Results 6,261-6,280 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (13 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 was signed into law in December of last year. The Act is primarily concerned with aftercare – the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving statutory care at 18 years of age, to assist him or her in making the transition to independent living. The legislation obliges Tusla, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (13 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care (Amendment) Act 2015 was signed into law in December of last year. The legislation imposes a statutory duty on Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to prepare an aftercare plan for an eligible child or eligible adult. Specifications relating to the age at which aftercare planning will begin are set out under section 7 of the Act. In relation to a child, who is aged 16 or...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am acutely aware of the difficulties the proposed closure of Larchville Lisduggan Childcare Centre will have on families who avail of the service and staff who work there. My Department has provided significant funding over the years to the service through various childcare schemes such as the free pre-school year, the Community Childcare Subvention, the various Training and Employment...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: 33 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) were established in 2001 to advance the provision of childcare facilities in their local areas. They comprise local representatives from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors, childcare providers and parents. There are now 30 CCCs, as Limerick City and Limerick County CCCs have amalgamated, as have Waterford City and Waterford County and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: EU Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy might note that my Department does not administer or manage EU co-funded programmes.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies Board Appointments (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The position with regard to the bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is set out in the following table: Agency Number of positions on each Board Positions currently vacant Date of Vacancy Child and Family Agency (Tusla) 9 2 1 since March 2016 1 since April 2016 Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) 7 0 Board of Management for the Children Detention Schools 13 0 ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla has advised that it does not collate data on situations where a request has been made for a social worker of a particular gender. There is no policy which applies in this situation as each individual case is decided on its own merits. Social workers are allocated according to the presented needs of children and concerns for their safety and wellbeing. Allocation is not based on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I believe the Deputy is referring to "Achieving Best Evidence" where it relates to child sex abuse and interviews of children. This practice is more prevalent in the United Kingdom, rather than in this jurisdiction. I understand that Tusla, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, is currently implementing processes for specialised joint-interview techniques for children, where an...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 817 to 820, inclusive, together. Children First (2011) includes guidance and a standard reporting form for notifying Tusla, the Child and Family Agency of situations where abuse is suspected, i.e. emotional, physical or sexual abuse or neglect. General Practitioners (GPs) are in a good position to identify indicators of abuse, and they are one of a number...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The objective of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is to make early learning in a formal setting available to eligible children in the year before they commence primary school. Approximately 96% of pre-school children have accessed the (ECCE) scheme over the last number of years, demonstrating both good supply and good take-up across the country. In Budget 2016, my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is a joint prevention and early intervention initiative led by my Department and The Atlantic Philanthropies. It is a time bound co-funding arrangement with resources of €29.7m from 2013 to 2017. The aim of the ABC Programme is to test and evaluate prevention and early intervention approaches to improve outcomes for children and families...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (The Ryan Report) was published in 2009. The Government accepted all of the recommendations of the Ryan Report, and in response developed an Implementation Plan which set out a series of 99 actions which addressed the recommendations to improve services to children in care, in detention and at risk. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information sought by the Deputy in respect of Budget 2016 has been requested from the Child and Family Agency. I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received. As the Deputy will appreciate, no decisions have been made with regard to the level of funding to be made available to my Department, and in turn to Tusla, for 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Child and Family Agency. I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information is received.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Community Childcare Subvention Programme (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not currently available in my Department in the format requested. However, I have requested Pobal to provide the information and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: There are currently 107 Family Resource Centres supported through the Family Resource Centre Programme which is funded by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla fully appreciates the role that Family Resource Centres play in offering early intervention support to families in difficulty. Tusla has advised that it intends to build on the strengths of the Family Resource Centre Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency, Tusla has been asked to compile the information and I have requested the organisation to forward the response to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency, Tusla has been asked to compile the information and I have requested the organisation to forward the response to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The level of capital funding allocated to Tusla in comparison to the capital spending outturn by the Agency for the years 2014 to 2016 to date is as follows: - 2014 €'000 2015 €'000 2016 €'000 Allocation 6,841 12,386 16,060 Drawdown 4,846 6,863 7,170* * year to date

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (12 Jul 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters was formally established by Government Order on the 17th February 2015. In accordance with its comprehensive Terms of Reference, the Commission is tasked with thoroughly examining the experience of mothers and children resident in 14 named Mother and Baby Homes and a representative sample of County...