Results 4,961-4,980 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Services (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 is not applicable in this circumstance, and standard data protection law applies. The Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 enables a person who was adopted, nursed out or boarded out, subject to an illegal birth registration, or who resided in a mother and baby home or county home institution as a child, or their Next of Kin to apply for their...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the beginning of 2022, Ireland and many other European countries are experiencing a significant increase of new arrivals seeking international protection (IP). The State has a legal and moral obligation to assess the claims of those who seek refuge and to provide accommodation and supports in line with the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (SI 230 of 2018). Last year, over...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, therefore I have referred this question to Tusla to follow up directly with the Deputy. The interpretation and operation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and responses to Subject Access Requests (SAR), are the responsibility of each independent Government body. My Department cannot intercede in Tusla's decision...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Accommodation Recognition Payment Scheme is due to end on 31 March 2023. However, it may be extended by Order by me as the Minister as set out in the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022. The EU has extended the protection to Ukrainians fleeing the war to the end of March 2024. Accordingly, I propose to extend the ARP scheme to the end of March 2024. I have written to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government made a commitment in the Programme for Government to end the current system of accommodation for International Protection applicants and replace it with a new model that is based on a not for profit approach. As part of this process Minister Roderic O'Gorman T.D., Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, published A White Paper to end Direct...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Deputy, there are currently 581 international protection applicants being accommodated in the 7 IPAS locations in Kildare, 97 of whom are children.  This number represents 3% of the total number of people in IPAS accommodation nationwide.  On 24 January 2023, Minister Joe O'Brien T.D. launched the €50 million Community Recognition Fund which is a major initiative to support...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Communities integration Fund 2023 will be launched in the coming weeks. A total of €500,000 is available to local community based organisations to carry out integration projects in their local area. Organisations eligible to apply include local community groups, sports clubs, faith-based groups, arts groups, cultural organisations, and schools. Applicant organisations must operate...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Flexible Work Practices (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together. The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 was included in the Government Legislative Programme for Autumn 2022 as priority legislation for drafting and publication in that session. The Bill has since passed all stages in Dáil Éireann and is currently before the Seanad at Committee Stage. The Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government includes specific commitments that the Government will develop and implement a new Migrant Integration Strategy and a new National Strategy for Women and Girls, in addition to reviewing the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy and ensuring that the successor strategy has a stronger outcomes focused approach. While initially due to conclude in 2020, and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has published a list of qualifications that meet both regulatory and contractual requirements for working in early learning and care services. The list includes qualifications at levels 7 and 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications that meet the contractual requirements for graduate premium payments in Core Funding. Individuals who have relevant qualifications that are not...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The health and wellbeing of all people who avail of accommodation provided by my Department is of the highest priority to me and my officials. There is no discrimination by the Department between the supports offered to international protection applicants (IPAs) and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) from Ukraine. There are material differences between the rights and entitlements...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is now accommodating in excess of 70,000 people, including both those fleeing the war in Ukraine and those seeking International Protection. We have contracted in excess of 42,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 700 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has not provided funding to the organisation named. As the organisation is an independent group I am unable to offer insight into the number of stays utilised by survivors of institutional abuse.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is now accommodating approximately 73,000 persons between those fleeing the war in Ukraine and those seeking international protection (IPAs). While efforts are made to notify public representatives and State agencies in advance of utilising a building for accommodation of IPAs, the emergency nature of the response required means that advance communications are not always as...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Abuse (2 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The statutory bodies with primary responsibility for child welfare and protection are Tusla and An Garda Síochána. Both have distinct functions, powers and methods of working. Tusla has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. In doing so, it relies heavily on individuals reporting concerns...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Abuse (2 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I wrote to St John Ambulance to seek information about the publication of the report on 12th December 2022. St John Ambulance replied on 23rd December and confirmed that they had received a completed report from Dr Shannon. The Commissioner of St John Ambulance stated that the organisation was committed to publishing the full report immediately after the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Abuse (2 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Any person who has been impacted by child abuse, whether neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, including retrospective cases of abuse should contact their local Tusla social work office. Child abuse is a crime, and should also be reported to An Garda Síochána. Contact details for all Tusla social work offices are listed on Tusla's website, tusla.ie.  Statutory and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: School Staff (2 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department funds a national network of County Childcare Committees (CCC) who can provide support to services, both private and community, where they are at risk of losing their premises and can provide assistance to identify alternative premises. In the event that no alternative premises are found, then the CCC can work with the provider and parents to secure alternative placements...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (2 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has engaged over 700 properties to provide accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection.  In line with my Department’s commitment to substantially clear the backlog at the end of 2022, the Department temporarily re-assigned staff from other parts of the Department to the payments team in December, doubling the size of the payments unit. The...