Results 2,981-3,000 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes (10 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 841 and 842 together. From September 2018, all children meeting the minimum age requirement of 2 years and 8 months will be eligible for a full two programme years on the Early Childhood Care and Education programme (ECCE). This measure refines the development previously introduced, whereby three intake dates were adopted (September, January and April),...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (5 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 and 333 together. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is responsible for the administration of the Family Resource Centre Programme. As administrators of the Programme, Tusla processed all applications that were made to the Programme in 2017, and conducted an assessment process, which included consultation with Tusla staff based around the country, and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (5 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Data on the cost of childcare services for pre-school children is gathered annually by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. This is done through the Early Years Sector Profile. This survey aims to provide a national picture of services providing early childhood care and education in Ireland. The most recent figures available were published in November 2017....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Training (5 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: In relation to my Department, I can confirm that the details of GDPR legislation training provided in-house are set out in the table: Date Type of Training Duration of Training Provider 3rd May and 4th May 2018 GDPR Essentials training in-house 2 Days Public Affairs Ireland 29th May 2018 General Awareness Sessions 4 sessions of 90 minutes each over the course of 1 day...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (4 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy may be aware, responsibility for the National Educational Welfare Board which included the School Completion Programme was transferred to my Department on its establishment in 2011. Upon the establishment of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency on January 1st 2014, operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme was transferred to the Agency.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Appointments (4 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I can advise the Deputy that Dr. Ryan is currently serving as Interim Director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art in a part-time capacity, pending the appointment of a new Director. The competition for this position is currently under way and it is expected that an appointment will be made in the coming weeks. Dr Ryan is also a member of the Policing Authority. I am confident...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I can confirm that my Department has not engaged any polling companies or Irish market researchers to conduct research on its behalf since June 2016 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: It is important that we acknowledge the critical role played by staff working in the early years sector in delivering high quality childcare services. The early years work force deserve to be recognised, valued and respected. My Department does, however, acknowledge that pay and conditions are major issues facing the sector. I am engaging with the early years sector to explore how this can be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am glad to report that the officials at my Department are making good progress in the development of the Affordable Childcare Scheme. This development involves intensive work across legislative, ICT, administrative, governance and communications areas. With regard to the legislation establishing the new Affordable Childcare Scheme, the Childcare Support Bill completed its passage...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy might note that there was no expenditure directly incurred by my Department since 2013 in regard to commercial archaeology services.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Data (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: When the Affordable Childcare Scheme is introduced, it will replace the existing targeted childcare subsidy schemes, and the current under 3s universal scheme, with a single scheme, in which families will be able to benefit from either a universal or a targeted subsidy. The universal subsidy will be available for all children between 6 months and 3 years old, as well as those who are...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: HIQA Remit (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: HIQA plays a vital role in ensuring that standards and regulatory requirements - across all domains of the wider health family, including social care services for children - are being met. Its independence in this regard is one of its key strengths. The Health Act 2007 allows for HIQA to register designated centres - which can incorporate all children's residential centres - run by Tusla, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The number of applications for the 2018 Early Years and School Age Childcare Capital Programmes was particularly high with over 1,900 applications received. All applications were appraised in a fair, thorough and impartial manner by Pobal on behalf of the Department. Due to the high demand for capital funding and the particularly strong standard of applications received, many services...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Under the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016, the Adoption Authority will have overall responsibility for the safeguarding of relevant records, which includes adoption records and records relating to persons whose birth was illegally registered or who were the subject of an informal care arrangement. The Bill makes provision for the transfer of all relevant records, which are...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: In cases where a referral is made to Tusla with an allegation that a child has been sexually abused, the welfare and protection of the child must be the primary concern. Where an allegation is made by an adult about abuse they suffered as a child, Tusla's role is to try to identify if there are any children who could be at current risk from the alleged abuser. Tusla are required to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I have been informed by Tusla, The Child and Family Agency, that the data requested by the Deputy is not collated centrally at this time. Tusla social workers develop an Absence Management Plan for children in care in conjunction with their foster carers, residential staff and family, where appropriate. These are used to assess the risk in the event of a child going missing and the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (3 Jul 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Protection Notification System (CPNS), in accordance with Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children, 2011, is a national record of all children who are the subject of a child protection plan agreed at a child protection conference. The CPNS is accessible to named professional groups subject to strict protocols. Each referral received by Tusla is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Programme (28 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 has passed Second Stage in the Seanad and it is my intention is that the Bill will be enacted by the end of the year. In order to progress the Bill, and proceeding to Committee Stage, I recently met with advocacy groups and with Oireachtas colleagues, which was informative and helpful. I have also arranged to meet with the Attorney General...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: HSE Properties (28 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the Department of Children and Youth Affairs does not hold records in relation to the issues raised. In addition, I am advised that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, does not hold records relevant to the Deputy's query.  I note from the information provided by the Deputy that the cemetery...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Unemployment (27 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department does not have a role in relation to the public project referred to, as this is a matter for Dublin City Council. However, this Government supports young, unemployed people with a number of policies directed to help them to secure sustainable jobs.   The first intervention under the Government policy is to provide a case officer to support the newly unemployed young...