Results 4,601-4,620 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Other Questions: Departmental Reviews (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Is that the correct number?

Other Questions: Departmental Reviews (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Okay. I had a reply to a number of questions relating to homelessness next.

Other Questions: Departmental Reviews (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: That is not the next group of questions.

Priority Questions: Child Protection (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Yes, and it will be independent. The progress of commissioning the independent research has already commenced. I agree with Deputy Ó Laoghaire that in terms of understanding social work decision-making it would be helpful to have social work input. The chair of the board of Tusla has responded to my request to commission that independent piece of research and is currently putting it...

Priority Questions: Child Care Services Funding (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Children, parents and families will start enjoying the benefit of our radical new approach to child care from September. An additional €19 million will be available to an estimated 70,000 children. This is a first big step, one from which there can be no row back. All children aged between six and 36 months, or until they are eligible for the free preschool scheme, will be eligible...

Priority Questions: Child Care Services Funding (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Rabbitte for her questions, which provide me with an opportunity to clarify the situation. In regard to the 9,000 families which may not be able to participate in the full affordable child care scheme vision, which we hope will be the best in the world and will be less expensive, the figure of 9,000 is an estimate. We are being upfront and honest in terms of our first effort...

Priority Questions: Child Care Services Funding (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am, again, grateful to the Deputy for these questions. In terms of the legislation and the ICT, the Deputy will be aware that I will be before the committee discussing these issues in more detail before this session ends. In regard to the ICT, we are in a process. The development of the ICT infrastructure for the affordable child care scheme has gone into what is called a peer review...

Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I indicated in response to the Deputy's question my view on the recommendation of Dr. Shannon which I have agreed to include in my implementation plan. I have asked Tusla to take the first steps. This has been agreed with Dr. Shannon on the most appropriate way to move forward. The Deputy is aware that we have an out-of-hours service. The Garda has access to a telephone line and live...

Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have asked those responsible to begin the work and report back to me as soon as possible on the different sections of the implementation plan relating to Tusla's response to Dr. Shannon's report. For example, in respect of the out-of-hours service, on which the Deputy's question focuses, my officials will be meeting representatives of Tusla towards the end of this week to begin the process...

Priority Questions: Child Protection (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Thank you. I appreciate and accept your condolences. It helps me during this period. As stated in my previous reply to Deputy Anne Rabbitte, I have developed an implementation plan to address the recommendations made by Dr. Geoffrey Shannon relating to Tusla. They have been agreed with him and are being implemented without delay. Several recommendations relate to the practice and...

Priority Questions: Child Protection (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As I indicated, I put in place a comprehensive response to the recommendations made in Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report as a result of meetings and an agreement with him on the initial way to proceed in that regard. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire's last question was on inter-agency co-operation. Several aspects in this regard will be examined and reported on to me in ensuring better...

Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Along with the Deputy and other Deputies, I very much welcome the report by Dr. Geoffrey Shannon which is an audit of the use of section 12 by An Garda Síochána. He has done a great service to children. He has also done monumental work in terms of what we as policy makers need to do in order to support children in crisis. His report is a comprehensive, thorough analysis of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Parents need to act now – that’s the message which I would encourage Deputies to bring back to their constituencies this weekend. The best way to find out information is for parents to go on the websitewww.affordablechildcare.ie,The benefits are set out there in a way which is accessible and easy to follow. Deputies we must get this message out so that the estimated 70,000...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Accommodation Provision (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 30, 44, 56, 58, 59, 62 and 550 together. Firstly let me say that I have had discussions with the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in relation to the family hubs. They are a temporary solution as we, as a government get to grips with the devastating plight of homelessness in our country. The hubs are a better temporary...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Data (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am happy to report to the Deputy that 22 children have arrived from France under the Calais Special Project. Aged between 13 and 17, they are all boys, and come from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Syria, and South Sudan. 20 are in care placements and 2 were reunited with family members. The French authorities are responsible for identifying and nominating separated children seeking asylum who...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Yes – there is training and upskilling provided. In addition to affordability and quality – our radical new approach to childcare must also ensure accessibility. I am fully and absolutely committed to that. One of my first official duties as Minister was to launch the Access Inclusion Model or AIM. The model supports children with disabilities to attend main-stream pre-school...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has two emergency children's residential centres that cater for young people in need of emergency care. One of these is the centre referred to by Deputy O’Sullivan, which is based in Dublin city centre. The young people receive a 24 hour seamless service. For operational reasons, the service for the young people during the day is located nearby. This dedicated service...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Supports (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I think that it is worth commenting that 92% of the children in care under the Child Care Act 1991 are placed with foster families living in the community. This figure is amongst the highest internationally and something about which we should be proud. I do not take this for granted and am aware that Tusla services must constantly be alert to the need for improvements, especially as...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Publication (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to the provision of childcare options for families that respect parental choice and reflect international evidence on how to attain the best outcomes for children. I support the Government’s plans for extension of parental leave for parents; particularly in the crucial first year. The introduction of two weeks Paternity Benefit for the first time this year must also be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (4 Jul 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have not ceased all funding for counselling services under the School Completion Programme. However, the available funding is very limited and is only benefitting a small proportion of schools. I am retaining the grant in its current form for the present, pending a decision on alternative approaches. In 1994 the Department of Social Welfare opened a grant scheme to provide...