla and are referred to family support services or dealt with by child protection teams, as needed. Children who are in a situation of immediate...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his question, which relates to a report published on Tuesday, December 4th, on the important subject of separated children seeking asylum. I would like to take this opportunity to note that children who arrive with their family and seek asylum remain in the care and custody of their parents. It is also worth noting that a minority of the referrals made to Tusla,...