Results 2,581-2,600 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes (14 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is not in a position to comment on individual cases of children who availed of overage exemptions. Every application is considered on its own merits and in general no exemptions are granted to children who have availed of their full eligibility under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. However, in an extremely limited number of exceptional circumstances...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (14 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I believe the Deputy is in fact referring to the Pact, formally known as the Protestant Adoption Society. Here2Help currently holds the records for adopted persons, birth parents and relatives of those placed by the Protestant Adoption Society or Pact. Here2Help is also currently accredited by the Adoption Authority of Ireland under section 4 of the Adoption Act 2010 to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (14 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I have referred the matter to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. A further reply will issue when I have received their response.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: It is generally the practice of my Department, in the case of meetings involving myself and third parties, for officials to attend and minute same. There are no Ministers of State in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Community Childcare Subvention Programme (13 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Programmes provide support for parents/guardians on a low income to avail of reduced childcare costs at participating privately owned childcare services and at community not-for-profit childcare services. The eligibility of the applying parent/guardian is determined by their status with the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (13 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families has recently been approved by Government and will be published on 19th November. The Strategy sets out a vision for early childhood and a roadmap for the coming decade. One of the actions in the Strategy is to pilot the introduction of baby boxes and Dormant Accounts funding has been secured for this project. Baby...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Correspondence (13 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I can inform the Deputy that a request was received to meet with the service provider referred to. However, following consideration of the request, it was my view that the subject was more appropriate to my colleague the Minister for Health. Accordingly, my Office wrote back to the service provider and suggested that they contact Minister Harris.

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

Katherine Zappone: As training is an operational matter for the Tusla, I do not have sight of the documents referenced by the Deputy. I am advised by Tusla that its training needs analysis is managed in line with the Tusla Strategy for Continual Professional Development. The strategy calls for a three yearly agency wide training needs analysis to be coordinated by Tusla Workforce Learning and Development. I...

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

Katherine Zappone: I am aware that Tusla is currently developing a Multi-Annual Strategic Workforce Plan and this will be finalised before the end of this year. Strategic workforce planning is central to ensuring that Tusla can meet its needs by reconfiguring the workforce to deliver better care outcomes in the future. I am informed that the plan will include actions to improve access to potential talent...

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

Katherine Zappone: Currently 12 Social Workers are trained and operating as specialist interviewers. An additional 5 are trained but need refresher training before they can recommence conducting interviews. Refresher training is being organised by Templemore for later this year. Tusla has 12 places on specialist interviewing training courses being organised before the end of December 2018. Assuming the 12...

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

Katherine Zappone: Thank you for your question which I believe relates specifically to Early Years’ service providers' capitation payments under two of my Department's programme strands: ECCE Higher Capitation payments and LINC (Leadership for Inclusion) payments made under AIM (Access and Inclusion Model). Administration of the ECCE programme, including all payments, is carried out by Pobal acting...

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

Katherine Zappone: I am advised by Tusla that there are six Social Workers currently in the Connemara South and West Regions. There is one vacancy due to retirement; that has now been filled and the successful applicant will commence employment on the 26th November 2018. This will bring the number of Social Workers to seven. I am also informed there is 1.5 whole time equivalent Team Leader/Manager for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (13 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I met with the Board of Tusla on 25th October regarding the implications of the Disclosures Tribunal (Charleton) Report for the agency. At the meeting I expressed serious concern about a number of conclusions and findings of the Tribunal. Among the issues I raised were the: - Serious practice issues at local level - Failure to follow national procedures and policy - Attempt at local level...

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

Katherine Zappone: The Expert Assurance Group has been established. I appointed the chair of the group on the 29th of June and the full membership on the 23rd of August. The group held its first meeting on 30th of August and has met three times so far. The membership of the group has expertise in governance, law, HR and child protection and comprises: - Dr Moling Ryan, Chair - Dr Helen Buckley, Fellow...

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

Katherine Zappone: The Action Plan can be accessed on the Tusla website at The Tusla Strategic Action Plan arising from the HIQA investigation into the management of allegations of child sexual abuse against adults of concern by the Child and Family Agency has been approved by the Tusla Board. The plan has been submitted to my Department and to the Expert Assurance Group I have established to monitor the...

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

Katherine Zappone: It would not be appropriate for me to comment on an operational matter relating to any individuals. This is an operational matter for Tusla under their Grievance Procedure and also their Protected Disclosures Policy and Procedure. I have referred the Deputy's question to Tusla for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Strategies (13 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families has recently been approved by Government and will be published on 19th November. The Strategy sets out a vision for early childhood and a roadmap for the coming decade. One of the actions in the Strategy is to pilot the introduction of baby boxes and Dormant Accounts funding has been secured for this project. ...

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

Katherine Zappone: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question 45727/18, of 7th November 2018 where I outlined the mental health supports available for children in care. Tusla does not collate information at area or national level regarding referrals made on behalf of children in care to any specialist health service. This information is known to the child's social worker, carer, GP and, where appropriate,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (13 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As this is an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, I have asked Tusla to respond to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (13 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: According to Tusla published data for the end of August 2018, there were 367 children in residential care.