Results 3,601-3,620 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Who made the judgment that it was too ambitious?

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla is responding?

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: We have many young people in the Gallery watching this and they are very welcome to this debate. We are talking about them and trying to do the best we can for schooling for them and their colleagues. I note the Deputy's point. When I am describing Tusla, its executive, its educational welfare services division and its board are very keen to ensure that we move from where we are now to a...

Other Questions: Irish Youth Justice Service (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I will be answering the Deputy's question in as much as it refers to staff of my own Department in the Irish Youth Justice Service, IYJS, which is an executive office located in my Department. I will also answer the Deputy's question relating to Oberstown Children Detention Campus. I am fully aware of the context of the constituency that the Deputy so ably represents. Some officials from...

Other Questions: Irish Youth Justice Service (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy said, I have regular contact with the chair, board and executive of Oberstown. I have been there many times and I am due to go there again. There is adequate staffing at the centre, as there have been no requests for additional staff. On the recommendations for improvements, specifically the ones identified by the Deputy, various oversight reports have been initiated and...

Other Questions: Affordable Childcare Scheme (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I assure the Deputy that the enhanced subsidy proposed under the affordable child care scheme will not be limited to parents in full-time work or education. The Government policy on the new affordable child care scheme was informed by evidence with the best interests of children and families in mind. When introduced, the affordable child care scheme will represent a major landmark for all...

Other Questions: Affordable Childcare Scheme (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: That is a great question. Obviously, it relates to the current work of the Department and providers trying to average out the 48-week period to a 52-week period. As we move to the affordable child care scheme, I can understand how that would be an issue with regard to the determination of the subsidy on the basis of how much parents work or for how long they are in education and training....

Other Questions: Affordable Childcare Scheme (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to hear that Deputy Rabbitte will be tabling amendments. We will take a look at them. As indicated, I have acknowledged the proposal of a 52-week period as against a 48-week period and how we need to be flexible in terms of provision. From the perspective of my Department, supporting child care financially, and figuring out our rules accordingly, is important. We have done it...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Education and schooling are critical in the context of the lives and life chances of children and young people. A range of responses are in place to support children in completing school, and the school completion programme is key among them. The programme provides learner-centred and holistic supports for young people who are at risk of leaving school early. I believe the programme has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: 11 o’clock On the Deputy's first question, it is important to note that the early years sector is different from the primary and secondary school sector in that the services are privately run or operated by community or not-for-profit services and, therefore, my Department is not the employer, as the Deputy is aware. However, as I outlined in my response, we provide a range of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy will appreciate, I agree with the sentiments behind her question. I hope that the efforts and supports we have identified and provided in an ongoing and flexible manner demonstrate our respect for the sector. I am aware of the issues raised by the Deputy because I also hear of them from the sector. Although I would love to be able to provide for the measures suggested by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: -----but, because services in the sector are private or not-for-profit entities, I do not have the responsibility or ability to do that.

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to confirm that all sections of the Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017 are now in force. The primary purpose of the Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017 is to give effect to Article 42A of the Constitution in so far as it relates to adoption. In particular, the Act provides for the adoption of any child, regardless of the marital status of his or her parents. It also provides for the best...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Deputy's very important question. I attended the conference to which he referred. His specific question regards a more open approach to the adoption process, that being either semi or fully open. These issues have been on my mind and in my heart since beginning work on the Adoption (Amendment) Act and, in particular, as we have been working on the Adoption (Information and...

Other Questions: Adoption Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: There are a couple of key areas in the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill that deal with trying to make our law regarding contact and protection of rights between the adoptee and the birth parents as open as possible. We continue to work on a couple of challenging areas, although we may have progressed them as far as is possible without meeting the barrier of constitutional...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Affordable Childcare Scheme Establishment (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy can appreciate, I also share her concern on the timeframe and continuing to move it forward. We agree on that. We are now in a tender process in respect of development of the ICT system. We expect to identify a successful vender to commence the development of the system. It will take approximately 25 weeks so that will bring us to July. We hope that will put us in place....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Affordable Childcare Scheme Establishment (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: That was going to be my third point. I think I referred to this earlier. As of September 2018, the current procedures for applications from parents and working with providers will be the same as 2017. That is not the fully formed affordable child care scheme we are all waiting for. As I have emphasised before, providers have done an incredible job working with us in order to put in place...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Children First Act 2015 imposes obligations on key professionals to report child protection concerns, and on providers of relevant services to carry out a risk assessment and develop a child safeguarding statement. All persons running a registered early years service and those employed as child care staff are mandated persons under the Act. All early years settings have until 11 March...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Deputy raising the matter in this context of his being a public representative for his constituency. He is doing a fine job. The Deputy suggests that there is a pattern. I will investigate that and come back to him about it and about the very vulnerable families who need the assistance of the State.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (22 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Committee of Public Accounts recently published its periodic report covering the period September 2017 to October 2017. Following Tusla's appearance before it on 19 October 2017 in respect of the examination of its 2016 financial statement, the committee made a number of recommendations. These covered the following areas: ensuring that service level agreements are in place for 100% of...