Results 1,701-1,720 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Investigations (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am glad to have an opportunity to set out the immense work that Tusla has undertaken since its establishment, the ongoing challenges it is facing and the immediate and longer term actions being put in place as I speak. Tusla was established in 2014 with the task of bringing together 17 child protection service areas across the country, to operate as one Agency. It must be remembered...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I have met with members of the Tusla, the Child and Family Agency Senior Management team on two occasions since the beginning of January 2019. The subject of discussion at one meeting was the allocation of the additional €1.5m in funding to Family Resource Centres (FRCs) this year. The second meeting related to the potential use of additional resources in 2019 to meet the requests of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with primary responsibility for child protection in Ireland. I can advise the Deputy that a significant action has been taken in relation to record keeping and file management within Tusla. A National Child Care Information System, (NCCIS) has been developed as a technology solution to record all case history of every child,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection, and if necessary, to receive a child into the care of the State. A range of care placements are available to meet the needs of children in care. Children and young people, depending on their identified needs, may be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My Department maintains close contact with the national youth organisations and I and officials from my Department meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments in the youth sector. A separate meeting is held on that day with national organisations in receipt of targeted youth funding to keep them updated on the ongoing work on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I understand the Deputy's question relates to referrals made to Tusla and how these are dealt with. Tusla's response to all reports of child welfare and protection is detailed in the Tusla Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook, which is available on the Tusla website (www.tusla.ie). This covers both the immediate and initial areas of consideration and the various responses Tulsa...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for child protection in Ireland. If I, or my officials, become aware of a situation in which a child is at risk, that risk is communicated to Tusla as a matter of urgency. If a child appears to be at risk of harm or neglect, concerns should be reported to Tusla. Anyone can report a concern about a child to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to advise the Deputy, that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is the statutory body with responsibility for child protection services in Ireland. Where I, or my officials, are made aware of child protection concerns, those concerns are referred to Tusla for their appropriate attention. Table 1 outlines the number of referrals received by Tusla in relation to abuse, for the period of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Provision (28 Mar 2019)

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 involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country. In 2019,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Budgets (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Revised Estimate for Public Services 2019 makes provision for a gross funding allocation of €1.478 billion for my Department which represents an increase of just under €107 million, or 8%, over the 2018 provision. Approximately half of the Vote is targeted towards public services that protect our children and provide for their welfare. Another significant portion is to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Services (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for child protection in Ireland. If I, or my officials, become aware of a situation in which a child is at risk, this information is communicated to Tusla as a matter of urgency. If a child appears to be at risk of harm or neglect, concerns should be reported to Tusla. Anyone can report a concern about a child...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (28 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I can advise the Deputy that, at the end of December 2018, the most recent date for which information is available, there were 6,026 children in the care of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Since 1 September 2017 Tusla has been required by law to satisfy itself as to each eligible child or young person’s need for aftercare assistance and to prepare a plan that identifies those needs...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Data (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I wish to advise the Deputy that, prior to the establishment of Tusla in 2014, the statutory function of child welfare and protection services rested with the Health Services Executive. The table below refers to the number of referrals received across the four categories of abuse, for each of the years 2011-2018. The Deputy may wish to note that data for 2018 refers to Q1 and Q2 only as Q3...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Yes I have received the report. The Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) submitted a Fifth Interim Report to me on 15 March 2019. It is a substantial report which focuses on the burial arrangements of persons who died while resident in these institutions. The report includes extensive technical reports prepared in the course of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection Guidelines (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that I am not in a position to comment on individual cases, or matters which have been before the courts. I have written to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to request information on the operational aspects of the question. A further response will issue when I have their reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am informed that this information is not collated centrally by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla works in partnership with families and their networks to develop plans for children based on the strengths of the family and the individual circumstances of the child. Tusla endeavour, where possible, to support children at home or for their return home where this is in their best...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (27 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. Tusla provides funding to seven FRCs in County Mayo. Tusla has advised me that the FRC to which the Deputy refers will receive the same amount of core funding in 2019 as it did in 2018, which is €101,110. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding of some €18 million is being...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (26 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1151 and 1153 together. I have secured €6.106m in funding for the 2019 Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Capital programmes. This funding will be delivered in three strands, as follows: - €4.231m has been allocated to Strand A, which will offer grants of up to €50,000 in value to early learning and care providers for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (26 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Historically, there has been low levels of investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) in Ireland. Over the past four budgets however, investment has increased by some 117% - rising from in €260 million in 2015, to €575 million in 2019. This increased investment has been used to address the cost of Early Learning and Care and School Age...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse Reports (26 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the recent report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children that assesses the situation in Ireland following her visit last year and makes a number of recommendations. Regarding matters falling with the remit of this Department, I am committed to the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol on the sale and sexual exploitation of children,...