Results 2,221-2,240 of 11,700 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As at 18 February 2024, there are almost 27,500 International Protection (IP) applicant’s accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation system as a whole. The average cost of accommodating an IP applicant in IPAS accommodation is currently €76.80 per night. Contractual arrangements for the IPAS accommodation centres are deemed...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Significant progress has been made in implementing Government's Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions across all 8 thematic areas but I would like to highlight in particular the following achievements: Access to information In June 2022, the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 was enacted to provide a full and clear right of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is contracting emergency and short-term accommodation across the country in order to accommodate people who are seeking international protection. Contractual arrangements for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation centres are deemed confidential and commercially sensitive. It would not serve the public interest to divulge the details of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Core Funding is in operation since 15 September 2022 and has achieved very significant success in terms of the high levels of participation. 95% of providers participated in year 1 of the scheme and to date, 94% or over 4,300 providers have signed up for Core Funding Year 2, with applications still open. There are more providers in absolute terms participating in the Scheme this year. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 459 and 460 together. I thank the Deputy for this question. A response will issue to the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Consultations (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you for your question regarding the PLACES: Pregnancy Loss (under 24 weeks) in the Workplace report. My Department commissioned this qualitative research study to examine the workplace experiences of parents coping with pregnancy loss. The study examines whether policy interventions are required at a national level to better to support these bereaved parents in the workplace. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be the largest scheme of its type in the history of the State with an anticipated 34,000 people eligible for its benefits. Given its scale and significance the Scheme has been placed on a statutory footing and enabling legislation - the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023 - was signed into law last July. Section 37 of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.1 billion in 2024 for early learning and childcare – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. My Department funds private early learning and care service providers to provide the ECCE programme at a standard rate of €69 per week per child...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Data Centres (27 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is guided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and by the National Cyber Security Centre on ICT policy, security, and infrastructure matters. The OGCIO implements a multi-layered approach to protecting ICT systems, infrastructures, and services. For...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for offering me the opportunity to respond directly to him. IPAS is currently accommodating about 27,000 people in more than 200 accommodation centres throughout Ireland. Of these 27,000 people, 5,914 have been granted status. Under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, those who have had their applications...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy has outlined his reading of the law and I respect that. I do not have the EU legislation, the primary or the secondary legislation, before me right now.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have no doubt he could. I do not need him to; I will be able to get them myself. I thank him for the offer. We will examine the point he has made. On the wider point, the Deputy is absolutely right; there is real pressure with providing accommodation for people arriving here, including many highly vulnerable people seeking international protection here. We also want to support those...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Help Service (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Browne for his ongoing advocacy on behalf of Stephen and his family. As he knows, home support services are provided to both children and adults with a wide range of disabilities, from physical and sensory disabilities to intellectual disabilities and autism. The home support service for children with disabilities assists the child with various activities and supports...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Help Service (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. As he said, he has raised this matter a number of times in the Dáil, for which I thank him. I also thank him for his acknowledgement of the work that HSE staff and section 39 staff are doing with Stephen's family. It is important we do that. As I stated, the HSE provides a range of assisted living services, including home support services, to support...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Minister for Health leads on the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 which includes provisions in relation to surrogacy and policy on parentage is a matter for the Minister for Justice. Entitlements to family leaves will be considered in the context of legislative proposals in the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022. Intending parents from a surrogacy agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Asylum Seekers (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland is now accommodating over 102,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. The Government is committed to supporting all those seeking refuge in Ireland. The State has a legal obligation to assess the claims of those who seek International Protection, and in that time, to provide accommodation and supports in line with the Recast Reception...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 to 254, inclusive, together. Since the outset of the war in Ukraine in early 2022, Ireland has provided accommodation to over 100,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection applicants. This includes approximately 74,000 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) from Ukraine who required State supported accommodation and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the Family Resource Centre Programme, which supports 121 FRCs throughout the country. At present, Tusla has no plans to expand membership of the Programme. Should membership of the FRC Programme be expanded in the future, Tusla has advised that a transparent process would be established to ensure all applications are treated fairly. This...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: €69 million has been allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the Early Learning Childcare and School Age Childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment across three pillars:Building Blocks - Improvement Grant;Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; andBuilding Blocks - Innovation Grant.Some €45 million has been set...