Results 261-280 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The commissioning of DSGBV services is an operational matter for Tusla, Child and Family Agency. I have asked the Agency to respond directly on this matter providing the requested breakdown of allocation for 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The response to Domestic, Sexual Violence and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice and Equality (DJE). Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is providing Tusla with €25.3m...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented situation that has required a series of emergency responses from the Government. I am acutely aware of the particular impact the pandemic and the emergency measures have had on the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers. I am also very conscious of the importance of the ELC and SAC sector...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On Friday 1 May the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice, available evidence...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Data (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Over the term of 32nd Dáil I endeavoured to progress the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill, 2016 which, amongst other provisions,  provided for access to birth information for adopted people.   There were provisions in the Bill, often referred to as 'privacy provisions', which provided for balancing the rights of adopted persons to their birth...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Online Safety (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: A range of Government Departments and agencies have a role to play in relation to online safety. In recognition of the whole of government approach required, in July 2018, the Taoiseach launched the Action Plan for Online Safety 2018-19. The Action Plan involves a wide range of actions, across six Government Departments – Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Wage Subsidy Scheme (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented situation that has required a series of emergency responses from the Government. I launched the Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) on 15 April. This scheme is a very significant measure to support the sector and reflects the particular impact the pandemic has had on early education and childcare providers. I can...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that the Temporary Childcare Scheme for Essential Health Workers was cancelled on the 13th May. My primary focus now, and that of my Department, is to work towards the significant challenges of a phased reopening of early learning and childcare facilities for 29th June, in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. I have established...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: On Friday 1 May, the Government released its Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, which sets out Ireland's plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions through five phases. The re-opening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services will be guided by this framework and will be underpinned by the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol, expert advice,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: My Department, in consultation with stakeholder representatives, is currently developing proposals for the on-going funding of early learning and care services, including the ECCE-only sector and other sessional providers.  I have established and Chair an Advisory Group that includes membership from across the sector, specifically the Association of Childhood Professionals,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (20 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The following table represents the capital funding streams where additional places were created under each capital programme. Applicants under Early Years Capital 2015 were not required to quote the number of additional places created and hence a figure is unobtainable. (EYC-Early Years Capital, SCA-School Age Capital) Year Strand Number of places Sum of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Costs (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1072 and 1073 together. It is not possible to accurately estimate the capital cost of providing an additional after school place, as each place which is created has unique costs, ranging from minor modifications to an existing community owned structure, to a new build. Costs also vary based on the location of the after-school service, as this impacts on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commercial Rates Exemptions (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The matter of rates payments for the early learning and care and school age childcare sector does not fall under the remit of my Department, nor does my Department have a role in determining which properties are rateable. The levying of commercial rates is the responsibility of the Valuations Office, which falls under the aegis of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. As...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: €297m euro has been allocated to the Early Childhood Care and Education programme in 2020. The Early Childhood Care and Education programme runs for 38 weeks each programme year. The standard capitation rate paid to providers is €69 per child, per week and the higher capitation rate is €80.25 per child, per week. The below table displays the full year financial impact of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The full-year cost of restoring the SCP to 2010 funding levels would be in the region of €7.3 million per annum. An additional €1.24m was secured in Budget 2019 for the School Completion Programme. This funding is a once off funding to support SCP in their capacity to carry out preparatory work and support organisational development within the respective programmes in advance of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Programmes (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: A national evaluation of the ABC Programme 2013-2017 was undertaken by the Centre for Effective Services (CES). Data was collected locally, at the area-level, in order to assess the effectiveness of the totality of the investment with regard to the main outcomes the programme aimed to address: Improved child health and development; Improved children’s learning and Improved parenting....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Programmes (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is a prevention and early intervention initiative targeting investment in effective services to improve the outcomes for children and families living in a number of specific areas of disadvantage. DCYA is now the sole funder of the ABC Programme. In November 2017, my Department initiated a process, in consultation with key ABC Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. Prior to 2014, funding to the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme was provided by the Family Support Agency (FSA). The FSA was established by the Department of Social and Family Affairs in 2001 and responsibility for the agency transferred to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in 2011....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (13 May 2020)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to advise that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.