Results 3,001-3,020 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

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

Katherine Zappone: I have requested further information from the Deputy about the report referred to in the question. As the Deputy will be aware, Tusla was established in 2014 and therefore did not participate in a committee, report on or issue documents prior to that.  I thank the Deputy for the question on these important matters, and I will provide a response when the report is...

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

Katherine Zappone: My Department shares an OPW leased building in Miesian Plaza, Baggot Street, Dublin 2, with a number of other Government Departments. The car-parking facility is operated under the lease arrangements between the OPW and the landlord and I can confirm that this includes two e-car charging points in two parking bays for electric vehicles. There are no other e-car charging points or parking...

Childcare Support Bill 2017: From the Seanad (Resumed) (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Amendments Nos. 6 and 7 are minor technical drafting amendments. These amendments simply involve punctuation changes to clarify the meaning of section 24. There is no change in policy and the amendments have no practical consequence.

Childcare Support Bill 2017: From the Seanad (Resumed) (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputies and Senators for their support throughout the passage of the Childcare Support Bill. It is a very historic Bill for all sorts of reasons. I am particularly grateful for the engagement of the Deputies present and that of the colleagues they are representing and for their enthusiasm and co-operation. Both Houses have approached this important legislation in that way. The...

Seanad: HIQA Report on Tusla: Statements (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss the report into Tusla which was carried out at my direction by the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA. At the outset I wish to thank HIQA for its report, which is frank, clear and helpful. Through this report it has identified how we can provide better services for our children. Children are, of course, at the centre of what we do...

Seanad: HIQA Report on Tusla: Statements (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Senators for their helpful contributions. It is clear that they have spent some time reading and reflecting deeply on the report and, where the social services provided through Tusla are concerned, have been in touch with colleagues and those who work within their communities. All of them have referred to the commitment of and excellent work being done by the organisation's...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Early Years Capital Programme is designed each year as a discreet scheme to assist the sector to increase capacity and improve quality. In 2017 and again in 2018, the capital programme was over-subscribed indicating high demand and interest in the funding. The number of applications for the 2018 Early Years and School Age Childcare Capital Programmes was particularly...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Reports (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is referring to an independent review I commissioned, in agreement with the Minister for Justice and Equality, to examine and report on the management of a complex and serious case of alleged child abuse and neglect involving sixteen children in four families. While there is no evidence of any serious mishandling of the case by either Tusla or An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Traveller Education (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy may be aware, the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers was discontinued with effect from September 2011, in line with Department of Education and Skills policy on the phasing out of segregated Traveller provision. The Department of Education and Skills have advised that the funding costs for the programme in the final full year of the programme in 2010 were €2,716,737.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to inform the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on individual cases. Children residing in foster care are subject to a Care Order. In some cases, a Guardian Ad Litem may be appointed to represent the best interests of the child, and to advocate on their behalf. I wish to remind the Deputy that where cases have been heard in camera, it is not appropriate for me to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Support Services (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department does not provide funding to the organisation referred to by the Deputy. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has confirmed that it provided funding of €6,300 to the named organisation for Family Support Services Counselling in 2017. Tusla has advised me that funding for 2018 has not yet issued to the organisation referred to by the Deputy, as Tusla has...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (26 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has advised that the gross number of new social workers hired each year since 2014 is as follows: Year Social Workers Jan To Dec 2014  164 Jan To Dec 2015 180 Jan To Dec 2016 214 Jan To Dec 2017 180 Jan to May 2018 59The above are the gross number of new social workers hired each year (i.e. attrition is not factored in).

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am advised by Tusla that its in-house recruitment function, Tusla Recruit, is working to a recruitment plan in 2018 and will submit its finalised 2018 Recruitment Plan to my Department by the end of this month. The Plan will provide a full breakdown by grade of the more than 400 posts provided for as part of Tusla’s 2018 funding that increased by €40.6 m this year...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will of course be aware of my announcement on May 29th that clear evidence of illegal registration had been identified in respect of 126 St Patrick's Guild files. Tusla are actively engaged in a social work-led process of contacting the individuals concerned in a measured and sensitive way. I am aware of the complexity of issues that may arise for individuals receiving this...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Registration (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Clear evidence of illegal registrations has been recently identified in respect of 126 St Patrick’s Guild files and arrangements have been put in place to contact those individuals and support them through the process. It is, of course, a concern that there may be many more cases of illegal registrations and it is for that reason that I have appointed an Independent...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foireann Roinne (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tá roinnt oifigigh i mo Roinn atá ábalta seirbhísí a chur ar fáil i nGaeilge. Tá beirt oifigeach fostaithe i mo Roinn a earcaíodh ón tsruth Ghaeilge i gcomórtais de chuid na Seirbhíse um Cheapacháin Phoiblí a bhain le hOifigigh Chléireachais agus le hOifigigh Fheidhmiúcháin; chun feabhas a chur ar sholáthar...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 has passed Second Stage in the Seanad and it is my intention that the Bill will be enacted by the end of the year. In order to progress the Bill, I recently met with advocacy groups and with Oireachtas colleagues, which was informative and helpful. The Bill impacts on people who are the subject of illegal registrations, as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Data (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: No personnel in my Department have been removed from their position, transferred to another role or had their employment terminated in the past four years due to breaches of departmental standards or professional misconduct or incompetence.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Traveller-Roma Integration Strategy (26 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: There are a number of actions in the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) which fall fully, or partly, under the remit of my Department. They are under the education, children & youth, gender equality, and public services themes and are as follows: Action number Theme 10, 12 – 13 incl., 15, and 17 Education 38 – 40 incl., 47 – 49...