Results 6,381-6,400 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The information is in the table. Publication No. Purchased Irish Times 2 per day Irish Independent 2 per day The Examiner 2 per day The Star 2 per day The Sun 2 per day Daily Mirror 2 per day The Herald 2 per day Daily Mail 2 per day The amount paid in 2015 by my Department in respect of daily newspapers was €2819.71.These newspapers were supplied to my office and my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff Data (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 638 and 640 together. The Human Resources Unit of my Department has 11.23 whole-time equivalent staff assigned to it and has responsibility for managing the internal HR corporate function, including organisational design, workforce planning and learning & development. The HR Unit also has an external governance and oversight role relating to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Staff (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: At present there are two civil service members of staff working exclusively on constituency matters. In addition to this, I also have a Personal Assistant who also works on constituency matters on my behalf.

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

Katherine Zappone: The childcare facilities in question have been operated as private limited companies and my Department was made aware of the impending closure of these services late on Thursday June 2nd. My Department is aware of the difficulties the closures of the three Tic Toc Nursery Services have imposed on families and on staff who work there. My Department funds 30 City and County Childcare...

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

Katherine Zappone: My Department provided funding of €300,000 for the Barnardos/One Family Child Contact Centres pilot project over a period of two years, i.e. from mid 2011 to mid 2013. Additional funding was provided by the Health Service Executive (€60,000), the Family Support Agency (€90,000) and Ballymun Regeneration (€90,000). This service was established on a pilot basis in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Records Provision (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The issue referred to by the Deputy is a matter for Tusla the Child and Family Agency and I have asked them to reply to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Employment Rights (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The terms and conditions of employment in the early years sector are matters to be agreed between employer and employee. My Department makes no recommendations in relation to these matters. I have raised this issue with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI), within whose remit the issue of employment rights falls, and I understand that Ireland’s body of employment...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Company Closures (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am not aware of the issue referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department implements a number of childcare support programmes including the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. Pobal works closely with this Department in implementing these programmes and undertakes a compliance process to verify, through on-site visits, that...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (14 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, provides for the appointment of a nine person Board consisting of a Chairperson, a Deputy Chairperson and seven ordinary members all appointed by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency does not provide a salary and remuneration package for Board members. However, the fees payable to Tusla Board members who...

Adjournment Debate: Community Development Projects (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate Deputies Ellis and Shortall's mention of this important issue. I have read some of the opinions of the very esteemed people Deputy Shortall identified and, as she is well aware, I watched the origins as well as some of the earlier growth of Young Ballymun and its impact. I welcome the opportunity to explain the state of play from the Department's perspective. I indicated...

Adjournment Debate: Community Development Projects (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I hear the Deputy. This base level funding will go towards aligning the completion of programme activities for all 13 ABC grant recipients to August 2017. In the meantime, the funders and the three local sites are exploring further funding arrangements to ensure continued service provision. It will also ensure that Young Ballymun can inform the national evaluation of the ABC programme,...

Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy also mentioned the vacuum of information. I hear him and will indicate to the Department that such is the case. I give the Deputy my commitment to do something about that.

Other Questions: Youth Services Funding (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to the principle of fairness and would very much wish to allocate additional resources next year to the youth sector as the economy recovers. Any additional amount available will depend on the budgetary process in 2017. I will be closely involved in the decisions to be taken by Government in this regard. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes...

Other Questions: Youth Services Funding (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am a long-time advocate of cost-benefit analysis, particularly in the area of services to children and young people. I agree with the Deputy that early investment pays off in the long run. It is one of the best ways to try to bring about change in this area. I would welcome the Deputy's input, and that of her colleague, Deputy Rabbitte, who is the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on...

Other Questions: Youth Services Funding (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I hope to. In fairness, that is the most I can say at this stage. On the Deputy's many points about Kildare, I recently travelled to Kerry to see some of the good work going on there. I would be delighted to go to Kildare.

Other Questions: Child Poverty (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputy Wallace. The reduction of children's poverty is a key political priority for my work as Minister. I informed the Taoiseach of that a couple of weeks ago. I have devoted all of my professional life in Ireland to the development of community based approaches to tackle children's poverty and to the design and delivery of effective prevention and early intervention strategies to...

Other Questions: Child Poverty (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I fought that measure tooth and nail when I was a Senator, so I am very well aware of those measures to cut. In respect of the commitments that I effectively put in and am pursuing in the programme for Government, particularly in relation to lone parents, which Deputy Wallace referenced in his question, the programme for Government commits to the design of a working family payment,...

Other Questions: Child Poverty (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I totally agree with the Deputy that we need action. I referred to just one of the big commitments in the programme for Government and I hope in the context of my involvement that there will be a specific focus on the reduction of children's poverty. As we know, lots of things impact on it, but what would impact on it most immediately is potentially increasing some form of children's income...

Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Jun 2016)

Katherine Zappone: It is really important that the Deputy raised that question. A similar question was raised earlier but I will say again, as it is important to place it on the record, that I am pleased to confirm that all the supports currently available through the HSE and various agencies will remain in place until the new model is fully operational. As the Deputy may be aware, the access and inclusion...