Results 5,741-5,760 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Industrial Disputes (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Discussions are ongoing between Oberstown management and staff unions in relation to a number of issues and the Workplace Relations Commission is available to both parties to assist them in resolving matters. Oberstown management will draw up and put in place contingency plans in the event of strike action or other events occurring to ensure the safety and welfare of both staff and children....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 56 together. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector, to young people throughout the country. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Poverty (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The reduction of child poverty is a key political priority for me as a minister. I am fully committed to working with my colleagues in Government, particularly Minister Varadkar, in ensuring a collaborative approach to tackle child poverty. In June, Minister Varadkar and I both addressed a conference on child poverty organised by the Children's Rights Alliance. Both Minister Varadkar and I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Industrial Disputes (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Discussions are ongoing between Oberstown management and staff unions in relation to a number of issues and the Workplace Relations Commission is available to both parties to assist them in resolving matters. In recent months the Oberstown Board of Management has commissioned an external independent review of operations and best practice of the Campus in the context of the many changes...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Costs (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Reducing the cost of childcare is a key priority for me and for the Government. We have a number of commitments in the Programme for Government relating to enabling access to high quality and affordable childcare. I am determined to deliver on these commitments. The introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) in September 2017 will provide more accessible and more affordable...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Resettlement Programme (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, has primary responsibility in the area of asylum and immigration. Policy responsibility for such refugee children travelling with their parents, whether they are living in the community or in the direct provision system, insofar as it extends to my Department, is in relation to providing care and protection for any children where their...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Addiction Treatment Services (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, under the remit of my Department, has a statutory responsibility to ensure each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The education welfare services of Tusla, comprising the statutory Education Welfare Service, the School Completion Programme and the Home School Community Liaison scheme are key supports for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, the direct provision system is under the policy remit of my colleague the Tánaiste, the Minister for Justice and Equality. Children living in direct provision are not in the care of Tusla. Concerns about the welfare, safety or well-being of a child in direct provision are referred to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in line with Children First National...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, local duty social work teams will put in place arrangements to appropriately monitor and action cases, ensuring continuity of service to vulnerable children during the Christmas period. Tusla also provides a range of services aimed at addressing emergency situations which arise out of hours. The Out of Hours Service is provided 365 days a year...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000. The National Youth Strategy 2015-2020, published last October, sets out Government’s aims for young...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homelessness Strategy (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Homelessness, whether for a child presenting alone or as part of a family, is a distressing experience. My Department has policy responsibility for children under 18 who present as ‘out of home’ without their parent(s) or guardian(s) and any child welfare and protection concerns that may arise in the context of the Child Care Act 1991 . Children under 16 who present as out of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Resettlement Programme (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In 2016, Tusla has received a total of 112 referrals of unaccompanied asylum seeking minors (UAM) up to the beginning of December. There are currently 66 UAMs in statutory care, and 74 young adults are accessing aftercare support with the assistance of an allocated aftercare work. 27 children who were received into care were subsequently, following full checks, reunited with their families....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Industrial Disputes (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to advise the Deputy that I have confirmed that protective notice has not issued to ancillary staff.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Juvenile Offenders (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Children Act 2001, as amended, provides the statutory basis for dealing with children who come into contact with the criminal justice system. The key principle of the Children Act 2001 is that detention of a child should only be imposed as a last resort. When children come into contact with the criminal justice system there is an emphasis on the promotion of community based options in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Funding from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to Rape Crisis Network Ireland ceased during 2015. The background to this decision was the subject of Oireachtas interest and debate last year. Domestic and sexual violence services are being developed by Tusla as a specialist national service with a dedicated national budget and a single line of accountability. This is designed to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Staff (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Although my Department does not act as employer to childcare it does acknowledge that the sector is under cost pressure. To go some way towards addressing this, I have secured additional funding of €14 million in Budget 2017 which will enable ECCE providers to be paid for a 39th week and part of a 40th week (7 ECCE days in total or 1.4 ECCE weeks) where they will have no children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Persons Supports (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As part of a whole-Government approach to homelessness, I am committed to helping families by supporting implementation of Rebuilding Ireland: the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. In recognition of the burden that transport costs can place upon families The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) is working to provide free public transport for those homeless families in the Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 252 together. The most vulnerable children are those living with families experiencing difficulties. These include families where parents have drug or alcohol problems, or suffer mental ill-health. Children who live in homes where they are exposed to domestic violence are also at risk. I wish to assure the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 255 together. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (14 Dec 2016)

Katherine Zappone: It is recognised that particular groups of children and young people can face more challenges in achieving the five national outcomes set out in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020), and numerous specific commitments of the Framework reflect this. My Department identified prevention and early intervention as a key...