Results 6,081-6,100 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (11 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The pupil to teacher ratio, in pre-school settings, was increased from 10:1 to 11:1, at a time when the Capitation Rates for pre-school providers were reduced to meet spending limits. The capitation rates have now been restored to pre-2012 levels (i.e. €64.50 for standard capitation and €75 for higher capitation). The question of ratios arises in the context of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care (11 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I would like to assure the Deputy that no child is placed with an unapproved general foster carer. When a child is being placed in foster care, the suitability of a placement with relatives is explored in the first instance. Where Tusla is satisfied that an immediate placement with relatives is in the best interest of the child, a placement may occur before full approval of the Child and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Data (6 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I can confirm to the Deputy that there are no participants on Community Employment (CE), Gateway or Tús schemes within my Department. My Department participates in the Willing Able and Mentoring (WAM) Programme. This is a work placement programme which aims to promote access to the labour market for graduates with disabilities and build the capacity of employers to integrate...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (6 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has advised that there was a scheduled contract renewal meeting in respect of existing services between Tusla Residential Care and the Chief Executive Officer of the provider organisation on September 27 2016. The matter of the proposed Centre was briefly discussed. There was no discussion about referrals to the new venture and no assurances given. In...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy has asked specifically about the provision of a Special Needs Assistant. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs does not fund these services. However, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), which is a new programme of supports to enable children with a disability to access and fully participate in the free pre-school programme, was introduced in June 2016 and is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy has asked specifically about the provision of a Special Needs Assistant. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs does not fund these services. However, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), which is a new programme of supports to enable children with a disability to access and fully participate in the free pre-school programme, was introduced in June 2016 and is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (6 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has a number of agencies under its remit including Tusla, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. In accordance with the budget allocation system operated by my Department each individual agency is allocated a budget at the start of the financial year. Following these allocations each agency provides my Department with a profile of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Chairman. I am pleased to join the committee this morning to deal with issues relating to the Estimates for my Department and to discuss my plans for the future in the context of the programme for Government. I welcome the opportunity to brief the committee on the key issues from my perspective. Before I continue, I wish to extend an invitation to the committee to visit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My officials are Ms Michele Clarke, Mr. Dermot Ryan, Dr. Fergal Lynch and Ms Bernie McNally. They are delighted to join me along with the others behind us.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank everyone. It is great to have the questions. I will start with Deputy Anne Rabbitte's questions and my answers may cut across similar questions from the other Deputies. The capital expenditure by Tusla, including on ICT, is on target. Tusla is working on a comprehensive ICT strategy, which I expect to receive shortly. Progress on the national child care information system is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: We need another 150. A total of 248 social work graduates were recently put on a panel and 69 of them have been offered posts. I have a lot more detail in that regard if the Deputy would like it. In response to the focus of her question, I was trying to describe the various campaigns that are ongoing to recruit the diversity of staff that will be required by Tusla. I might come back to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Members will be aware that the Estimates process is continuing. In that context, we have identified a certain figure that we are looking for to support the implementation of the various initiatives that come out of our budget. We are working across Government in terms of some of the other commitments. I have answered Deputy O'Sullivan's question about social workers, so I will move on to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Ms Clarke. I will answer the question that was asked about family resource centres before I respond to Deputy Ó Laoghaire. We are very much aware of the need for financial support. I suppose that is an aspect of the budget negotiations we are in the middle of.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: It is fine. Deputy Rabbitte can go ahead.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I hope the information I have provided has been of assistance to the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Okay. Deputy Ó Laoghaire asked about adoption legislation. I know Deputy O'Sullivan and all the members of the committee have an interest in this. I remind them that the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016 was the first Bill to be brought into this Dáil for Second Stage debate. At that time, it may have seemed like we would have a long wait for the publication of the adoption...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: This is cases where the child is at risk.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: We are seeking some additional support in the budgetary process for the Adoption Authority.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 40 – Department of Children and Youth Affairs (5 Oct 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank members for their questions. Senator Devine's first question referred to the fact that delays are being experienced by some graduates in registering with CORU, the registration body, which would put them in a position to get a job. I am aware of and concerned about that. A successful candidate awaiting registration may be offered a three-month temporary contract as a project...