Results 6,461-6,480 of 11,745 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to thank the Deputy for this question regarding passports for children in care. As this issue is primarily an operational matter for Tusla, I have sought and received an input from them on this matter. I have been informed that when a child in care requires a passport, Tusla follows a clear process to ensure that the correct consent is in place and that the passport application is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Cúrsaí Gaeilge (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Cé go mbíonn freagracht go ginearálta ormsa mar Aire maidir le polasaí an Rialtais tacú le haghaidh imircigh a imeascadh sa phobal ag féachaint don Straitéis maidir le hImeascadh na nImirceach, é sin ráite titeann na dualgais maidir le hoideachas agus maidir le scileanna teanga na n-imirceach, san áireamh cúrsaí a bhaineann le...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware I published A White Paper to end Direct Provision and to Establish a new International Protection Support Service on 26 February 2021. This paper sets out a new approach for accommodating applicants that seek International Protection in Ireland including supporting the principle of ‘integration from day one’. Since I published the White Paper, my...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is an important distinction between unaccompanied minors seeking asylum and separated children that arrive in Ireland seeking refuge. An 'unaccompanied minor' refers to third-country nationals or stateless persons below the age of eighteen, who arrive on the territory of the Member States unaccompanied by an adult responsible for them. A 'separated child' is someone under 18 years...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 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: Childcare Services (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. Every year, more than 100,000 children participate on the universal pre-school programme (ECCE) and the National...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently working with the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) to implement the commitment for HIQA to monitor International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres against National Standards adopted in 2019 and in effect since the beginning of 2021. Planning is well advanced on this process. My Department is currently engaging with HIQA on resources...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 254 together. The National Childcare Scheme represents the first ever statutory entitlement to financial support for early learning and childcare. The scheme is designed so that those on the lowest incomes receive the greatest support. Where parents are not engaged in work or study, the NCS subsidises up to 20 hours per week. Where parents are...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 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: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 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). A central recommendation of the Expert Group report is that a new Core Funding stream should be introduced to start the partnership for the public good between the State and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In July 2021, I launched a public consultation process to inform a review of the Equality Acts (Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015) to examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality. The purpose of the Review is to examine the operation of the Acts from the perspective of the person...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to end the practice of conversion therapy, an objective I strongly support. In addition, the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018 – 2021 contains a commitment to prohibit the promotion or practice of conversion therapy by health professionals in Ireland, and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019 - 2022 commits to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 to 261, inclusive, together. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis. The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child Care Act 1991 (‘the Act’) is the statutory framework for child welfare and protection in Ireland. The legislation places a statutory duty on Tusla to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. It sets the legislative provisions in relation to taking children into care, and the responsibilities of the Sate in that regard, which...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla has stated that at the end of April 2022, there were 5,869 children in care and of these 5,246 (89%) were in foster care. Of the 5,246 children in foster care, 3,737 (71%) were in general foster care and 1,509 (29%) were in relative foster care. Tusla has advised that data is not collated on the length of time these children were in foster care. Tusla has further advised that at the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Children are placed in the care of Tusla when their care needs cannot be met in the home setting, for a variety of reasons. Tusla has stated that when a young person needs to come into the care of Tusla an individual assessment of need, care plan and pre-placement risk assessment is carried out and put in place to ensure that the child’s needs are best met in the most appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 to 267, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I can confirm that the matter has been referred to Tusla, for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Safety (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The issue that the Deputy has raised is one which is relevant to both my Department and the Department of Justice. My Department has policy responsibility for public law child care proceedings and the Department of Justice has responsibility for private family law proceedings, which include proceedings relating to separation, divorce and child custody cases. In terms of public law child...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Guardians Ad Litem (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Currently, guardians ad litem, or GALs, are appointed by the court for children who are the subject of child care proceedings under the Child Care Act 1991. The GAL has an important role in that they are required to ascertain the views of the child and communicate these to the court. They are also required to make recommendations to the court as to what is in the best interests of the child....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. There is an obligation by law that Tusla is independent in its work. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and...