Results 2,521-2,540 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Remit (28 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla social workers in consultation with the children, their families, foster carer and others who play a significant role in the life of the child, draw up a comprehensive written care plan that is actioned and maintained on the child’s file as per Child Care Placement of Children in Foster Care (or Relative Foster Care) Regulations, 1995. The care plan is prepared before the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: DNA testing services, if required, are considered as part of the care planning process for a child in care. I am informed by Tusla that when a child is taken into care, social workers ensure that an assessment of need is undertaken to support the development of the child’s care plan. In line with the Child Care (Placement of Children in Residential Care/in Foster Care/with Relatives)...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Special care is a secure care placement (i.e. detention in a secure facility) for children with highly complex behavioural and emotional needs that cannot be met in foster or general residential care. Special care is intended as a short-term secure care placement in a therapeutic environment with the intention of returning the child to a community or family-based setting as soon as possible....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (28 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: At the end of , Tusla reported that 14 children were resident in Special Care Units, representing 0.2% of the 6,095 children in care. All children in Special Care Units had an allocated social worker and a written care plan. The service is demand led and subject to orders being granted by the High Court. Tusla has been engaged in a programme to enhance the capacity and quality of care and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: This is an operational matter for Tusla and I have referred the Deputy's question to Tusla for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has commenced a process to identify service development needs for 2019 and to finalise the 2019 youth funding allocations. The primary purpose of this process is to ensure that youth services are sufficiently resourced to meet the needs of young people and particularly those who are at risk of drugs or alcohol misuse, early school leaving, homelessness or who are living in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I can inform the Deputy that I have already received numerous queries from members of the Oireachtas and from the management of the service in questions on this matter. My response to Priority Question 4 on 7 November, 2018, and written Question 25 from Deputy Boyd-Barrett on the same date, reflects the current position on the matter. The provision of family support services is a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has engaged extensively with both the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Education and Skills in agreeing a comprehensive set of actions to be implemented under the Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018 to 2022, launched by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in June 2018.  This five year action plan sets out a range...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: HIQA Inspections (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I can inform the Deputy that a copy of all HIQA inspection reports conducted in relation to children's services are provided to me in advance of publication. This includes inspections of children's Special Care Units. The HIQA inspection reports of Special Care Units show that the children who are detained by order of the High Court, for their own  safety, are well cared for and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Data (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: After seeking clarification from the Deputy's office, I understand that this question refers to the number of community services in the state. The number of community services in contract with my Department to run at least one childcare funding programme is 1175. A breakdown of these services by county is listed in the table. County: Number of  Community Services: Carlow 17...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: In Budget 2019 I secured €8.68m in base-line capital expenditure for early years and school age childcare programmes, representing an increase of €2m on the 2018 capital programme. While the specifics of the 2019 capital programme are still under discussion between officials in my department and colleagues in Pobal, it is expected that there will be a focus on building...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Operations (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Department of Children and Youth Affairs 2015 High Level Policy on Parenting and Family Support highlighted the critical importance of parenting on children’s lives in influencing social, emotional, and physical outcomes. While explicit support for parents has been reflected across Irish Government policy for decades, the increasing focus on parenting has developed in a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commissions of Investigation Expenditure (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters was established by Government on 17th February 2015 (S.I. No. 57 of 2015). Since it's establishment expenditure of approximately €7.47 has been incurred (to end October) to support salaries, fees and other operational costs relating to the work of the independent Commission and its...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Policy (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his question. The issues raised by the organisation to which the Deputy refers are indeed concerning.  Domestic violence is a wide-reaching, complex issue, and its effects overlap with the work of many Government Departments. The particular issues raised in the Deputy's question refer to the availability of long-term housing, the availability of grants to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The person referred to was paid the amounts in each of years 2013 to 2017 as outlined in the following table for procurement consultancy services. Year Amount 2014  €10,332  2015 Nil 2016 €2,583 2017 €16,359There were no payments made in 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The report of operational review of the Oberstown Children Detention Campus was not shared with the Board of Tusla - the Child and Family Agency. Tusla has no operational responsibility in relation to Oberstown.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Climate Change Adaptation Plans (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Ireland's first statutory National Adaptation Framework (NAF) was published in January 2018 and sets out the national strategy to reduce the vulnerability of the country to the negative effects of climate change and to avail of any positive impacts. Under the NAF, a number of Government Departments are required to prepare sectoral adaptation plans in relation to a priority area that they...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Policy (22 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that I am not in a position to comment on individual cases, or on matters which are the subject of court decisions. The decision to remove a child from the care of their parents is not one that is taken lightly, particularly at a young age. In all cases, the safety, wellbeing and best interests of the child must be the primary concern.  I have written to Tusla,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Governance Issues in Scouting Ireland: Discussion (21 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Chair for inviting me to attend this session of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs to address the subject of Scouting Ireland and its funding. Deputies and Senators will be aware that the Department of Children and Youth Affairs administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Governance Issues in Scouting Ireland: Discussion (21 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Excuse me for interrupting. Do you wish me to respond to your questions, Chairman?