Results 5,081-5,100 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (5 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am very conscious that it has not been possible to date to publish the Second Interim Report. However, as I have previously outlined, it has been necessary for me to engage with Cabinet colleagues on issues in the report which extend beyond my remit as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I briefed the Cabinet on the matter again on Tuesday the 28th of March and expect be able to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Qualifications Recognition (4 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has published a list of Early Years qualifications which shows all qualifications approved by my Department for work in the Early Years sector to date. This list can be found on www.dcya.gov.ie Where a qualification is not published on the list of DCYA Early Years Recognised Qualifications but the holder considers it to be an appropriate Major Award at or above Level 5 on...

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

Katherine Zappone: My Department does not have a specific grant scheme available to assist with the provision of childcare facilities for pre-school children with autism. However, in September last year, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was introduced. This is a new programme of supports to enable children with a disability to access and fully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education...

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

Katherine Zappone: Budget 2017 provided an additional €19m to enable the introduction of a new single Affordable Childcare Scheme. This is in addition to the existing funding which supports the current targeted schemes and which equates to €87m annually. The full year costs of the scheme will be approximately €150m. Of this €150m, the expected cost of the universal element of...

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

Katherine Zappone: Budget 2017 provided an additional €19m to enable the introduction of a new single Affordable Childcare Scheme. This is in addition to the existing funding which supports the current targeted schemes and which equates to €87m annually. The full year costs of the scheme will be approximately €150m. The universal element of the scheme provides a €0.50 per hour...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Information (4 Apr 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In the time period referred to, no requests were received by my Department, for material to be made available in braille format.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (30 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, holds the statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection, and is the appropriate body to receive reports of concerns relating to children at risk. I wish to assure the Deputy that Tusla deals immediately with emergency cases, including for instance, if a child has been abandoned or is in immediate physical danger or at risk of sexual abuse. At...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafés Provision (30 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In 2013 a capital allocation of €1.5m was made available by my Department for the provision of new youth cafés. Pobal assisted my Department with the administration of the scheme. Some 95 applications were received and 30 proposals for new youth cafes around the country were approved for funding. I am advised that an application was received in respect of a youth café...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Occupational Therapy (30 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am concerned about the waiting times for children who need occupational therapy, and the negative impact delays in receiving appropriate early intervention may have on the development and well-being of that child. However, the responsibility for occupational therapy provision rests with the Minister for Health. I have received representations on behalf of children who have occupational...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: On 20th March 2017 I announced that funding will be made available under the Early Years Capital programme for 2017 in three strands, as follows: - Strand 1: Additional Places (€3 million total available – maximum €50,000 per grant); - Strand 2: Building improvements and maintenance/refurbishment (€500,000 total available, maximum €20,000 per grant,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Guidelines (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The issues raised by the Deputy relate primarily to matters (Garda vetting and schools) which come within the remit of the Departments of Justice and Equality and Education and Skills respectively. The welfare and protection of children and, in particular, vulnerable children, is everybody’s concern. Responsibility for children’s welfare arises in all settings where children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised that the current 2017 allocation to the Family Resource Centre Programme is €13.512m. In 2016, Tusla provided financial support to some 109 communities nationwide under this Programme. This will continue in 2017. Tusla plans to build on the strengths of the Family Resource Centre Programme in the years ahead to deliver its mandate for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Voluntary Sector Funding (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested is not readily available in my Department and is currently being collated. The information sought will be forwarded directly to the Deputy when available.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts Data (29 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department was formally established on 2nd June 2011; no private investigation firms have been hired in the past five years and to date in 2017.

Other Questions: Aftercare Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: To give a more specific timeline, it is anticipated that the relevant provisions of the Act will be commenced in the third quarter of this year between June and September 2017. I acknowledge the Deputy's statement about his own Bill. I look forward to considering it. As part of this process, what I have been identifying is the extensive consultation process that Tusla has been engaged in....

Other Questions: Child Care Services (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 65 together. The policy paper for the introduction of the affordable child care scheme was approved by Government in October 2016. Since then, officials of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Pobal have been working intensively to plan for the implementation of this scheme. This is an extremely complex and ambitious project because of...

Other Questions: Child Care Services (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I share the concerns Deputy Jan O'Sullivan has identified. First, we are conscious of the need to have the lowest administrative burden possible and to have a system that is not too complex and which they can get used to before moving on to the next thing. That is why, in the Department, we have had plans A, B, C and D and we have gone through a number of options to try to identify what is...

Other Questions: Aftercare Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to implementing the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015, which entitles eligible young people to a formal aftercare plan, prepared by Tusla in collaboration with the young person leaving care. My Department is working closely with Tusla to ensure that the provisions of the Act can be fully implemented as quickly as possible in the coming months. Consultation is under way with...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: What a great idea. I will come back to the Deputy. I and my officials are certainly aware that it is a case of the earlier the better, particularly in respect of special needs or forms of disability. There have been many discussions in that regard and I would further discussion, with the Deputy or even in the context of the committee. The AIM model and programmes started in September...

Other Questions: School Completion Programme (28 Mar 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The school completion programme is a core element of the educational welfare service provided by Tusla. I believe it is a crucial service for parents, children and schools. The service is highly regarded as a key response in securing improved educational outcomes for children and young people at risk of early school leaving. In this regard, the programme enables local communities to...