Results 1,541-1,560 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (9 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: In 2018, my Department allocated €16.5m to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for the Family Resource Centre Programme. This funding increased to €18m in 2019. Tusla’s Family Resource Centre Programme provides the financial support which typically covers the employment of two to three members of staff and some overhead costs for each FRC. 120 Family Resource...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Crèche Facilities Provision (9 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Thank you for your question in relation to the closure of this crèche due to take place in August. While my Department funds a wide range of initiatives to support the quality, affordability and accessibility of early learning and care services, it does not operate or direct Early Learning and Care services. The service referred to by the Deputy is an independent...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My personal sentiments are with the Deputy. It was awful to listen to the Deputy outline the story of the woman who was in one of the homes. Most of the Deputy's commentary relates to information that has been provided, but they cannot get access to it. My personal sentiments reside with the Deputy. The Retention of Records Bill provides for a 75-year period because of the legal advice...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter of the fifth interim report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters, which I published on 17 April 2019. This comprehensive report focuses on the burial arrangements in the institutions being examined by the statutory commission of investigation. The report also provides detailed information on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy's question relates to operational matters for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, I have requested Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter. I would like to inform the Deputy that I was recently informed by the Chairperson of the Tusla Board, Mr Pat Rabbitte that the reopening of the refuge is now delayed to Quarter 3, 2019 as there are important staffing and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Qualifications (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My support for improved pay and conditions for ELC practitioners has been explicit given their critical role in supporting children’s development and supporting families. Over the last 4 budgets an increase of 117% in investment has been provided towards this sector and First 5 commits includes a commitment to doubling that again over the next 10 years. It needs to be noted...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Preschool Services (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My Department has no record of an application for another preschool year in respect of the child named. I would urge the child's parents to submit an application as soon as possible which will be reviewed by officials within my Department . Current policy requires that any request for an exemption from ECCE eligibility must be supported by a letter from a medical specialist (not a GP/PHN)...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Funding (8 May 2019)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The National Childcare Scheme is a new, national scheme of financial support to help parents with the cost of quality childcare. It will ultimately replace all previous targeted early learning and care and school age 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: Child and Family Agency (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As the Deputy may be aware, Tusla Educational Welfare Services (EWS) is responsible for addressing issues in relation to participation, retention and attendance in recognised schools. The EWS of Tusla has advised my Department that there is no appeals process prescribed in the legislation (Education (Welfare) Act, 2000) in cases where a family has been served with a School Attendance...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Residential Institutions (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I received Prof. Shannon's report on the collection of DNA samples from Tuam survivors on 15 April. I am considering the implications of the report for a possible voluntary administrative scheme, and have also sought the advice of the Attorney General. I expect to bring a memo to government in the near future to seek government approval to publish the report.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1342 and 1343 together. The Mother and Baby Home Commission is due to submit its final report to the Minister in February 2020. The scope of the Commission’s remit includes several specific areas of practice and procedure in the care, welfare, entry arrangements and exit pathways for the women and children who were in the named 14 institutions. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Registration of Births (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I had expected that the final report of the review of a sample of adoption records being overseen by the Independent Reviewer Marion Reynolds would be submitted to me by Easter. A third interim report from Ms. Reynolds dated 1 April has since informed me that this will now be delayed to the end of May. I understand that the reason for the delay is that the fieldwork that has been carried out...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to inform the Deputy that this is an operational matter for Tusla and my officials have requested Tusla to respond directly to you in relation to social work resources in Tusla and not the HSE area as stated.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care (8 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: Childcare Services Provision (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My Department funds 30 City and County Childcare Committees across the country. Part of their role is to advise my Department on capacity issues. Officials in Fingal Childcare Committee are best placed to help any parent/guardian who are looking for a childcare place in the Dublin 15 area. I would encourage anyone having difficulty in securing a place to make contact with their local CCC....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My Department does not currently provide additional supports for children with disabilities to attend school-age childcare services. However, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) provides both universal and targeted supports for the meaningful participation of children with disabilities in the ECCE pre-school programme, will complete its third year of implementation in June 2019. An...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I have written to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for the information requested by the Deputy. A further reply will issue when I have their reply. Tusla social workers develop an Absence Management Plan for children in care in conjunction with their foster carers, residential staff and family, where appropriate. These are used to assess the risk in the event of a child going missing...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Support Services (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I secured an additional €1.5 million in funding for Family Resource Centres in 2019. As announced on 23 April, 2019, the additional €1.5 million in funding will be used to: - Increase core funding to each of the 110 FRCs which existed pre-2018 by 5%. - Employ an additional 17 Family Support Workers - one FRC in each of the 17 Tusla geographical areas will be allocated funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Residential Institutions (8 May 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I recognise the value and importance of sensitively developed memorialisation to honour and remember the mothers and children who resided in these institutions. When I recently published the recommendations of the First Report of the Collaborative Forum, I was pleased to announce Government approval for the development of a series of memorialisation measures to contribute to local and...