Results 501-520 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence Services Funding (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Last Thursday I attended an event hosted by Saoirse Women's Refuge and Women Together Tallaght Network as part of the 16 days of activism campaign. Before my time in government, I worked directly with the local communities in the greater Tallaght area. I strongly value the hard work and community spirit of the people of Tallaght. I understand that the networks to which the Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence Services Funding (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am very much aware of the additional fundraising that domestic refuge shelters need to do because they talk to me too. I will answer the Deputy's questions in a couple of different ways. Regarding the ongoing resources they require, since the beginning of my Ministry, I have increased the resources to this sector by more than €5 million in recent years. I understand that is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foster Care (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Children in care are among the most vulnerable in our society, and it is the responsibility of Tusla to ensure they are placed in safe environments. While it is not possible to remove every risk, Tusla makes every effort to assess thoroughly all people who wish to be foster carers. The approval process for general foster carers can take several months. The assessment is carried out by a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foster Care (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy mentioned the recent campaign Tusla conducted to see if it could get more people interested in providing foster care. As the Deputy indicated, it resulted in some 350 inquiries, which are now being followed up. That is substantial and I congratulate Tusla for doing that, in particular as it was the first time. One of the reasons it did that was in regard to resources and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foster Care (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As I have indicated, the child has a social worker and the foster carers have a link social worker, and those are considered to be forms of real direct support. I hear the Deputy's point that some foster carers may be making representations to her that they feel they could use more support. I will communicate that to Tusla. However, that should not stop Tusla from going out and looking for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Costs (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Childcare services in this country are provided by more than 4,500 private or not-for-profit services. My Department engages with the services regularly through a number of organisations and representative groups. Insurance costs and risks associated with this area for early learning and care and school age childcare services have very recently been flagged with my Department, and my...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: We have been in direct contact with Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB and its development officer for youth and sports. The information I have in the email is that the supervision was never for the children. It was for the play equipment.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is stating that, but I have information directly from the ETB that says otherwise. If the Deputy is arguing that there are people who are supervising the children, that is not the information I have. Who should I ask if not the development officer for youth and sports in the ETB?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I completely understand that the Deputy wants the children to go to the playground. If it has worked in the past, it would be fantastic if it continues. What were the people's names?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy says they are currently supervising the children as distinct from my information that there is supervision of the play equipment. We can communicate to the development officer for youth and sports that the Deputy is claiming something different. I can ask Crosscare these questions. It could be raised with the county council as well to find out why this is happening. I have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services Funding (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a range of funding schemes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Both the targeted and universal youth funding allocations for 2020 for organisations and services are currently being finalised in my Department. These schemes have been subject to very significant review...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services Funding (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: No, I think it is great.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services Funding (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am laughing at the Deputy's passion about one application, although I am sure it is for many. The targeted youth scheme was reviewed a couple of years ago. There were four types of schemes and different groups could apply to them to get grants and funding. The review recommended bringing it into one scheme as that would be more efficient and effective. Three years of consultation took...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services Funding (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Absolutely, they need to know. I anticipate that most youth organisations and services that are currently getting funding will continue to get it, but through a new vehicle. The Deputy's question about awareness raising and communications is a good one. To be straight, I am not sure if it is my Department that will do it or the ETB, but I will raise that question. As to whether the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla is undertaking a significant agency conversion across grades in front-line services, an initiative I very much welcome. The grades to be included are social work, social care, family support and administrative staff supporting front-line teams. Tusla has had productive discussions with Fórsa trade union on the proposed conversion which could potentially result involve up to 400...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency Staff (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for her compliment for Mr. Gloster. Tusla is exploring its sponsorship initiatives in an effort to increase the number of students studying social work, and thereby, increasing the supply of social workers available to the agency. This is happening and I expect this will produce some results as well. We have been engaging directly with the Department of Education...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for his question. My Department has never funded the supervision of the playground in question. Funding provided by my Department for playgrounds is limited to capital spend, namely, the capital grant funding scheme for play and recreation. Applications for this scheme are made through the local authority play and recreation network. The funding of supervisory posts...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Yes, I am done.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: He could easily. It would not be a problem to him.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I cannot believe that they are only getting €20.