Results 1-20 of 243 for going forward speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputies very much. I have a lot to address in one minute. Deputies Ó Cathasaigh and Gould raised the issue of the Before 5 centre and indeed the Tánaiste has raised it with me as well. As I explained to the Deputies, right now our capital funding schemes are for expansions. The situation with the Before 5 centre is where we have an existing service that needs...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (6 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...rights are respected and all people can reach their full potential. In particular, empowering women and girls is a key priority of Ireland’s domestic and foreign policy with the overarching goal of creating a fairer and more sustainable society. Notably, through the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and the subsequent Oireachtas Joint Committee on Gender Equality, a...

International Women's Day: Statements (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...rights are respected and all people can reach their full potential. In particular, empowering women and girls is a key priority of Ireland’s domestic and foreign policy, with the overarching goal of creating a fairer and more sustainable society. Notably, through the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and the subsequent Joint Committee on Gender Equality, a clear and...

Report of Joint Committee on Gender Equality: Motion (29 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I want to begin by welcoming all present for our debate on the joint committee's report Unfinished Democracy: Achieving Gender Equality. As both Deputies have already described, the overarching goal of the report is to achieve gender equality within our society by means of a variety of targeted actions. That goal is also a key tenet of my Department's mission. This is outlined in our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...humanitarian challenge in such a tight period. I have always accepted in this House that the response has not been perfect and there are elements we could do better. If we had known there was going to be a war in Ukraine breaking out in February 2022, we could have done things differently, but we did not know that. Nobody knew that and we have had to respond in the best way we could to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency (29 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...on where the priorities are in regard to residential care and setting out key recommendations. I expect to see that report in the next number of weeks. It will be an important document and I look forward to working with the Deputy on it. A lot of work is going into increasing the number of social workers. An apprenticeship programme will be kicking in from September. For the first...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Referendum Campaigns (13 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware, efforts within the Oireachtas to amend the Constitution to address the sexist wording contained within Article 41 go back to at least 1996, through the then Constitutional Review Group. In terms of the present proposals, the Deputy will also recall that the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality was established almost five years ago and its 100 members, over...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...out by Tusla . As part of this consultation process informed discussions have taken place on how best to assist Tusla's Separated Children Seeking International Protection Team (SCSIP) with the on going demands on service provision. Part of the proposals put forward include reviewing of Section 5 provision and its application within the service. The Department is awaiting a report from the...

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...by private providers and we take them because we need them. This is a system that was designed for a different era, one when we were facing much lower numbers of arrivals. It was designed to be temporary 20 years ago and we recognise there is a need for substantial reform. While plans were set out in the White Paper in early 2021 for how we would make this reform, the need to...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...Approximately 150,000 children are expected to benefit from this NCS measure this year. Among these beneficiaries will be an estimated 2,000 children in childminding settings, with the 2024 allocation providing for the initial cohort of childminders expected to come forward for registration this year. This was another commitment I made going into budget 2024. In 2024, I will deliver on...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...provision. This is important because we all recognise that too often we do a pilot and it is evaluated as having done fantastic work but is then never heard of again. We are, though, taking this initiative forward. I was talking to representatives of one of the organisations that had a pilot, which I think was in Cherry Orchard and might have been in the equine centre there, and they...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ..., an analysis of a sample - whereas the returns are that literally everyone who uses core funding is telling us what proportion of their overall income is coming from parental fees. That is going to be hugely important when we get that information. That is why we are looking for that information. It is so that we can get a very detailed understanding of how different services get their...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators for their amendments and for their detailed contributions this afternoon. The majority of the amendments put forward relate to the section of the Bill that deals with the proposals in Article 41.1.1° of the Constitution. I will restate the amendment being proposed by the Government: "The State recognises the Family, whether founded on marriage or on other durable...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ..., and care is so fundamental to so many of the elements of my Department, in budget 2023 I wanted to do something on the foster care allowance but when we looked at it we did not have the money to go round that year. However, in budget 2024, we were able to advance it. That reflects the clear onus of "strive". It will not deliver every single improvement on the first day and everyone...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...and Family Agency is committed to working with Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services to maintain the important counselling services they provide in communities across Donegal and to support the organisation going forward. Senior officials from Tusla met with Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services on Tuesday 16th January. Following a productive meeting the Agency has committed to continue to work...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Community Care (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...and Family Agency is committed to working with Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services to maintain the important counselling services they provide in communities across Donegal and to support the organisation going forward. Senior officials from Tusla met with Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services on Tuesday 16th January. Following a productive meeting the Agency has committed to continue to work...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...proposition, which will give the Irish people the opportunity to vote at last on removing the outdated language related to the woman’s role in the home from our Constitution. In its place, the Government proposes recognising the care provided by families to one another, thereby expressly enshrining care as a value within our Constitution. In this regard, the Government amendment...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...is not telling people who rely on those services the truth. It is a recognition of that progressive element. Different statements relating to the obligation were considered in bringing forward this legislation. It is the clear view of the Government that this is a higher standard than the term "endeavour to ensure", which is currently used in Article 41.2 and has not delivered anything...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...the uncapitalised use of the word "family" in Article 42B to ensure it benefits as wide a category as possible. The work we are doing in making this constitutional change has to be part of an ongoing piece of work. The vast majority of the tangible benefits for carers will be delivered through legislation and policy. The Government has made strides in those areas and will continue to...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...couples to access this particular allowance. I appreciate Deputies are supporting the Government’s endeavour to recognise the importance of unpaid care in the family and that a number of the amendments put forward seek to achieve that. I understand the amendment put forward by Deputy Mattie McGrath, for example, draws on both the existing wording of Article 41.2. I also...