Results 3,721-3,740 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Seanad: Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As an Independent Minister, a campaigner and fighter for social justice, I welcome and support this Bill. I wish to inform Senators that I have also secured the agreement of Cabinet colleagues to support it. Senator Ó Ríordáin's work on this important issue as a teacher, campaigner and public representative is welcome and it is right that it should be acknowledged. We are in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised that following the closure of certain childcare facilities in County Clare in 2016, the centre to which the Deputy refers provided support to Pobal, the relevant County Childcare Committee, and parents and families. At that time, the co-ordinator of the centre informed Tusla that it had been requested to take over the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Welfare Service (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Tusla Educational Welfare Service, EWS, has supplied an extract of the guidelines provided to educational welfare officers in Tusla in relation to the point at which a family is brought before the court regarding the non-attendance at school of a particular child in view of the fact the parents are being deemed to be uncooperative and I have forwarded same for the consideration of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Administration (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 556 and 557 together. The then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs was first made aware of the matters of concern referred to by the Deputy at the end of April, 2015. It appears that there were no specific concerns raised with the Department before then.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Administration (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs was first informed of the issues referred to by the Deputy at the end of April 2015. The then Minister and his senior officials met with Tusla senior management on three occasions in the period April/May 2015. The Minister was updated on progress on the actions being taken by Tusla in response to the concerns about operational matters...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Correspondence (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The request by the Deputy for copies of the documentation referred to has been forwarded to the organisation in question for attention and direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Data (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: There are no staff from the list of companies provided by the Deputy on secondment to my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Data (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: In 2017, my Department availed of the following printing and postage services from the private sector: Specialist legislation printing €977.00 Awareness campaign for September 2017 affordable childcare measures €8,649.50 Printing of materials associated with Young Peoples consultations e.g. Posters, Certificates, Placemats, booklets, forms, manuals and ring binders...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Data (6 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency comprises 17 administrative areas arranged in four regions, namely Dublin Mid-Leinster, Dublin North East, South and West. I have asked Tusla if it is possible to provide the number of children residential beds in the format requested, and will revert to the Deputy when their answer is to hand.   The number of children residential centres for the...

Topical Issue Debate: Children and Family Services Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputies Connolly and Ó Cuív, supported by Deputy Naughton and other Galway Deputies, for their queries. I welcome the opportunity to clarify the circumstances surrounding Time 4 Us and the wider picture of child contact centres. We all agree that the long-term goal is a quality service delivered to all children in all areas. However, it is important to ensure that any...

Topical Issue Debate: Children and Family Services Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My information is that the board of Time 4 Us made a decision to cease the service from 31 March, that issues of governance and board membership were key aspects of that decision and that there were concerns about staff in terms of weekend service provision. That said, I hear what the Deputies are saying. In particular, Deputy Connolly referred to how there were barristers and psychologists...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Welfare Service (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla Educational Welfare Service (EWS) has advised my Department that it works with the Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROC) throughout the country supporting the provision of education of the children in these centres. The Educational Welfare Officers assigned to the EROC centres work closely with the Educational Welfare Officers in the receiving counties to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The latest figures from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicates that, at the end of November 2017, there were 6,182 children in care.  Of these, 348 (6%) were in a residential placement, of whom 199 were in a private residential centre run by a private body.  The placement of all children in residential  care is governed by the Child Care Regulations 1995....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter, I have again referred the matter to the attention of Tusla for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Affordable Childcare Scheme will provide childcare subsidies for both full-time and part-time childcare. For the universal element of the Scheme, up to 40 hours of support per week will be available, regardless of whether parents are working or not. For the targeted element of the Scheme, the number of hours of childcare subsidised per week will be capped at a maximum of 40 hours for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Internal Audits (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has an Internal Audit function which is guided by the Institute of Internal Auditors Standards (IIA) which the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform determined should apply across all Departments and other Vote Holders (November 2012). These Standards require that a quality assurance and improvement programme be developed for the Internal Audit function...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Law Reporting Project (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, the Child Care Law Reporting Project is an independent project authorised under Section 29 of the Child Care Act 1991 (as amended by the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2007), and in accordance with Regulations made under that Section to report on child care proceedings.  The project is supported in this work by my Department. On 29 January the Child Care Law...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to confirm to the Deputy that Tusla’s online portal for the receipt of mandated reports is live. Mandated reporters can go online, via the Tusla website, register, and are then in a position to submit reports directly to Tusla via the portal.  I have been assured that data protection issues have been fully addressed, and that Tusla have consulted with the Data...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Investment in ICT infrastructure is essential as part of the provision of high quality and safe services to vulnerable children and families, and to support both social workers and other staff in their work.  I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the capital allocation for Tusla this year includes full provision for completion of the roll out of the National Child...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (1 Feb 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised that the National Child Care Information System (NCCIS) will be rolled out to all Tusla areas by mid-2018. The NCCIS will operate as the central national database supporting the provision of child welfare and protection services. The system will eliminate the reliance on manual records and spreadsheets. Access to the NCCIS system will...