Results 5,141-5,160 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: One final element is that, as the Deputy knows, the legislation allowed us get three additional Circuit Court judges, which is important because they will be doing much of the work on the applications. That was approved as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Like any organisation, it will say it would like more funding. That has, however, grown and there was a significant increase in the past two years, recognising that the DSS was about to go live.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: A significant amount of work on this took place last year, particularly perhaps in banks and financial institutions that will be impacted. As the Deputy is aware, we had hoped to have it operational from June 2022, but we made the decision to take a bit longer with the legislation to improve elements of it. Work has been undertaken, therefore, in terms of training around it. The DSS will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I think it will be ongoing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy might recall that during the discussions on the matter, Deputy Sherlock raised the issue of allowing journalists enter the court and record proceedings, and also allowing in court reporters. We made a change in the Seanad. We brought forward amendments that would allow a reporting system somewhat like the family law court reporting system that operates now. The reports are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have some views on the issues of retention and recruitment. There are forums for engagement with parents, often just out canvassing and such, meeting parents or indeed therapists who are working in the system, of whom I have met many. I might hold off until the transfer comes before going into that in real detail because I am not the line Minister right now. I caution that there is a big...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have secured an additional budget for the DSS each year since becoming Minister, so its funding has grown.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As I said, it is a new system and there will be a need to continuously update people in respect of how it operates.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Mr. Brunell has been engaging with the DSS and he will give the Deputy more detail.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: With regard to assisted decision making we are putting in place some of the regulations. I will write to the Chair in the coming weeks to set out a clear timeline. We are almost there. The legislation has passed, we are in a positive space and that is very good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol (Resumed): Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I absolutely agree with everything Deputy Murnane O'Connor has said on the issue of employment. Just before Christmas I had the opportunity to visit some young people attending a day service in Mulhuddart who are all in their late teens and early 20s. They gave me a presentation on their key desires and the key issue was employment. A number of them have jobs for one or two days a week and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (19 Jan 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, my 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 enlarged...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In regard to your query, a serious isolated incident occurred in Killarney on New Year’s Day, following which a number of arrests were made. A number of people are currently before the courts in relation to the events. IPAS is in close contact with the centre’s management.I have also engaged with the Minister for Justice to ensure that, in conjunction with An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: While the Department is considering offers of buildings to be repurposed for accommodation, my officials can confirm that it does not possess a record of this property, that no offer has been made in respect of same and that it is not under consideration for use as international protection accommodation. To provide some context as to the pressure the Department is under to procure...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department was allocated €70m in the National Development Plan allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars: Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, Building Blocks - Capacity Grant and a Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. My Department has allocated €9m in 2023 for The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised by my officials that payment for the provider as detailed by the Deputy is in hand, with payments expected to issue shortly, once they have passed final checks.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (19 Jan 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, my 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 enlarged...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Qualifications (19 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families, recognises that the workforce is at the heart of high-quality early learning and care. The evidence suggests children achieve better outcomes when staff are well qualified. This is undisputed internationally. First 5 seeks to continue to build an appropriately skilled and sustainable professional...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Maternity Leave (18 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 is currently awaiting Committee Stage in the Seanad where I intend to bring some technical amendments. The Bill will introduce important entitlements for workers, in particular for workers who are parents or carers, such a leave for medical care purposes and the right to request remote working. As the provisions in this Bill are...