Results 6,501-6,520 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The primary purpose of the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016 is to amend the Adoption Act 2010 to give legislative effect to the 31st Amendment to the Constitution (Children) Act 2012 which was signed into law on 28th April 2015. However since the Referendum there have been other legislative enactments, in particular the Child and Family Relationships Act 2015, which required the amendments to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund (31 May 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: Foster Care (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this issue but as the Deputy can appreciate, I cannot intervene in individual cases. The Child and Family Agency, Tusla, holds the statutory responsibility for all child welfare and protection services. In setting up the Agency, a statutory mechanism for complaints was included in the legislation. This is being delivered by Tusla under their...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy will be aware, the central focus of the Commission of Investigation established by S.I. No.57 of 2015 was intended to be on mothers and children accommodated in Homes for the purposes of extended ante- and post-natal maternity and infant care services. On that basis it would not have been appropriate to consider the institutions raised by the Deputy as Mother and Baby Homes, as...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department was established on 2 June, 2011. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs website is the primary resource in providing information for use by the public and an essential communications tool for my Department. My Department occasionally uses free tools e.g. Twitter and YouTube, to communicate with the public. On occasion, my Department may provide public information through...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services Funding (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. At all times, Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic and sexual violence are being met in the best way possible. A network of 60 organisations provide...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency Act 2013 which established the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, sets out a clear process for complaints regarding any aspect of its service. Tusla complaints procedures are set out in Part Nine of the Act. In the first instance, it is sought to resolve complaints locally where, for example, the parent and social worker seek to resolve the issue. Complaints officers...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Funding (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency, Tusla was established with effect from 1st January, 2014. The funding provisions to Tusla by my Department to support its operational activities are set out in the following table: Year Current Capital Total Provision 2014 €614 million €5 million €619 million 2015 €656 million €7 million €663 million 2016 €662...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Rights Referendum (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Thirty-First amendment of the Constitution relating to the rights of children does not in any way provide for a lessening of accountability for organisations. I am not aware that there is evidence of any adverse effect on governance and accountability generally. In the case of Tusla, its interventions are in the common good for the welfare and protection of children. As with any...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Services Provision (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 929 and 930 together. Under section 20 of the Child Care Act 1991, a Court, may of its own volition or on the application of any person, adjourn proceedings and direct the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, to undertake an investigation of the child's circumstances where there is concern for the safety, care, health or welfare of a child involved in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Approximately 96% of pre-school children have accessed the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme over the last number of years demonstrating good supply across the country. ECCE can be delivered through formal childcare settings, but also in some instances, by registered childminders. In Budget 2016, my Department announced a significant expansion to pre-school provision under the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Employment Initiative (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The new Youth Employability Initiative, which is funded under the Dormant Accounts Scheme, will target those young people aged 15 to 24 years who are most at risk of unemployment and who are not in education, employment or training. Under the Initiative, €600,000 will be provided to the voluntary youth services, to support the provision of innovative programmes for these young people...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Youth Strategy (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The National Youth Strategy 2015-2020, published last October was developed in close consultation with statutory youth interests and the voluntary youth organisations and services that work with young people. The strategy sets out Government’s aims for young people, aged 10 to 24 years, so that they are active and healthy, achieving their full potential in learning and development,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Youth Work Advisory Committee (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Sections 17 and 18 of the Youth Work Act 2001 provide for the appointment of a National Youth Work Advisory Committee. The Committee has an advisory and consultative role to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in matters to do with youth work, including the coordination of youth work programmes and services. In line with these provisions, a new National Youth Work Advisory Committee...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Work Projects Funding (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: 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 including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: 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 including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: EU Bodies (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 937 and 938 together. My Department administers a number of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services, by the voluntary youth sector, for young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. My Department does not have a policy or funding role in relation to the European Union Youth Orchestra....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: 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 including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: For the purposes of this response I have taken professional fees to refer to accountable persons from whom Professional Services Withholding Tax is deductible in respect of professional services provided. Figures for expenditure on professional fees for 2016 are not yet available to me. Using full-year 2015 figures for indicative purposes, a reduction in spend of 10 per cent across the range...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (31 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: With a funding allocation of €182,000 in the Administrative Budget of my Department to meet travelling and subsistence costs in 2016, the annual savings accruing to the Exchequer from a reduction of 10% for 2017 would amount to €18,200.