Results 6,981-7,000 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: During 2021, my Department successfully secured €70m in the revised National Development Plan (NDP) allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during 2023-2025.  Investment under the NDP will consist of three pillars: Modernisation, New Capacity and First 5 Initiatives. This will enable significant capital investment in early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Significant investment is being made by my Department to address affordability for parents through the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). As the Deputy may be aware, I announced a number of changes to the Scheme as part of Budget 2022. These changes will be of significant benefit to many parents. For instance, from 2 May, the NCS no longer deducts hours spent in pre-school, or school, from...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is focused on providing short term accommodation to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Over 23,000 people have sought short-term temporary accommodation from my Department to date. My Department has been approached about many possible accommodation projects.  However, it is not involved in the project referenced.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The ECCE programme runs for 38 weeks each programme year. The capitation rate paid to providers is €69 per child, per week. The programme currently provides 15 hours of free early learning and care per week. €272.6 m has been allocated to ECCE in 2022. The table below shows the financial impact of increasing the ECCE standard rate by 10% for the period September to December...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are two types of subsidies available under the National Childcare Scheme (or the Affordable Childcare Scheme): - Currently, universal subsidies are available to all families with children under 3 years old. They are also available to families with children over 3 years who have not yet qualified for the free preschool programme (ECCE). This subsidy is not means tested...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was established in 2015 to investigate and report on a wide range of issues associated with Mother and Baby institutions, including burial practices. The Commission’s fifth interim report, which was published in March 2019, covered burial arrangements in the institutions. The final report of the Commission was published in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department secured an overall 2022 allocation of €716m, an increase of €78m on the previous year’s allocation. The 2022 allocation includes €272m for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme Funding. Funding for the ECCE programme is allocated on a capitation basis that has regard to the unit cost of delivery, taking account of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 May 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: Child and Family Agency (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Pandemic Special Recognition Payment is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health. Following the Government decision in January on this matter, I understand that the HSE published eligibility guidelines for the payment in April and the Department of Health shall shortly publish information for other particular healthcare employees that are covered by the Government Decision....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible 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. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department funds the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and they have been tasked with co-ordinating Stay and Play sessions in medium term accommodation centres for families in arriving and staying in Ireland as beneficiaries of temporary protection as a result of the crisis in Ukraine. This work is co-ordinated at a local level through the CCCs in collaboration with members...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible 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. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.   A key objective of First 5, the Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families is to 'maintain and extend the supply of high-quality publicly subsidised early learning and childcare to best serve the developmental needs of babies and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (31 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 524 together. One of my top priorities in Government is to improve affordability of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) for parents. The package of measures I announced in Budget 2022 is designed to ensure that fees to parents do not increase and that the full affordability benefits of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 284 together. There are two types of subsidies available under the National Childcare Scheme (or the Affordable Childcare Scheme): - Currently, universal subsidies are available to all families with children under 3 years old. They are also available to families with children over 3 years who have not yet qualified for the free preschool programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 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. This funding provides a programme of capital grants for specialised equipment, appliances, assistive technology and/or minor alterations for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childminding Initiative, which began in 2002, contained a number of strands to support childminders. One of the strands was the appointment of Childminding Advisory Officers, some of whom were employed by the HSE and some by City and County Childcare Committees. Their roles included offering information, support and training to childminders; maintaining the voluntary notification...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Qualifications (26 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Extrapolated data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2020/2021 suggests that in 2021 there were approximately 26,200 staff working directly with children in Early Learning and Care (ELC) services, of whom 24.9% held a relevant Level 5 major award as their highest qualification, i.e. approximately 6,520 staff.  Currently the Learner Fund provides a bursary of €750 for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Qualifications (26 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Extrapolated data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2020/2021 suggests that in 2021 there were approximately 26,200 staff working directly with children in Early Learning and Care (ELC) services, of whom 36.9% held a relevant Level 6 major award as their highest qualification. On that basis, it can be assumed that supporting 50% of those with Level 6 to achieve a relevant Level 7...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disadvantaged Status (26 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Partnership for the Public Good, A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) - the report of an independently chaired Expert Group - was adopted in full by Government last December. Amongst other things, this sets out a new approach to State funding of the ELC and SAC sector that includes universal and targeted Tackling Disadvantage funding and...