Results 5,321-5,340 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Information and Communications Technology (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The policy paper for the introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme was approved by Government in October 2016. Since then, officials of the DCYA and Pobal have been working intensively to plan for the implementation of this Scheme. This is an extremely complex and ambitious project because of what is involved – legislation, new business processes, data protection and building...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In accordance with section 9 of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, it is essential to recognise that the Commission is independent in the performance of its functions. Therefore, I do not have access to the information sought by the Deputy. The engagement with witnesses is a matter for the Commission to manage and progress and I do not have any role or influence in this regard. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Strategy Implementation (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulation 2016 provide that each employee working directly with children attending a service must hold at least a major award in early childhood care and education at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or a qualification deemed by to be equivalent. While under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Grant Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Tribunals of Inquiry Data (28 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department was established on the 2nd June 2011. No tribunals have been established to date under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I have been advised by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency that the person, who is a child, referred to by the Deputy is not currently in statutory care, but Tusla is providing assistance to the child and the family. Tusla would welcome contact from the family in order to clarify any issues they may have in this case.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Commissions of Investigation (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In accordance with section 9 of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, it is essential to recognise that the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) is independent in the performance of its functions. The preparation of draft reports is a matter for the Commission and I do not have any role or influence in this regard. The Commission is tasked...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Visiting Teacher Service (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy may be aware, the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers was discontinued with effect from September 2011, in line with Department of Education and Skills policy on the phasing out of segregated Traveller provision. The Department of Education and Skills have advised that the funding costs for the programme in the final full year of the programme in 2010 were €2,716,737.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy may be aware, responsibility for the National Educational Welfare Board which included the School Completion Programme was transferred to my Department on its establishment in 2011. Upon the establishment of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency on January 1 2014, operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme was transferred to the Agency. Funding information in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 440 to 442, inclusive, together. It is my intention to publish the Second Interim Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in conjunction with the Government's response to the Report. Given the broad scope of the Commission's work a number of issues in the Report extend beyond the remit of the Department of Children and Youth...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The policy paper for the introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme was approved by Government in October 2016. Since then, officials of the DCYA and Pobal have been working intensively to plan for the implementation of the Affordable Childcare Scheme. I am committed to the earliest possible introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme. We are working to an ambitious deadline...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: In Budget 2017, I was pleased to secure additional funding of €14.5m, to help ease the burden of administration on childcare providers by paying for over a week's 'non-contact time' on top of existing capitation payments. Officials are making the arrangements necessary to administer this payment, which will be made in summer 2017. I am of the view that, in the long term, the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation, which supports new and existing play and recreation facilities for children and young people. The Scheme provides for new and innovative projects which can include new facilities, equipment, designs and/or the utilisation of non-traditional play spaces or the refurbishment or upgrading of existing play and recreation...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: "The universal element of the Scheme will be available to all families with children between the age of 6 months and 36 months (or until the child qualifies for the free pre-school programme if later than 36 months). The targeted element of the scheme will involve a progressive system of income-related subsidies for parents with children between 6 months and 15 years, with eligibility based...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Regulation (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Affordable Childcare Scheme was conceived with fairness and equality at its core. As you are aware the Scheme has two elements, universal and targeted. This means that the Scheme is available to all families with children under 3 years of age. It is an imperative of the targeted element of the scheme that those on the lowest incomes receive the greatest subsidies. The most...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Records (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I can confirm that my Department has not incurred any expenditure for the past three years in relation to the retrieval and return of hard copy files stored at off site locations.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 449 to 452, inclusive, together. In accordance with section 9 of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, it is essential to recognise that the Commission is independent in the performance of its functions. Therefore, I do not have access to the information sought by the Deputy. The engagement with witnesses is a matter for the Commission to manage and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together. An adopted person aged 18 years or over who was adopted before the proposed legislation comes into operation, will be provided with his/her birth certificate information, as held on record, following a request to Tusla, subject to certain conditions. Where an adoption order was made before the proposed legislation comes into...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 455 and 456 together. The Government approved the publication of the Heads and General Scheme of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill and referred it to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Committee issued its report in November 2015 and included reference to the issue of refusal to disclose birth...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Post-Adoption Contact Register (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill was published on 25th November 2016. The Bill provides at Section 14 that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, shall establish and maintain a register to be known as the Register of Adoption Contact Enquiries. The existing National Adoption Contact Preference Register (NACPR) will be discontinued. However, all information relating to the NACPR...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (23 Feb 2017)

Katherine Zappone: Adoption records are currently held by the Adoption Authority of Ireland, Tusla and agencies accredited under the Adoption Act 2010. Under the proposed legislation, the Authority will have overall responsibility for the safeguarding of all adoption records, including information relating to informal adoptions and persons whose birth was incorrectly registered. All adoption records, which...