Results 8,761-8,780 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: 11 o’clock The Deputy is right in saying we need to invest more in childcare. We are among the lowest in Europe and in OECD countries, and we need to invest more. We have only been investing for ten years, which is an embarrassment to Governments going back over the generations. We also need to manage how we invest that additional money. We do not want to put significant...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I absolutely agree. In response to an earlier question I said that investment in early learning and childcare is a key public good and I think we are all in agreement there. We need to recognise what the investment, while not enough, is achieving at the moment. We have a fantastic childcare sector in this country which, despite the lack of investment it has received, has done so much over...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The NCS is a very good system and one I believe we can continue to develop and strengthen. Undoubtedly, an issue has arisen regarding services in areas of high disadvantage, but we must work to fix the issue with the NCS as opposed to going back to some of the old schemes. The future is with the NCS. However, the Deputy is correct. Sponsorship is not the fix. I undertook the broadening...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy knows, the older funding mechanisms were kept in place for children who were already on the schemes, but we are seeking to move new children coming in onto the new scheme. As long as I have had this role, I have been engaging on this issue. The Deputy has raised it, and I give her full credit for that, but I have engaged on this issue. I have met with the services and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As I said previously, my Department currently invests €638 million per year in early learning and childcare, and affordability for parents is a key objective. The major programmes funded by the Department are the early childhood care and education programme and the national childcare scheme. The ECCE programme provides free access to early learning and childcare for 15 hours per week...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As I said in response to Deputy Funchion, the issue of affordability of early learning and childcare for parents is a key priority for me. We need to achieve this alongside our continuing work to improve quality, sustainability and accessibility. This year, my Department is investing €638 million into the sector and affordability for parents is a key policy objective in the context...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Nobody disagrees with the Deputy's argument that we are not putting enough money into childcare. We have only been putting money into childcare for the past ten years, so we have come from zero investment then to this figure now, and we have to continue to increase that figure. I do not agree we are going back to normal. We are introducing the joint labour committee, JLC, to provide a pay...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is correct; I am the Minister. As Minister, it is important I listen, which is why I attended the protest earlier this week to hear from childcare professionals, people working in services daily and managers of these services. It was not the first time I met many of these people. I met many of them online over the past year because I listen. Changes will be made on foot of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: First 5, the whole-of-government strategy for babies, children, young people and families, includes a target to at least double the level of investment in early learning and childcare between 2019 and 2028. As I said earlier, the programme for Government commits to achieving that, which would represent an investment of €1 billion per annum by 2028. This would be a very substantial...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am very conscious of the childcare costs experienced by parents and I have been fully determined to address this issue since I became Minister. In the context of this year’s budget, I have stated publicly that early learning and childcare is a key priority for me. In particular, I have indicated that I will be seeking additional investment to ensure providers can operate...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is entirely correct that investment in early learning and childcare is a public good. In recognition of that, very substantial investment has been undertaken by the Government to support the sector during the Covid-19 period, including through payments of €34 million per month under the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS. Every month, this money is invested in childcare...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy correctly identified the significant role of providers, many of which are small businesses run by individuals. As the Deputy stated, they are primarily led by women with a passion for providing education and care for the children and babies in their care. While the NCS is a very good system, it has its flaws, as we discussed in the context of our debate earlier this week. We...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended), working parents are entitled to five weeks of paid parents’ leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. The intention of this leave is to enable parents to spend time with their child in the earliest years. It is deliberately non-transferable...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Priorities (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Anti-Racism Committee is an independent Committee established by Government in 2020 to develop a National Action Plan Against Racism. The work of the Committee will help to strengthen the Government’s approach to combatting individual and institutional racism and will build on the anti-racism actions included in the Migrant Integration Strategy (MIS) and the National...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Asylum Seekers (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to confirm the Government’s intention that the accommodation centres operated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), which is part of my Department, will be independently monitored by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for compliance with the National Standards for accommodation offered to people in the protection process. These...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: At the outset, I want to make it very clear that it is my position that is in not acceptable that a survivor has to give their GP's contact details before they get access to their health data on their file from the Commission archive. Since this issue was brought to my Departments attention we have worked hard to resolve it. Currently, underS.I No. 82 of 1989 – Data Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Protection (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm that I am aware of the serious incident regarding a child protection matter which had occurred at the organisation referred to by the Deputy. In response a working group was established under the remit of Tusla’s Director of Services and Integration and a number of safeguarding measures were agreed and implemented within the organisation. In addition, an independent...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Correspondence (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Neither I nor Minister O'Gorman, have yet received the results of the audit the Deputy mentioned but I look forward to reviewing it in due course. Both I and Minister O'Gorman are supportive of all measures that seek to improve the experience of those with disabilities in their everyday lives. I recently lent support to the 'Make Way Day' initiative which asks all members of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domestic Violence (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I appreciate the Deputy’s ongoing interest in relation to Tusla’s Accommodation Review. I know the Deputy is deeply committed to ensuring the safety and care for victims of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. I share the Deputy's concern on this matter. Following my last reply to the Deputy on this question in early July, I am pleased to confirm that the Review has been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy will be aware that, as part of its response to the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation, the Government committed to establishing a Restorative Recognition Scheme for survivors of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. This Scheme will include a financial payment and a form of enhanced medical card. An Interdepartmental Group (IDG) was set up to develop...