Results 6,541-6,560 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: City and County Child Care Committees (24 May 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 31 CCCs, as Limerick City and Limerick County CCs have amalgamated, as have Waterford City and Waterford County CCs....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Properties (24 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Department of Children and Youth Affairs does not own any vacant State property or land holding.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Agencies Staff Data (24 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla informs me that the most current and complete record of paid leave refers to April 26th, 2016. On this date, a total of 123 Tusla employees were on paid leave other than holiday or sick leave.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children and Family Services Provision (24 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My Department is firmly committed to transforming Ireland’s children and family services. The establishment in 2014 of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, was a key commitment of the previous Programme for Government. It represented an essential response to reports on child protection failings, including inconsistency and fragmentation in service provision. Tusla brings a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (24 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The number of young people in general residential care represents just 5% of the 6,398 children in care on the same date. Residential centres are based in domestic style houses in the community, staffed by social care workers. There are, at a minimum, two staff on duty and when needed this number is increased. There is an average of two young people per centre, although the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (24 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: Children in Care (24 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Under the Child Care Act, 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care or protection. When a child cannot live with their parents and is received into care, it is Tusla policy to place them in care settings, preferably in foster care, as close as possible to their home and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Cafés Provision (24 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In some recent years capital funding has been made available to my Department for the development of youth café facilities. Youth Cafés offer young people a safe, alcohol and drug free space, for recreation, non-formal learning and youth activities and they make an important contribution to facilities for young people at local level. Recent research undertaken by my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Completion Programme (19 May 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: Early Childhood Care and Education (19 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In Budget 2016, my Department announced a significant expansion to pre-school provision under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. This measure, which will be introduced from September 2016, means that children will be eligible to start free pre-school when they reach the age of 3, and continue to avail of free pre-school until they start primary school (once the child...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (19 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Capital funding of €4 million is being made available through the Early Years Capital Programme in 2016 for early years pre-school services, both private and not-for-profit/community, that are intending to expand their service to provide for more capacity in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. The maximum grant available under this programme is €10,000....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (19 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: In November 2015, a new model for supporting children with a disability to access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was launched. The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a cross-Government initiative, led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and involving the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Skills and others. The model will deliver...

Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Deputies for their support for the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016 and their constructive, often passionate, contributions to the debate yesterday and today. I also thank them for their expressed willingness to work in a constructive fashion with me, as I lead the legislative and policy agenda for children and young people. In doing so I am aware that they come with a great diversity...

Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (17 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate that.

Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Order for Second Stage (17 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (17 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to bring forward the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016. The Bill was published earlier this month by my predecessor as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. James Reilly, and I would like to acknowledge his important contribution in bringing the Bill to this Stage. The Bill contains a number of very important...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Detention Centres (17 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: I am advised that my legal remit in this area extends to the children detention schools under Part 10 of the Children Act 2001. The adult prison system is under the legal remit of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality. The number of children in custody in the children detention schools, Oberstown, Lusk, Co Dublin as of 13 May 2016 is outlined in the following...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (17 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: The Child and Family Agency, Tusla, holds the statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection, and is the appropriate body to receive reports of concerns relating to children at risk. Each referral received by the Agency is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. Preliminary screening is aimed at establishing the appropriateness of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Psychological Services (17 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in discharging its functions, is placing a strong emphasis on prevention, early intervention, family support, therapeutic and care interventions, all of which are key to the provision of integrated, multi-disciplinary services for vulnerable children and families. Tusla has specific responsibility for psychology services for children as set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision Data (17 May 2016)

Katherine Zappone: My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, has primary responsibility in the area of asylum and immigration. Policy responsibility for children applying for asylum travelling with their parents, insofar as it extends to my Department, is in relation to providing care and protection for any children where their welfare and safety are identified as a concern. The Direct...