Results 4,761-4,780 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Section 9 of the Bill amends section 19 of the Adoption Act 2010 by substituting a new section 19 to reflect Article 42A of the Constitution. This section provides that in the resolution of any matter, application or proceedings referred to in the section, the Adoption Authority or the court, as the case may be, shall in respect of any child who is capable of forming her or his own views,...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Section 9 provides that the Minister may make regulations to make provision for the procedures that are to apply to enable a child to present her or his views in person or in writing to the authority or the court, as the case may be. It also provides that the Minister may make regulations to make provision for the procedures that are to apply to enable a child to nominate an appropriate...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Senators and appreciate the amendment which concerns additional matters to some of the others outlined. Barnardos provides professional support for children adopted from abroad and their families living in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow on a range of post-adoption issues. In other areas, however, the Child and Family Agency adoption services provide information on the availability...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The primary purpose of the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016 is to give effect to Article 42A of the Constitution in so far as it relates to adoption. In particular, the Bill provides for the adoption of any child, regardless of the marital status of his or her parents, and that in respect of any matter, application or proceedings under the Adoption Act 2010 before the Adoption Authority of...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Amendment No. 20 seeks to delete the amendment that was inserted into section 54(1) of the Adoption (Amendment) Bill on Committee Stage in the Seanad. At the outset, I want to state that I understand the reason the Senators submitted this amendment. In short, they are concerned that some parents may not be offered supports that would assist them to take care of their child rather than that...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I note that the Senator-----

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I would be happy to hear her.

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: It has been argued that my ministerial direction is sitting back, that it is a radical change for me to come in and delete an amendment that was part of Committee Stage and that the ministerial direction will mean nothing in terms of the arguments of the Senators. I know Senators are appreciative of going back and forth in respect of my office and the Seanad Office in trying to come to the...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: All I am saying is that this is the process of law making we follow. Obviously, I made every effort on the basis on the legal advice I had and worked with my officials to come back with something different. As the Senator is aware, we went through a number of iterations. Ultimately, we had to move forward to something that is effectively broader and affects all cases, not just cases which...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Senator Higgins for her willingness to engage and agree to a substitute amendment. I am deeply appreciative of this. It is something that will enable us to achieve some shared objectives. I acknowledge the benefits of open adoptions. I support it in principle. It should be noted, however, that I believe it will need to be given full and careful consideration. Open adoption...

Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: 3 o’clock I thank all of the Deputies for their comments, reflections and questions. As Deputy O'Sullivan and others indicated, we have discussed this issue many times in this Chamber. It is really important for me to listen to the issues that Deputies raise as we all try to identify the best way and what kinds of actions we need to do in order to move forward when we think...

Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Three years ago this week, a brave local historian shared her research with a discerning and intuitive journalist. A brave survivor was also willing to tell her story. We all read, watched and listened as the shocking details unfolded of a mass grave in the grounds of the former mother and baby home in Tuam, County Galway. In the intervening three years, we have received confirmation that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Insurance Data (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department incurs no direct insurance costs as it is covered under a number of centralised arrangements. Personal injury and/or third party property damage arising from negligence of the Department, their servants and /or agents is covered under a State indemnity scheme operated by the State Claims Agency under the National Treasury Management Agency. Foreign travel insurance for civil...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Psychological Assessments (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 and 258 together. Key elements of the support to be provided to children in care may include referral and advocacy for access to specialist services to meet the child’s identified needs as part of their care plan, such as speech and language therapy, counselling and psychology services. Children in foster care may need to be referred to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Parents availing of subsidies under the Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) – whether for part-time or for full-time childcare – will be subsidised on the basis of the number of hours of childcare per week, with the subsidy per hour determined by the age of the child and the family income. For children under three years of age, maximum subsidy rates – for families with the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware that the 0-3 age group presents particular issues for early years service providers. In an effort to better understand the range of issues being faced I have asked a sub-group of the Early Years Forum to examine the evidence in this regard and to consider appropriate measures to alleviate any identified sustainability issues. This group has met on a number of occasions and is due...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Provision (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The School Age Capital grant includes 2 Strands which directly relate to the expansion and improvement of existing afterschool services, these strands will not in any way displace services already operating and are designed to improve the services and allow them to expand their numbers and improve the quality of their service. In addition during the appraisal process, Pobal will conduct a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am aware that the 0-3 age group presents particular issues for early years service providers. In an effort to better understand the range of issues being faced I have asked a sub-group of the Early Years Forum to examine the evidence in this regard and to consider appropriate measures to alleviate any identified sustainability issues. This group has met on a number of occasions and is due...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The implementation of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020),has been ongoing across Government since its launch in April 2014. Two annual reports on the progress of implementing Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, covering the first two years of the framework have been prepared, and are available to the public on my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (1 Jun 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As these are operational matters, I have asked Tusla – The Child and Family Agency to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.