Results 5,921-5,940 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (10 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I remain concerned about the children who were in the unofficial camp near Calais. I am also mindful of our commitments to unaccompanied children in camps in Greece and Italy, some of whom are living in poor conditions. I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to review its ability to provide safety and protection to greater numbers of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (10 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The School Completion Programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of young people who are risk of educational disadvantage. The programme is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified through the Department of Education and Skills’ DEIS...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (10 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Arising from Budget 2017, I will shortly be issuing Tusla with its 2017 Performance Statement in line with the provisions of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. Tusla will, in response to the Performance Statement, prepare a Business Plan for 2017 which will be submitted to me for consideration. The precise level of funding to be allocated to the Family Resource Centre Programme will...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (10 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested is not readily available in my Department. My officials have requested the information from Tusla and I will forward the reply to the Deputy once I have been furnished with it.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (10 Nov 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 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Employment Initiative (10 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Earlier this year, I announced details of the €600,000 Youth Employability Initiative which is funded under the Dormant Accounts scheme. Under the Initiative 28 youth projects will receive grants to support innovative programmes that target disadvantaged young people who are most at risk of unemployment and who are not in education, employment or training. The programmes will aim to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (10 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to increase the mandatory school leaving age to 17. The Education (Welfare) Act 2000, which is the relevant legislation in relation to this commitment, comes under the remit of my Department. I will work closely with the Minister for Education and Skills in the development of the legislative proposals and in the context of Government...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Schemes (10 Nov 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 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Youth Strategy (10 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Programme for Government (2016) gives a commitment to develop a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Youth Strategy. This is a key commitment for my Department in the Programme for Government and also makes a contribution towards the Government’s broader commitment to continue to strive for full inclusion of LGBT people in Ireland. The development of this Strategy will be led by...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (9 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In 2016 some €2.6m has been allocated to my Department for a capital funding scheme for youth projects and services. The scheme was open to projects that are funded by the Department under the Special Projects for Youth scheme, Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund, Local Drugs Task Force Projects scheme and Youth Information Centres scheme. The scheme was also open to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (9 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested is not readily available in my Department. My officials have requested the information from Tusla and I will forward the reply to the Deputy once I have been furnished with it.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Data (9 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: There are no contingent assets in my Department. I have also been informed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the Ombudsman for Children's Office and the Adoption Authority of Ireland that none of those organisations hold any contingent assets.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (9 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Consideration of financial contributions by my Department over the period 2016 – 2018 for a second Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland (SAVI 2) research project gives rise to a number of issues: the availability of funding, the prioritisation of expenditure, competing demands in the area of research and requisite public procurement considerations. With regard to funding, I understand...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The approach that I have taken under budget 2017 is a radical new departure, but it is just a first step. A key aspect of this first step has to do with ensuring more efficient and targeted support for lower income families, in particular those with children and that are living in poverty. It will be effective in that regard over time and more effective - I agree that a policy choice was...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I do not want Ireland to be a tax haven either. The Deputy's major point was on moving towards child care being publicly provided. Some aspects of our child care system are publicly provided, namely, preschool. A significant portion of the budget that I have delivered for 2017 will ensure that we have two full years of free preschool. Strictly speaking, it may not be public provision in...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (8 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I understand that funding under the PEACE IV programme has been secured until 2020. We will examine needs in the area for after that period. The EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation is a unique Structural Funds programme aimed at reinforcing progress towards a peaceful and stable society in Northern Ireland and the Border region of Ireland. It represents the EU's commitment to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (8 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My plan is to keep funding in place post Brexit. That is what I will work towards. I am happy to receive suggestions from the Deputy on how to support this. He was present in the Chamber when questions relevant to this matter were directed to the Taoiseach regarding PEACE funding and our commitment to what has been secured and guaranteed. On 3 November, calls were made for proposals, with...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Traveller Accommodation (8 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I share Deputy Coppinger's concerns over these issues. I have shared them for a number of years. I wish to make a couple of points on what the Deputy said. I am glad she put her remarks on the public record. I hope this will encourage our Minister specifically responsible for what we are now speaking about to be motivated to ensure, or find ways to ensure, there is a drawdown. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Traveller Accommodation (8 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: On that question, I raised the matter with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton. With regard to some of the Deputy's initial comments in her final contribution, my Department allocates funding - €220,000 in total in 2016 - to a number of projects and organisations working specifically with young Travellers. The overall objective of the funding to the youth...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Nov 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am delighted to see research being produced that uses the excellent data provided by the Growing Up in Ireland study funded by my Department. I aim to ensure that all child care policies are firmly grounded in evidence, and I welcome this report as a contribution to that evidence base. The study is a useful contribution to our knowledge about care of children at age three and the impacts...