Results 2,641-2,660 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Youth Services Provision (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Deputy's questions and concerns in this regard. I do not dispute the fact that YAP Ireland has been providing those services. What I am here to identify, however, is that in light of the review of YAP Ireland's work in Galway and Roscommon, it has been identified that the approach that has been developed there does not meet the identified needs of the children in that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Youth Services Provision (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Again, I appreciate the questions and concerns of the Deputy. On her first issue, all I am doing is reporting on the decision of Tusla in respect of Galway-Roscommon. I am aware that YAP has services that operate throughout the country. It does not necessarily follow that this is just the first of many, which is what the Deputy is suggesting. As I understand it with regard to the decision...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I fully support the inclusion of sexual consent courses in our schools, youth organisations and clubs. Through Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, my Department actively supports the Manuela Programme aimed at 15-16 year olds.  Developed in partnership with the Rape Crisis Network and the Manuela Foundation the programme focuses on healthy relationships, awareness and understanding of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, the Board of Tusla is responsible for the appointment of the new Chief Executive Officer. The Act requires my approval and the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for the terms and conditions of the job that the Board may wish to set. However, I have no function in the selection process. Following the resignation of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reports (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Scouting Ireland commissioned Mr Ian Elliott to carry out a review into the organisation’s handling of an allegation of a serious sexual assault on an adult volunteer by another adult volunteer. While this alleged assault took place in 2009, it was only reported within the organisation in 2016.  Following on from Mr Elliott's report of his review, Scouting Ireland engaged a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 17, 26 and 32 together. I am delighted to report positive progress in relation to the development of the Affordable Childcare Scheme, and to confirm that I plan to introduce the Scheme in October 2019.  The scheme will open to applications in October 2019, with payments flowing from November 2019. The scheme will provide financial...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Data (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his important question. Children in care are among the most vulnerable in our society. It is the role of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to ensure that their needs - in some cases very complex needs - are met. Some  children in care demonstrate a range of  emotional, psychological and mental health problems. This is particularly the case where they...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the publication of a new report, ‘A Social and Economic Analysis of the use of Legal Services in the Child and Family Agency (Tusla)’, which explores the complex and sometimes fraught interaction of social work practice and the legal system. I believe that empirical research which contributes to our understanding of child care proceedings is vital in furthering...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that I strongly welcome the report of the Disclosures Tribunal that has fully vindicated Garda Sergeant Maurice McCabe. I have been extremely disappointed by the findings in relation to Tusla. The Tribunal quite properly finds that the performance of Tusla and certain individuals within fell far short of the standard we should expect from a public body with...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Once again, I can inform the Deputy at the outset that I strongly welcome the report of the Disclosures Tribunal that has fully vindicated Garda Sergeant Maurice McCabe, who has now retired. There is no denying of the facts or findings in the report. The mishandling of the referral that related to Sergeant Maurice McCabe was properly described by Justice Charlton for what it was -...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As previously advised to the Deputy in Parliamentary Question 37905-18 (20th September 2018) my Department’s childcare schemes are run on a national basis and hence are available to all counties. The staff and Boards of 30 City and County Childcare Committees assist my Department in ensuring that schemes and other initiatives we operate nationally meet local need. The Government is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, in view of the information available to me relating to the governance arrangements within Scouting Ireland, I decided in April this year to withhold the drawdown of further funding by the organisation under the Youth Service Grant Scheme, until I could be satisfied that the organisation's governance standards were up to the required level. In May, I appointed Ms...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I have received correspondence from several members of the Oireachtas, regarding the organisation referred to by the Deputy. I have also received detailed correspondence from the management of the organisation detailing the nature of the valuable work that they do, the cost pressures they are under and the reasons they wish to receive State funding for their family support service in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: 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 and became a programme operating under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme in 2005. Responsibility for the National Educational Welfare Board...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Data (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Officials in my Department are currently in the process of developing the capital offering for 2019.  It is not possible at this early stage to give a precise figure as to what it will achieve in the coming year.  However, I can confirm that I have secured €8.86m in capital funding for childcare in 2019. This will be used, as ever, in meeting the most pressing needs of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: HIQA Inspections (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I believe that the Deputy is referring to HIQA’s inspection report of a children’s residential centre in the South region which was published on the 10th of October.  There were four young people, two aged 17 and two aged 16,  living in the centre when the inspection was carried out. While the inspection report was critical of aspects of the centre, I was pleased...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the most recent inspection report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) into Oberstown Children Detention Campus, which was published on the 9th of October. HIQA had conducted a full inspection over five days, last March, and this report was the outcome of that inspection. This report acknowledges that having undergone major change over the past few years, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has an annual Service Level Agreement in place with the organisation to which the Deputy refers, YAP Ireland.   Under the terms of the current Agreement, the organisation is contracted in the Galway/Roscommon area to provide a support service to 18 young people in need. The young people are assigned an advocate that will work with...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My officials made enquiries with Dublin/Dun Laoghaire ETB who are the intermediary body for youth projects in the Tyrrelstown area and have been advised that the Foróige projects and clubs in Tyrrelstown were in a fortunate position as the closure of the Centre coincided with the Halloween mid-term.  Outreach and Halloween trips went on as planned and staff relocated themselves to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Budget 2019 has made provision for a total allocation of €32 million in capital funding for my Department. The allocation is split between two programmes areas within my Department's Vote: Programme Capital Allocation Children & Family Support €20.140m Sectorial Programmes for Children and Young People €11.860m Total €32.000m It is not possible at...