Results 1,521-1,540 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: LGBTI+ Youth Strategy: Discussion (15 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: It is to be celebrated and acknowledged that Ireland is to host the Union Cup rugby tournament for LGBTI groups in June. It will be an important time in that Ireland will be welcoming a number of groups and members from throughout the world to that competition, which I think is to take place on the DCU campus. I had the honour of launching it recently with one of great lesbian sporting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: LGBTI+ Youth Strategy: Discussion (15 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Yes, I am. It is always important to maintain hope and to image the possible. The Department recently held a consultation on this issue with approximately 80 young people. We are preparing a report of that consultation, which will be presented to the NCCA and will be part of its discussions with the Minister for Education and Skills on what changes are being sought. I will forward a copy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: LGBTI+ Youth Strategy: Discussion (15 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I do not know if we have specific statistics but the Senator's question is excellent. Two things come to mind in responding. One is whether young LGBT homeless people are homeless as a result of their sexual identity. I do not know. Second, if they are part of the homeless population - no doubt they are - is the question of whether there are special supports for them to mitigate the harm...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: LGBTI+ Youth Strategy: Discussion (15 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The issues which the Senator raises and his leadership on this are really important. It would be no big surprise that I absolutely support the idea that conversion therapy by health professionals in Ireland should not take place. On a legislative ban, the process under way is really important. I understand it is now with the justice committee. As the Senator indicated, there is research...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: LGBTI+ Youth Strategy: Discussion (15 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I will bring the Senator's comments to the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: LGBTI+ Youth Strategy: Discussion (15 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: It is in the wider strategy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: LGBTI+ Youth Strategy: Discussion (15 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: It is going to look great and will be amazing.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am committed to ensuring childcare is affordable, accessible and of a high quality. Capital funding is aimed at increasing the capacity of services, creating new services and maintaining and improving existing services. Each year my Department reviews the capital programmes as a whole and determines the priorities for Early Learning and Care and School Age Capital grants. The capital...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services Funding (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Following clarification with the Deputy's office, I understand that the Deputy wishes to ask about the use of additional funding for Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) services, and in particular funding to reduce the waiting times for counselling for victims of sexual violence. As the Deputy will be aware, I secured an additional €1.5m in funding for DSGBV services in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Provision (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy is aware, my Department does not directly provide childcare services - rather we administer a number of schemes and initiatives to support accessible, affordable and high quality childcare. These schemes are available to regulated childcare providers which include individuals, companies and community/not-for-profit groups. Following the closure of the existing childcare...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Policy (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to thank the Deputy for her question, and can confirm that I have referred the matter to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for their direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Eligibility (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The National Childcare Scheme is a new, national scheme of financial support for parents towards the cost of childcare. The development of this Scheme is a significant move forward in delivering quality, accessible, affordable childcare to families throughout Ireland. The Scheme entails a fundamental shift away from subsidies grounded in medical card and social protection entitlements,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Childcare Support Act, which was enacted on 2ndJuly 2018, specifies five statutory bodies with which the Minister may make agreements in relation to referral procedures for free or additional childcare. The detail of the agreements - including the specific groups of children who will benefit, and the criteria that the referring body will apply – are currently being finalised by my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Census of Population (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested is currently being collated by my Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: In designing the National Childcare Scheme's online application system, including the application form itself, the Department has been very conscious of the needs of parents. In order to ensure the best experience possible for parents, the Department has put in place a number of initiatives and supports including: - Dedicated expertise in the area of the user's experience to ensure that the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The National Childcare Scheme is a new, national scheme of financial support to help parents with the cost of quality Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare. It will ultimately replace all previous targeted childcare programmes with a single, streamlined and user-friendly scheme, providing both universal and targeted subsidies. The development of this scheme is a significant move...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla only places children aged 12 years or younger in residential care in exceptional circumstances. Children may be placed in residential care for a number of reasons, which may include - The child's assessed needs or own preference - Where other attempts to keep a sibling group together, where appropriate, have not been successful - The provision of specialist supports or intensive...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I have written to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and asked them to respond directly to the Deputy's question, which relates to an operational matter for Tusla.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I have written to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and asked them to respond directly to the Deputy's question, which relates to an operational matter for Tusla.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (14 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The information requested in respect of the expenditure incurred by my Department on advertising to date in 2019 is set out in the following table: Month Amount January 2019 €0 February 2019 €73.80 March 2019 €2610.06 April 2019 €5302.59 May 2019 €7998.93 Total €15985.38 My Department engaged in an advertising campaign to bring sectoral and...