Results 2,561-2,580 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Welfare Service (21 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Department is currently awaiting a response from the Educational Welfare Service of Tusla and will forward same once it is received. 

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (21 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: This question has been answered previously. I would refer the Deputy to the answer to PQ 43136/18 (Dail Q Number 303). The response to that question was as follows: "As the Deputy may be aware, responsibility for the National Educational Welfare Board which included the School Completion Programme (SCP) was transferred to my Department on its establishment in 2011. Upon the establishment of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (21 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: This question has been answered previously. I would refer the Deputy to the answer to PQ 45937/18 (Dail Q Number 27).  The response to that question was as follows: "The School Completion Programme (SCP) continues to deliver a valuable service for some of our most vulnerable young people at risk of early school leaving throughout the education process. It was established in 2002...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (21 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department received an application for an overage exemption for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme from the family named on 16 October 2018. Officials from my Department issued a response on the 22nd of October 2018 rejecting the application as the child named will have  already received the full allocation of ECCE by the end of June 2019 and would be in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (21 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I have been informed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that they do not collect the information to which the Deputy refers. 

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has advised me that it provides annual funding of €82,389 to the organisation to which the Deputy refers. The purpose of this funding is to provide information, support and counselling to bereaved parents.  Tusla previously provided some funding to this organisation to maintain the National Paediatric Register. In 2017, the Register transferred...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services Provision (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Every year more than 500 young people leave the care of the State. These young people are offered a wide range of services from different State actors including income supports, health supports, accommodation and education. The aftercare provisions of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 came into force on the first of September 2017. This means that there is now a statutory obligation on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services Provision (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The attention of my officials was drawn to this case by the young person’s former foster parents on the 11th of this month. My officials immediately contacted Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to establish the details of the case. I am pleased to assure you that Tusla have confirmed that they will temporarily extend the young person’s current aftercare placement to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Staff (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome inputs from all stakeholders in the early learning and care sector, including the recent Mercer report, which I understand was commissioned by the National Childhood Network and the Crann Support Group.   However, my Department is not the employer of early learning and care sector staff and cannot set wage levels. I renew my call for the sector to pursue a Sectoral...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I remain absolutely committed to inclusive, constructive and collaborative engagement with former residents of mother and baby homes and other stakeholders. I established the Collaborative Forum as a progressive response to the theme of “nothing about us without us” which emerged from my consultations with former residents of these institutions. This innovative approach...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I have full confidence in the chairperson and members of the Board of Management Oberstown Children Detention Campus in their management of the Oberstown Campus. Over the past 2 years there is evidence of positive change in the day to day operations in Oberstown. I have met with young people in Oberstown on a number of occasions in recent months, who were anxious that the many positives...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that the cost of the report referred to by the Deputy was €15,366.60.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that the cost of the legal advice sought and received by the Board, in relation to the publication of and matters arising from the report referred to by the Deputy was €26,025.57.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that three board members received no payments in respect of fees and expenses. Details of payments to the Chairperson and other board members for 2016 and 2017 are as set out in the following table. No fees have been paid to date in 2018. Board Member 2018 Board Fees 2018 Vouched Expenses 2017 Board Fees 2017 Vouched Expenses...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The accounts for January to May 2016 were included in the Annual Report and Accounts for 2012-2016, following the amalgamation of the three children detention schools to form the Oberstown Children Detention Campus. They were laid before the Oireachtas on July 24, 2017, The accounts, for the period from June 2016 to December 2016, that were audited by the C&AG ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Provision (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: School Age Childcare (SAC) is hugely important to my Department and the registration and regulation of these services is a core priority for the upcoming year. In early 2019, DCYA will introduce initial SAC regulations which will enable the registration of SAC services, to be followed shortly thereafter by full regulations which will enable inspection. This move is designed to enable school...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The detailed information requested by the Deputy is not readily available as it spans a number of programme, scheme and administrative areas of my Department. The information is currently being collated and will then be forwarded directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (15 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to inform the Deputy that Direct Provision comes under the policy remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. The matter to which the Deputy refers is more appropriately directed to that Department. Children living in Direct Provision are in the care and custody of their parents. With the introduction of mandatory reporting under Children First, Direct Provision...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Collaborative Forum (15 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The independent Selection Panel which I appointed to nominate representatives to the Forum for my consideration, selected 19 applicants from the expressions of interest received. There are currently 18 members plus the Chairman in situ. I have received 2 resignations since the Forum commenced its work and one of these vacancies has been filled. The process of any further...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Energy Efficiency (15 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is fully engaged in the Public Sector Energy Reporting Programme. I am happy to report that my Department has improved its energy efficiency performance at the end of 2017 by 47%. This is above the target set at 33% by the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy 2020. During 2017, my Department reduced its energy consumption by putting procedures in place such as enabling...