Results 4,301-4,320 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Staff (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I assume that this refers to the national apprenticeship system.  In newer apprenticeships such as the one referenced by the Deputy, Solas or the Higher Education Authority meet the running costs and delivery of the off the job training element, but the employer pays the apprentice throughout the period of the apprenticeship, both on and off the job.    This scheme is under...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Regulation (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I can confirm that on inspection a service which employs staff without the relevant qualifications will be found non compliant with Regulation 9(4). A condition will be attached to that service that all staff working directly with children must have the relevant qualification and the registered provider is afforded the opportunity to make representations as to how this will be addressed....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that the Deputy's question pertains to the 2016 Childcare Regulations, which have impacted on the eligibility of Community Employment participants active within some childcare service providers. €1m in funding has been made available to services that identify themselves as being impacted by staff eligibility changes within the 2016 Regulations. In order to avail of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country. In 2017,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department continues to invest significant resources in the early years sector. In Budget 2017 I secured a 35% increase in childcare funding, which was additional to a similar 35% increase in Budget 2016. These increases reflect the emphasis being placed on developing a quality service with appropriately supported staff. Although my Department has been successful in securing...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: There are no plans in place to remove the proposed 15 hour standard hours subsidy from the Affordable Childcare Scheme. I want to ensure a balanced approach to eligibility for childcare subsidies under the Affordable Childcare Scheme. While a family’s income will determine the amount of subsidy the family will qualify for, the parents’ participation in work or training will...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Better Outcomes Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People contains a commitment to produce Ireland’s first-ever National Early Years Strategy. The intention is to deliver a cross-cutting strategy which will take a joined-up, whole of Government approach to the issue of supporting children and their families during the early years (0-6 years). The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Staff (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Non-Contact Time payment for administrative and non-face-to-face work with children was first introduced as a measure in Budget 2017. The purpose of the payment was to contribute towards the costs of the wide range of work carried out by providers, particularly the additional administration involved in changes to the childcare schemes in 2016-17, including the expansion of the ECCE...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Functions (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: There are no Ministers of State assigned to my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: There are over 100 Family Resource Centres (FRCs) currently in receipt of funding from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla provides funding to the centres under an annual Agreement. This funding is provided by way of a contribution towards the running costs of the centres. The 2017 Tusla allocation to FRCs is €13.512m. FRCs, funded by Tusla, provide a range of universal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The latest figures from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, indicates that, at the end of July 2017, there were 6,272 children in care. Of these, 358 (6%) were in a residential placement of whom 209 were in a private residential centre run by a private body. A child should be placed in a residential setting only when they have an identified need that can be met by this service or for an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to the protection and welfare of children and believe that there is a moral duty on Government and on society to work together to protect children and to ensure their safety. Within the limits of the budgetary process, I have sought to maximise the resources available for this important work and the effectiveness in the deployment of these resources. From my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Youth Work Advisory Committee (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 616 and 620 together. Sections 17 and 18 of the Youth Work Act 2001 provide for the appointment of a National Youth Work Advisory Committee. The Committee had an advisory and consultative role to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in matters to do with youth work, including the coordination of youth work programmes and services. In line with...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has advised that a total of 41 School Completion Programme staff are employed directly by Education and Training Boards. An approximate further 30 School Completion Programmes receive administrative employment supports from Education and Training Boards.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla have advised that they received correspondence from parents at a national school in relation to matters of concern. The matters were investigated in accordance with Tusla policy and an assessment was made. I can confirm that Tusla has advised that it considers the matter now closed .

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, may receive a child into care on a voluntary basis or following an application to the Courts. There are a range of orders provided for under the Child Care Act 1991, as amended. Decisions on the variation or discharge of a care order are a matter for the relevant Court and I am not in a position to comment on these. The application for a care order...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 621 and 625 together. In 2017, funding of €57.4m has been provided to my Department for various youth schemes, an increase of €5.5m over 2016. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: With regards to the details supplied by the Deputy, I understand that officials from my Department have been in contact with this service provider and this issue has been resolved to the provider’s satisfaction. The payments will be backdated to the date the child is registered as having commenced accessing the subvented childcare scheme and is attending. If this service provider has...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 623, 624 and 626 together. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (10 Oct 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, my Department does not directly provide childcare - rather we fund the provision of childcare through individuals, companies and community/not-for-profit groups. Therefore, following the closure of the existing childcare provider in this location, I requested that Pobal and Longford CCC work with local bodies and potential partners in relation to the re-establishment...