Results 3,021-3,040 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (21 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware that young people face many difficulties in their school lives and I believe it is crucial that issues such as bullying are dealt with sympathetically by those in authority.  With regard to this particular case officials in my Department have referred the matter to the Educational Welfare Service of Tusla and will revert to the Deputy with the response.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: State Bodies Data (21 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am responsible for appointment of members to the boards of the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), Gaisce and the Board of Management of the Oberstown Children Detention Campus. The below table display's the maximum number of positions on each board, the quorum for board meetings, Ministerial appointed vacancies on each board and the date each vacancy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (21 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the provision of care and protection to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Tusla allocates funding to emergency refuges and a range of community based services to provide services to adults and children affected by domestic violence....

Childcare Support Bill 2017: From the Seanad (20 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: These amendments aim to ensure that childcare is more affordable, particularly for parents with larger families. I believe the Deputy indicated that this is something in his own history. That is a good thing in terms of the amendments. Second, I answered the Deputy's question in terms of Pobal because he asked about the scheme administrator, which is helpful in terms of the scheme's...

Childcare Support Bill 2017: From the Seanad (20 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Seanad amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, are technical drafting amendments. Under the affordable childcare scheme, personal public service, PPS numbers will be provided as part of applications for financial support. PPS numbers are referred to in sections 7 and 9 of the Bill. However, section 7 includes a specific reference to the definition of a PPS number in the Social Welfare...

Childcare Support Bill 2017: From the Seanad (20 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Seanad amendments Nos. 4 and 5 clarify which children are taken into account when determining the multiple child deduction that will apply to an applicant's assessable income. The multiple child deduction is a deduction from income that I intend to provide for families that have more than one child under the age of 15. It is intended to reflect a cumulative impact of childcare costs on...

Childcare Support Bill 2017: From the Seanad (20 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: These Seanad amendments are intended to and do correct anomalies. They will provide significant support to owners and managers of crèches, especially community crèches, because they are intended to ensure that childcare is affordable for larger families. Finally, Pobal is the scheme administrator.

Childcare Support Bill 2017: From the Seanad (20 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: One of them is present.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Service Provision (20 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, through the Early Years Inspectorate (EYI), is the independent statutory Regulator of early year’s services in Ireland and has a responsibility for inspecting pre-schools, playgroups, nurseries, crèches, day-care and similar services which cater for children aged up to six years. The Tusla EYI role is to promote the quality, safety and appropriate care of children by...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (20 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre Programme. Acting as a focal point within their communities, Family Resource Centres provide a holistic service of child, family and community support and advocacy to all children and families in their communities. I have been advised by Tusla that the Ballymun Family Resource Centre has been allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (20 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre Programme. Acting as a focal point within their communities, Family Resource Centres provide a holistic service of child, family and community support and advocacy to all children and families in their communities. Tusla has advised that funding for individual Family Resource Centres can differ, depending on a range of...

Seanad: 25th Anniversary of Decriminalisation of Homosexuality: Motion (19 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: When the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, asked me to do the wrap-up speech for this motion, I jumped at the chance because I thought first of all of Senator Norris. I want to acknowledge his extraordinary bravery. As Senator Boyhan said, it was such a difficult time for him to start this campaign. I remember when he came up to me and Ann Louise Gilligan at our first fundraiser for our efforts...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (19 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy will be aware, Sean Ross Abbey Mother and Baby Home is one of the institutions currently being investigated by the statutory Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters. As part of its terms of reference the Commission is directed to investigate and to make a report on burial arrangements in respect of persons who died while resident in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (19 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The information in respect of payments made to the company (details supplied) by my Department is set out in the following table. Year Amount € Project Name 2016 €37,724.22 Print Media advertising campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters 2016 €24,043.75 Advertisement on the National Public Consultation on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Consultation Process (19 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Details of the number of public consultations, replies received and costs incurred from 2011 to date in 2018 by my Department are set out in the following table. The overall objective is to keep costs of this nature to a minimum. As regards the State agencies under the remit of my Department, I have requested Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the Office of the Ombudsman for Children, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Home Schooling (19 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Educational Welfare Service of Tusla has informed my Department that as of 31st May 2018 there are 261 children awaiting an appointment for preliminary assessment for admission to the register of children receiving an education in a place other than a recognised school. 217 of these children are waiting less than 6 months while 42 are waiting more than 6 months. 2 children have been...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (19 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: In the first instance I would like to inform the Deputy that officials from my Department have written to the parent on this matter. The ECCE programme began in 2010 as a one-year (38 week) free pre-school programme for all children aged 3 years and 2 months on or before 31stAugust of the programme year as long as they would not turn 5 years and 6 months during that programme year. In 2016,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Data (19 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: A total of 115,581 children (i.e. unique child registrations) were participating in ECCE on 14thJune 2018 and a total of 4,214 childcare services had signed contracts offering ECCE on that date.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commencement of Legislation (19 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Part 11 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 provided for the adoption of a child by civil partners and cohabiting couples. The Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017 repealed Part 11 of that Act. The relevant sections (amended as necessary) from Part 11 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 were then brought forward into the Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017. The Minister signed...

Cyber Security for Children and Young Adults: Motion (14 Jun 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the three Deputies for their very powerful and eloquent contributions on this challenging issue. It is appropriate and impressive that we have two members of the committee who put the report together and also a Deputy who is not a member of the committee. They have all demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the issues, and a genuine on the ground engagement with their constituents and...