Results 1,801-1,820 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (12 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I can advise the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency collects data for each child in its care, on the National Child Care Information System (NCCIS). Information gathered includes data on the child's individual needs, including disabilities and supports that may be required to meet those needs. The data is collected for the purposes of care planning, and not collated centrally for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services Regulation (12 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Assisting families to access high quality, affordable early learning and care and school age childcare is a priority for me as Minister and hence I take any concerns raised by the sector very seriously. My Department funds a number of early learning and care and school age childcare programmes. Given the large amount of public money that is used in funding these programmes, there needs to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Brexit Preparations (12 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The placements of children in State care into the jurisdiction of the UK are subject to relevant applications under domestic and international instruments including Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 (the Brussels II bis Regulation), the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Orders Act, 1991 (as amended) and the Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act, 2000. Tusla is currently reviewing...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (7 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: It would not be appropriate for me to comment on an operational matter relating to any individual. This is an operational matter for Tusla under its Dignity at Work Policy and its Grievance Procedure. I have referred the Deputy's question to Tusla for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Staff (7 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy will be aware that I have received correspondence from an employee of Tusla in December 2016 that includes a reference to complaints against other members of that organisation but it would not be appropriate for me to comment on a matter relating to any individual.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Grant Payments (7 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: My Department does not administer grant funding for the purposes described.  The granting of such funds is more appropriate to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Legislation (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 has passed Second Stage in the Seanad.  As I am sure the Deputy is aware, the Bill seeks to respect the rights to identity and privacy, which sometimes conflict with one another. Given the constitutional context, striking the balance between these rights is proving challenging.  Members of the Oireachtas, stakeholders and lobby...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. My Department is examining its records in relation to these matters raised by the Deputy and a reply will be issued in the near future.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to discuss my Department’s Revised Estimate for 2019 which provides for a taxpayers’ investment of €1.5 billion, which represents an increase of just under €107 million, or 8%, on the allocation for 2018, following the Supplementary Estimate in December. As a result, my Department will spend €1.478 billion in current expenditure and €32...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy. There are at least two layers to his question and he should correct me if I am not being accurate. The first layer regards the question of the costs and the process associated with Tusla possibly challenging certain services being delivered to individual families and going to court in that regard. Is that what the Deputy is asking?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is referring to a court determining whether a family ought to be provided with certain services.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: On the first layer of the Deputy's question, in some cases the courts require sight of involvement in decisions of that nature. If it is acceptable to the Deputy, I will make inquiries with Tusla on the matters he has raised, particularly in regard to timelines and in terms of individual families.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: Is the Deputy referring to a specific case involving a specific family?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: That is another question.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the advice of the Chair and the fact that the Deputy is raising this issue at the committee. He stated this is about a process. My officials and I will need to make inquiries to clarify the process, the decisions made and Tusla's role in these cases. If he will allow us to do that and revert to him------

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: He also raised the issue of cost. Ultimately, if the process in question is reasonable and acceptable in terms of Tusla's statutory role, the cost may be justified. I am not saying that is necessarily the case because I am not clear on exactly what is the process and need to make further inquiries in that regard.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy is referring to a specific case involving a particular child.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: I have offered to revert to the Deputy with a reply in that regard.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: The Deputy's second question relates to Tusla transitioning to a way of engaging with providers of services through bringing in a commissioning process that was not there before. I acknowledge there may be difficult aspects to that transition period. However, the rationale for moving towards the commissioning process is an effort to work with the diversity of providers in certain areas....

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Service 2019
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (6 Mar 2019)

Katherine Zappone: As I understand it, that is not the case for individual speech and language therapists. I may need to check that to provide an accurate reply to the Deputy.