Results 6,301-6,320 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is important in this situation too. I am satisfied that the statutory functions of the GAL, as set out in the Bill, make clear that his or her role is to assist the court and to be a resource to it. I am unable to accept this amendment because it would have a detrimental effect on parents who want to call a GAL as a witness and on the basis that the substituted text is already provided...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 591, 601 and 611 together. There are no plans to change the funding model for regional youth services to a competitive tender process. The next cycle for UBU Your Place Your Space is due to start on 1 January 2024. This is to be preceded by an area profiling exercise and application process. UBU Your Place Your Space does allow for changes or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy contains 108 actions, This is an all of Government strategy. Relevant Departments have reported that 17 actions have been completed. Work is ongoing on implementation of the remaining actions. The overall implementation of the strategy was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, there were significant obstacles to the achievement of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, which is operated by the Department of Social Protection, provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. In 2022, the allowance paid for each eligible child will be €260 in respect of those aged 4-11 or €385 for children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Public Sector Pensions (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are no staff in my Department that are abated in accordance with the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The 2022 allocated budget for the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is €45.55 million. This funding covers the cost of the seven levels of AIM, which encompass a range of both universal and targeted supports for pre-school settings. AIM Capital spend to date is €266,960. Under targeted supports, a pre-school provider, in conjunction with a parent, and a health professional...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Local Authorities (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 597 and 598 together. In 2019 the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth put in place a National Childminding Coordinator, who is located within the Department, along with 6 Childminding Development Officers, who are located within City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) around the country and who have a regional remit. As...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Education and Training Provision (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equal Opportunities Employment (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked the agencies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child Care (Placement of Children in Foster Care) Regulations, 1995 and the Child Care (Placement of Children with Relatives) Regulations, 1995, stipulates that the allowance payable to foster carers and relatives shall not be less than an amount specified by the Minister. The foster care allowance was last increased on January 1st 2009. Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Support Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla provides a range of family support services both directly and through its commissioned partners. Prevention and early intervention is cost effective. High quality, evidence informed prevention and early intervention services can help to address difficulties such as early school leaving and behavioural problems. Integrated, high-quality services to children and families must be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In December 2021, Government adopted the 25 recommendations contained in an Expert Group report, "Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC)". The new funding model will support delivery of ELC and SAC for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families. To achieve this, there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Funding of the nature described by the Deputy is not available within my Department's youth service's budget. For the past number of years, the annual capital budget available to youth services has been approximately €3 million. Decisions around the allocation of these funds are made based on an assessment of need at a given time. The funding is distributed among 30 national youth...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Rights (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: An Employment Regulation Order (ERO) is an instrument drawn up by a Joint Labour Committee (JLC), adopted by the Labour Court, and given statutory effect by the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail. The ERO fixes minimum rates of pay and conditions of employment for workers in specified business sectors: employers in those sectors are then obliged to pay wage rates and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Services must inform the Department if they close the entire service and they may be given Force Majeure permission to close if the closure is outside of their control, such as power cuts or extreme weather.My Department can, at its discretion, continue to provide funding to services which have closed on Force Majeure grounds. If a service reduces its hours, and is contracted to provide any...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ensuring the availability and affordability of early learning and childcare for parents is a key priority for Government. The Transition Fund is a temporary, once-off scheme to support providers between the end of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme in April and the introduction of the new Core Funding Scheme in September. The primary objective of the Transition Fund is to ensure that fees to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you for your question, Deputy. As you may be aware, my Department does not comment on individual cases publicly. The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) is continuing to work to support those admitted to Ireland under the Afghan programme to secure accommodation in the community, including through community sponsorship.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (13 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: UBU Your Place Your Space Funding Scheme – A single youth funding scheme that targets disadvantaged young people with evidence informed interventions and services that will secure good outcomes. This fund replaces funding previously provided under Special Projects for Youth, Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund 1 &2 and the Local Drug Task Force projects. UBU...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (13 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 386 to 389, inclusive, together. I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on these matters.