Results 21-40 of 102 for other and baby speaker:Katherine Zappone

Fourth Interim Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (7 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the opportunity to update the House on the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. In particular, I would like to update Deputies on the commission's fourth interim report and what I have been doing to progress issues since the work of the commission began. As Deputies are aware, the commission submitted a fourth interim report to me last December, which I...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (6 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome this opportunity to update the House on the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. In particular, I would like to update Senators on the commission's fourth interim report and the responses I am progressing to the issues which have emerged from the commission's work to date. As Senators will be aware, the commission submitted a fourth interim report to me in...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (6 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Members for their very helpful and reflective observations and contributions. I have noted all of them and I will try to answer as many as possible in my response. It is clear that in their comments and questions Senators also feel deeply about these issues. They represent very well the people who come to them. In Senator Boyhan's case, he is one of those people. That is very...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (6 Feb 2019)

Katherine Zappone: ...forum to run alongside the commission process to examine, as alluded to by Senator Higgins, what we can do now as distinct from waiting until the commission provides its investigative findings and other reports.The collaborative forum, the members of which are representative stakeholders of the various institutions, provided me with a report just before Christmas which is now being...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (29 Jan 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The statutory Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters) is tasked with examining burial arrangements for persons who died while resident in these institutions. My Department is not separately investigating these matters. In its fourth interim report, which I published last week, the Commission reiterates the significant challenge of investigating...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (23 Jan 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection, and if necessary, to receive a child into the care of the State.   The placement of children in care is governed by Regulations and National Standards. These provide for the welfare of the child, including...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I will address that question. On the Government's decision with regard to the Bethany Home survivors and the commission's recommendation, it is correct that the other Governments made decisions not to include the Bethany Home survivors in the original redress scheme. This Government confirmed and agreed with that even though the commission recommended it should be considered to be included...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (15 Jan 2019)

Katherine Zappone: ...from these institutions. Consequently, I have no plans to employ an independent medical person to review such matters. The Government established the statutory Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) to independently examine a broad range of concerns relating to the care and welfare arrangements for those who spent time in these institutions. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (13 Dec 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 to 198, inclusive, and 202 together. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection, and if necessary, to receive a child into the care of the State.   The placement of children in care is governed by Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commissions of Investigation Expenditure (27 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters was established by Government on 17th February 2015 (S.I. No. 57 of 2015). Since it's establishment expenditure of approximately €7.47 has been incurred (to end October) to support salaries, fees and other operational costs relating to the work of the independent Commission and its...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I remain absolutely committed to inclusive, constructive and collaborative engagement with former residents of mother and baby homes and other stakeholders. I established the Collaborative Forum as a progressive response to the theme of “nothing about us without us” which emerged from my consultations with former residents of these institutions. This innovative approach...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (7 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I was at an extraordinary conference in Boston last week. It brought together many top-class Irish scholars as well as some international scholars. It was a privilege to be there, I learned a lot, and I am taking much of it into account as we move forward. On the legislation itself and whether that has the potential to form the basis for the use of a template or model for other sites,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (6 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 961 and 962 together. The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters was established by Government on 17 February 2015 (S.I. No. 57 of 2015). In terms of the status of the Commission, it is important to recognise that the Commission is independent in the conduct of its statutory investigations. I am not therefore in a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (6 Nov 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Foster care is the main form of alternative care for children in need of care and protection, and is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their parents or guardians. As of the 31 August 2018, of the children in care, 92% were in foster care nationally; there were 4,005 children in general foster care, 1,642 in relative care and 366 children were in a residential care...

Tuam Mother and Baby Home: Statements (25 Oct 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome this opportunity to update the House on the decision by the Government on the site of the former mother and baby home in Tuam, County Galway. Before I outline the substance of what has been agreed, I warmly welcome former residents, their loved ones, advocates and friends who are here today and those watching proceedings from afar. I acknowledge the role which their collective...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Correspondence (20 Sep 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I used the opportunity presented by Pope Francis's recent visit to Ireland to raise directly with him the issue of mother and baby homes and more specifically the discovery of human remains in Tuam. I outlined the serious concerns that I and others had, particularly the concerns of people within the context of Tuam such as the survivors and their families. I told him that I would write to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Sep 2018)

Katherine Zappone: Counselling services for the survivors and families in respect of the Tuam and other mother and baby homes is a key concern for me. It is an issue that is being examined by one of the sub-committees established by the collaborative forum. I indicated at the end of my initial reply that I expect to receive a report from the representative stakeholders within six months. I have also told...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Sep 2018)

Katherine Zappone: On other sites and the possibility of the remains of other children being buried etc., this is a matter for the commission. We are where we are in terms of Tuam because the commission did that investigation, produced its findings and brought them to Government. I have to respect the independence of the commission. As part of its terms of reference it is examining and investigating all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Adoption Registration (20 Sep 2018)

Katherine Zappone: ...there is sufficient reliable evidence of the practice of illegal registration that can be extracted from the records of adoption agencies. The analysis of records is being carried out by Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland, AAI, and is overseen by an independent reviewer who is a former deputy director of social services in Northern Ireland. Representatives from other agencies and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Sep 2018)

Katherine Zappone: I have asked an Independent Reviewer, Ms Marion Reynolds to oversee a further analysis of relevant records held by Tusla and the Adoption Authority in the first instance. The purpose of the exercise is to see if clear evidence of illegal registrations is evident in other records. The first meeting between Ms. Reynolds and the nominated representatives from Tusla and the Adoption Authority...