Results 4,901-4,920 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: At present, adoption information and tracing services are provided on an administrative basis by Tusla, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and by six bodies that have been accredited by the Authority under the Adoption Act 2010. I am aware of the expertise and professionalism of the agencies currently accredited for this purpose. However, the Bill is carefully balanced to allow a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to confirm that major improvements in childcare subsidies will come into effect this September, including increases of up to 50% in targeted childcare subsidy rates and a new universal childcare subsidy for children aged between 6 and 36 months. September’s changes will be delivered through existing childcare schemes, pending the introduction of the Affordable Childcare...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes is independent in the performance of its functions. The approach to its investigation is a matter for the Commission and I do not have any information on its engagement with the Adoption Authority or other individuals, groups or corporate bodies. In its Second Interim Report, which I published on the 11thof April, the Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I believe that the first report on Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland (SAVI 1) made a valuable contribution to our understanding of the area. I am supportive, in principle, to an appropriate follow-up study, and I will pursue this further with the Tánaiste, whose Department leads on this area. The Department of Justice and Equality plays a whole-of-Government role in this area through...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla holds the statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection, and is the appropriate body to receive reports relating to the safety and well-being of a child. This applies to children under the age of 18, living in their own home or living in care. Each referral received by Tusla is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. Any...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Standards (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Deputy, the safety and protection of our children is always the top priority – I know the whole house will agree on that. Inspection of the early years sector is important to ensure our children are safe and to make sure education quality and standards are met. As someone who has more than three decades experience working and campaigning with the sector I am also aware that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In 2017, I have made €1m of additional funding has been made available to childcare providers who have been facilitating the training of Community Employment participants, to ensure that regulatory changes do not hinder service delivery or the availability of childcare places. There are two phases to this funding. The first is for HR and recruitment supports, while the second...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The discovery of human remains by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Home's has deeply affected many people. I have visited the site of the former home in Tuam and met with former residents and their families, so I am acutely aware that many people are experiencing a great deal of anxiety and anticipation for what might happen next. For these reasons it is very important...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In recent weeks I was delighted to approve funding of €800,000 for the establishment of new youth projects and the augmentation of a small number of existing youth services to meet new challenges arising from population increases. This additional investment will be provided in regions of the country where there is a pressing need for services to meet the needs of young people. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his question. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the Family Resource Centre Programme. Under the Programme Tusla provides financial support towards the running costs of Family Resource Centres (FRCs) nationwide. There are currently two FRCs in County Kildare that receive funding under the Programme. They are based in Newbridge and the Curragh. The total...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: A historical or retrospective disclosure is where an adult discloses abuse experienced in childhood. I understand that the overwhelming majority of such disclosures are about sexual abuse. Tusla has advised me that there were 1,895 historical/retrospective cases on hand at the end of March 2017. Tusla has also indicated that, included in these cases, they received 354 reports from...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 33 together. I am delighted to report to the Deputy that good progress has been made with regard to this issue. Recently, I was informed that to date 21 children have come to Ireland through the Calais Special Project (CSP). Of these 19 children are now in care placements and a further 2 children, in keeping with our process of assistance, were...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his question. My officials have already received correspondence on this matter, and have consulted with Tusla in this regard. First of all, I would like to acknowledge the valuable work of Family Resource Centres (FRCs). I very much value the positive impact of their work in supporting families and local communities. FRCs provide a holistic service of child,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Initiatives to address the findings of the care review for "Mary" have been put in place that will, at the very least, minimise the risk of a reoccurrence of this kind of event. Actions have already been taken by the HSE and Tusla which address the findings of the report. The HSE and Tusla have published a joint protocol to promote the best interests of children in care with a serious...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Aftercare Services (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has informed me that in 2016, a total of 605 young persons left care that year. The reason for his being that they had reached 18 years of age. At the end of 2016, Tusla has indicated that 1,055 young persons in care were aged 16 or 17 years of age. Of these 432 (41%) had been allocated an aftercare worker. Tusla has advised that it does not collate data on the waiting periods before...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy will be aware, under the terms of reference set out in S.I. No. 57 of 2015, the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes (and certain related Matters) is currently investigating the 14 named Mother and Baby Homes and a representative sample of County Homes. Section 14 of the Commissions terms of reference states that the Commission has the discretion to use such...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Data from Pobal’s Early Years Sector Profile 2015-2016 suggests that 22% of enrolments in regulated childcare in 2016 were children less than 3 years old, which is an increase on the 16-17% figures of recent years. However, my Department is aware that there is anecdotal evidence of a reduction in places for children from birth to three in centre based care, as some service providers...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My commitment to a Transitional Justice approach is intended to directly support the cohort of unmarried mothers and their children who were resident for a time in a Mother and Baby Home or County Home. While the independent statutory investigation progresses its work, I wish to develop complementary gender-sensitive transitional justice mechanisms which could support and empower former...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to assure the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, deals immediately with emergency cases, including for instance, if a child has been abandoned or is in immediate physical danger or at immediate risk of sexual abuse. Social work duty teams keep high priority cases under review by regularly checking to ascertain risk to the child, and where necessary will reprioritise the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (11 May 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The policy paper on the Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS), which the Government approved last October included a preliminary economic analysis of childcare provision in Ireland. The policy paper examined the option of imposing price-caps on childcare providers to prevent erosion of subsidies through fee-inflation. The policy paper noted the potential benefits of price-caps, including...