Results 3,461-3,480 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: DEIS Scheme (20 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The School Completion Programme was established in 2002 by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) as part of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme building on the earlier Early School Leaver Initiative (ESLI). The programme was expanded in 2005/2006 when additional schools were included in the DEIS programme. The majority of schools in the SCP programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (20 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am very conscious that the School Completion Programme (SCP) delivers a very valuable service for some of our most vulnerable young people. It is however in need of development and reform in terms of governance and organisation to ensure that we optimise the outcomes for these young people.  With this in mind, the Board of Tusla convened an expert panel to identify...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Development Plan Data (20 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The most significant element of the National Development Plan (NDP) for my Department relates to the need for future expansion of childcare places due to multiple factors, such as demographics, labour force trends and  current supply levels. There is a recognised need for large-scale, multi-annual capital investment in childcare over the period of the NDP and an additional...

An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: An Dara Céim - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am sharing time with Deputy Fitzpatrick. I am pleased to speak in support of this Bill to bring about a referendum on the eighth amendment. At the outset, I acknowledge the leadership and empathy of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, to bring us to this point. For more than three decades pregnant women in Ireland have recognised and lived the restrictions imposed by the eighth...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 506, 522 and 523 together. Last December, I announced my decision to pause the proposed rule changes on overage exemptions to allow for a consultation process where the voice of parents of children with disabilities could be heard in relation to the proposed change. This consultation process, which will be led jointly by my Department and the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Recreational Facilities (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a Capital Grant Funding Scheme for new and existing play and recreation facilities for children and young people. Applications are invited from Local Authorities under two categories: - New and innovative play and recreation spaces and facilities. New and innovative projects can include new facilities, equipment, designs and / or the utilisation of non-traditional...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 508 and 513 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). However, parents will have the discretion to decide how much of ECCE to avail of for their child. A decision may be made...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The statutory Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) is independent in the conduct of its investigations. The approach to publicising its work and gathering information are matters for the Commission to decide and progress. I do not have any role or influence in this regard. I am aware that the latest advertising campaign specifically seeks...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised that it is committed to the leasing of new modern office space at Shannonside Retail Park in Carrick-on-Shannon. These new premises will provide easy access to the public and will accommodate the expansion of Tusla staff and services for local communities. Tusla is currently finalising the design process for the building prior to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: 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 introduced last year, whereby three intake dates were adopted, and will increase the duration of each registered child on ECCE from a current average of 61...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Data (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that my Department is managing the most significant reform of youth services ever undertaken. This will provide an opportunity to identify need and to focus the bulk of the €58.9m funding available in 2018 on young people most in need of intervention.  Last year, I approved funding for the establishment of new youth projects and for the augmentation of a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Scouting Ireland received €49,630 under the capital funding scheme for youth projects and services in 2016 to fund the improvement of disability access and security at its centre in Killaloe.  Scouting organisations were eligible to apply for capital funding under the local youth club equipment scheme in 2017.  Capital funding of over €1.4m was provided to scouting...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department does not set aside funding specifically to address loneliness and social isolation. However, my Department supports a range of targeted youth funding schemes that work with marginalised and disadvantaged young people as defined in the National Youth Strategy 2015. This term includes, but is not limited to, young people from ethnic or religious minorities;...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family, operate under the principle of equity of care, and do not make a distinction between EEA and non-EEA citizens when providing care. All children and families resident in Ireland are entitled to the same level of care from Tusla.  The figures to which the Deputy refers are not collated in the monthly performance data or quarterly reports which Tusla provide to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Signs of Safety forms part of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency's Child Welfare and Protection Strategy. A total of €984,000 was spent on Signs of Safety in 2017, which included training for 1,005 members of Tusla staff at €979 per head. Tusla have budgeted €1,180,800 for Signs of Safety for 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: HIQA Inspections (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the recently published HIQA Inspection Report of Tusla’s Child Welfare and Protection Service in Carlow, Kilkenny and  South Tipperary. As all three counties were integral to the inspection it is not possible to discuss the finding relating to County Kilkenny separately. I can assure the Deputy that Tusla’s action plan...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The matter raised relates to operations funded by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have asked Tusla to supply the relevant information to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 521 together. The upper age limit for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme was set in consultation with senior officials from the Early Years Education Policy Unit in the Department of Education and Skills. It ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers and limits the age range of children beginning primary...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Information about unallocated cases is published monthly on the Tusla website. The most up to date data available is for December 2017. I can inform the Deputy that there were 24,891 open cases nationally at the end of December. Of these, 4,892 were awaiting allocation of a social worker. This information is provided in the following table. Tusla does not publish data on average time...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (8 Mar 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 526 together. The Value for Money and Policy Review (VFMPR) of the Youth Funding programmes 2014 examined three of the targeted funding schemes, the Special Projects for Youth scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund, and Local Drug Task Force projects scheme. The schemes support the provision of youth services for young...