Results 3,241-3,260 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Seanad: Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (2 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Again, I want to inform the committee that I intend to table an amendment or, perhaps, a number of amendments on Report Stage in order to address issues that may emerge with regard to changing the definition of a child and the impact this may have on the operation of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. The change to the definition of a child for the entirety of the Act will have implications...

Seanad: Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (2 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Senators so much. It is really helpful to hear both of them speaking about the intention behind the Bill and the way in which it impacts on or influences this particular section. As the Senators would both be aware, the issue about which we are speaking would have been one of the more challenging ones dealt with in the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 which established the National...

Seanad: Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (2 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I intend to table an amendment on Report Stage that will remove the citation at section 6(3)of the Bill. The Bill does not propose any amendment to the Education Acts 1878 to 2007 and as such this section of the Bill is not required.

Seanad: Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (2 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I intend to table an amendment on Report Stage to correct an error in the Long Title. The Long Title of the Bill refers to the National Educational Welfare Board. This amendment will update the Long Title to reflect the current position, namely, that the board is no longer in existence and that its functions were transferred to Tusla educational welfare services. As Members know, in order...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Asylum Support Services (2 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Separated children seeking asylum, who are in care, are allocated a social worker. While they may receive services from social care workers, their dedicated point of contact remains their allocated social worker. Children who are with their parents or families, and applying for asylum, remain in the care of their parents. They may receive supports from social workers or social care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Asylum Support Services (2 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I have written to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and will provide the information to which the Deputy refers once I have received it.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care (2 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Following extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, approved revised Policy, Procedures and Best Practice Guidance for Foster Care Committees in February of last year. I can confirm that one of the issues that arose during consultation, and which has been addressed in the revised document, concerns the previous guidance in relation to the age...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Data (2 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, most recent figures indicate that there were 6,161 children in care at the end of February 2018. Of the children in care, 92% were in foster care nationally; there were 4,037 (65%) children in general foster care, 1,646 (27%) in relative care and 357 (6%) children were in a residential care placement, with the remaining children in other care placements...

Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 36 together. As Deputy Martin Heydon is aware, family support is an important priority for me, as reflected by the increased level of funding for family resource centres in 2018. Family resource centres are front-line services rooted in the communities they serve. They act as a focal point within their communities and provide an holistic service...

Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The additional centres brought to 120 the total number of family resource centres. I acknowledge that the Deputy's question is about existing family resource centres and the increases they can receive. This year family resource centres will receive an increase of up to €10,000 in funding. Funding for individual family resource centres varies, depending on a range of factors,...

Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy has made a good suggestion in looking at existing family resource centres. As he is aware, the priority in budget 2018 was to open new family resource centres, as well as trying to give more to existing centres, subject to the initial maximum figure of €10,000. There will be scope for engagement on different ways to make decisions on existing family resource centres...

Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy may be aware, I spoke recently at the 20th anniversary conference of the family resource centre programme which was held in Dublin Castle. It was an incredible celebration of their great history. Centres are beginning to make representations, including those referred to by the Deputy. I will be delighted to continue to engage with them at a national level, as well as with...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I agree with the Deputy that it is important to look at this in the context of the education welfare officer's and the home school community liaison work, so that we move forward with a holistic view. I agree with the Deputy that the space for flexibility and innovation in the context of the delivery of the school completion programme is absolutely key. I know, within the context of Tusla's...

Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Since the inception of the early childhood care and education programme, ECCE, age limits have been used to determine eligibility for the scheme. These rules are a necessary component of any Government scheme and ensure that Exchequer funding is used for its intended purpose. In 2010, only one ECCE year, or 38 weeks, was available. I enhanced this in 2016 and, on average, children...

Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is looking at all sorts of possibilities. I understand the Deputy's concerns and think they are real. She represents her constituents very well. I thank her for acknowledging that we have almost got over that exemption issue. We are finalising the consultation and expect to come forward with some results in light of that. I have indicated that it is possible that the...

Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: That is what I am trying to describe to the Deputy. These considerations are happening in the context of that other consultation. I understand that if the policy is to offer two years, parents hope to be able to access that. To give the Deputy a practical response, specific to what we were speaking about there with regard to the January issue, to resolve the concerns being raised, my...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Of course I am aware of the CEO's remarks. The CEO, my officials and I have continued the conversation throughout this time. The Deputy is aware that I made the decision to bring mandatory reporting of child abuse concerns into effect on 11 December 2017. I do not think the sky fell in. In advance of the commencement, Tusla put in place the structures and processes necessary to...

Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Funding (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My reference to the sky not falling in referred to the system. The system did not crash. With regard to the unallocated cases, I have already acknowledged that where there are cases of children and families not being assigned a social worker, it does not mean that social workers are not communicating with them. Duty social work teams are ensuring those families are being communicated with...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am very conscious that the school completion programme delivers a valuable service for some of our most vulnerable young people. However, the ESRI review referred to by the Deputy highlighted the need for a fit for purpose structure with effective governance and employment models in place. With this in mind, the board of Tusla convened an expert panel to identify and examine a...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (1 May 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I concur with everything Deputy O'Sullivan has said. Subsequent to the larger event to which I referred, I have been to a number of schools. I always seek out the school completion co-ordinators to hear from them directly about any concerns they may have about their own position, the project workers, contract workers and sometimes teachers who work with them on the programme, how it is and...