Results 161-180 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: No, it did not. It was representatives of the sector who made the choices. It was not the Department which did so.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: Will the Deputy clarify to what she is referring when she asks about continuity of care?
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: Yes, when the phased reopening of the childcare centres begins to take place, there will be plans in place to identify how to support children with disabilities. We need to consider that in the process of moving forward and it will be part of the plans we are devising.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: Well said. I will respond to that by saying that my hope is that the next Government, all Deputies and Senators, will push harder to ensure the rolling out of Sláintecare.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: I can guarantee that we will have the protocols and clear guidelines but I do not think it will happen in the next week. It is one of the key matters on which I am working with my officials and the advisory group, which will be followed by wider forms of consultation.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: I never stop working on that and I am unelected.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: Why who has been excluded?
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Deputy's use of the word "fiasco" but I would not agree with that.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: I thank the Deputy for those questions. I will answer a couple in the time now but we can feed back some more to her. The Deputy raised questions of what happens with children in centre-based settings when those facilities reopen, both from a public health perspective and a child centre perspective. There were questions around toys, pods etc. Let me be clear about this. I am receiving...
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: My officials have been speaking to Allianz. It is the insurance provider.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: We have been in contact with Allianz. As the Deputy is aware, Allianz provides the insurance to childcare providers so we do not have that kind of interference. At the same time, I am aware of the fact that there is no Covid-19 exclusion, but this is subject to the following of the public health guidance and advice coming out regarding centre-based childcare.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: I have certainly put that request in for them to consider it. I will have to get some information as to whether they have been able to do it. I think their primary focus right now, though, is on the reopening on 29 June.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: Sure. The Deputy referred to the evidence base for working women. I thank him for raising the research in the Chamber. It is really important to put it on the record and to remind ourselves about it. The Deputy will respect that I am aware of it. I have done a lot of work over many years to ensure and call for supports for women who may have taken on more of the responsibilities for...
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: Does the Deputy have more questions? I did not hear that.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: Can I give a cast-iron guarantee? Is that the question the Deputy wants answered?
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: On the basis of the planning we are currently engaged in, I hope we will be open at the time specified.
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: As I have already said, the process concerning the representation of the advisory group was determined by a subgroup of the early years forum, which is a wider group. The Deputy could respect the principle that it chooses the representation. That is the first point. The second is that I will be including the organisation in the reference group in order to have additional consultation with...
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: I hear two questions from the Deputy, the first concerning the determination of the space required in the current pandemic. That is influenced by public health advice. It is something I discussed with Professor Cormican. He is going to continue to advise us on that. I am going to bring him in to the group. Ultimately, we are going to decide the appropriate amount, with reference to...
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: When there is a reopening, the centres will invite in fewer children than they initially are able to care for. That is the reality in light of the public health restrictions we are operating under. I am sorry about that, as I am sure we all are, but my hope is that a reopening will begin then and we are planning intensively for that. There will be fewer children and, as I said before, the...
- Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)
Katherine Zappone: It sounded like I was saying that but I was not saying that. I understand we need to be pre-emptive and that we need to plan for it. It is absolutely something we are considering if additional spaces are required. More support will be required. My point is that we will first have to see how people use the space they have.