Results 1,381-1,400 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Garda Vetting (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Garda vetting in Ireland is governed by the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 which fall under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 provide a legislative basis for the mandatory vetting of persons who wish to undertake certain work or...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Expenditure (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the question to Tusla, and asked them to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Regulation (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018, which came into force in February 2019, enable us to begin the long sought-after quality assurance of school-age childcare services. In setting regulatory requirements, the primary consideration must be children’s health, safety and well-being.  These were the primary...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to advise the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, publishes data periodically in relation to children in care.  At the end of March, the most recent date for which figures are available, there were a total of 6,005 children in care. Of these, 669, or 11% were awaiting the allocation of a social worker.  I am informed by Tusla that a case awaiting...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As this is an operational matter for Tusla I have asked my officials to forward this question to Tusla for a direct response to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) inspects children’s residential care services provided by Tusla, monitoring these settings against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Services, and relevant regulations. Where a children's residential centre is not operated directly by Tusla but by a voluntary organisation or private agency, Tusla are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 841 and 842 together. The Final Evaluation of the Barnardos/One Family Pilot Child Contact Centre Report recommended an integrated response by my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality.  It is my belief that this is the best approach to progress the recommendations.   I can advise that officials from my Department have come...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Barnardos/One Family Child Contact project was a pilot which was funded for its duration.   The Final Evaluation of the Barnardos/One Family Pilot Child Contact Centre Report recommended an integrated response by my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality.  It is my belief that this is the best approach to progress the recommendations.   I can advise the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: A key priority for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is to support the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare sector through the provision of capital funding where it is most needed.   I have allocated significant funding in recent years for this purpose and for improving the quality of infrastructure nationwide. In 2019, I have secured an Early Learning and Care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Reports (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: In 2018, HIQA published a report that was carried out at my direction, namely the "Report of the investigation into the management of child sexual abuse against adults of concern by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) upon the direction of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs".   The report included a recommendation that Tusla would review the findings of the report and,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy refers to data protection practices, which are an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore written to Tusla, and asked that they provide a direct response to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (11 Jun 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I can advise the Deputy that Tusla - Child and Family Agency, publishes monthly figures on the number of cases of retrospective abuse which are currently awaiting allocation to a social worker. At the end of March, the most recent date for which data is available, there were 1,463 retrospective cases waiting to be allocated to a social worker, out of a total of 2,824 open cases.  I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services Funding (30 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Senator and I hear the issues she is putting forward. I am going to answer the question as she put it to us last evening. The national childcare scheme, when introduced, will represent a major landmark for all children and families in Ireland, especially for lower-income families and lone parents. It can be accessed by all families and not only those working or studying...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services Funding (30 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As I said at the beginning, I attempted to answer the question as Senator Murnane O'Connor put it to me. It did not specify the service outlined by the Senator in her commentary to me now. Having said that, I appreciate the arguments she has made. I will say a couple of things. International reports have stated that the national childcare scheme will significantly address affordability...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (30 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I take it that the Deputy is referring to a National Review Panel report that was published on 28 May 2019, the summary report entitled "Review of a serious incident: abuse of children in the care of the health board/HSE (2003 – 2011)". I am currently considering the recommendations in the light of the ongoing changes being implemented by Tusla in terms of their workforce and social...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Regulation (29 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018, followed an amendment to the Child Care Act 1991 that was made in the Childcare Support Act 2018. These regulations enable us to begin the long sought after quality assurance of school-age childcare services which is required to best serve children and families In setting regulatory...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Funding (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I certainly will take that point on board. I will investigate the issues Deputy Aylward has raised regarding services in his Carlow-Kilkenny constituency. The Deputy is stating he is being told that the service is going to be lost in light of the compliance audit. I expect that the Deputy accepts the basic principle that audits are required. I indicated that my Department has spent much...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Completion Programme (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am conscious that the school completion programme, SCP, continues to deliver a valuable service for some of our most vulnerable young people. Currently, the SCP receives annual funding of €24.7 million. My Department works with the educational welfare service, EWS, to ensure that necessary resources are available to support this programme and to ensure staffing levels are...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Completion Programme (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I do not know if there will be a rise in the numbers, so I cannot say "Yes" or "No" right now. I can state that we have had a really intensive focus on the education welfare service in general. It is part of Tusla. We started that focus, as Deputy Mitchell knows, with the review of the school completion programme itself. When I looked at it more deeply, however, I realised that we could...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (28 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As for the identification of where the money will go and what it is for - let us say it is €9 million this time - our policy is to target the under-three cohort in particular this year. We know there is a capacity issue in that regard. That affects the design of the scheme. The assessment for capital applications also has regard to Pobal’s geosparsity index, which means we...