Results 8,801-8,820 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I fully recognise that local Parent and Toddler Groups are providing support to parents, grandparents and childminders, as well as to young children throughout the country. These groups are an important source of social contact especially for new parents and families new to a community. My Department funds a national network of County Childcare Committees (CCCs) who work directly both with...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on these matters which are more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) were assigned by the National Childcare Strategy (2000) as the key local component in the development of a co-ordinated approach to quality childcare. There are 30 CCCs, located nation-wide, who are funded by my Department to provide support and guidance to local early learning and care (ELC) and school age childcare (SAC) service providers and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 144 together. First 5 commits to increasing investment in early learning and childcare to up to €1 billion by 2028 and a new funding model will be a key vehicle to ensure that such significant additional investment delivers for children, families and the State. An Expert Group was established in September 2019 to develop a new funding for...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced 2 weeks' paid parent's leave to each parent of a child born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019. The leave was to be taken during the first year of a child's life, or in the case of adoption, within 1 year of the placement of the child with that family. The Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021 extended paid parent's leave...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention, is a human rights treaty of the Council of Europe. The Istanbul Convention sets out signatory obligations. However, it does not set out a single standard or recommended number of refuge spaces. Article 23 specifically refers to shelters,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Medical Records (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 (Access...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, I have referred the matter to Tusla and asked that a direct reply issue to the Deputy in due course. However, I can advise that throughout the pandemic planning for children in need of safety and protection continued as an essential service. Tusla continued to provide all necessary services...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department’s Youth Climate Justice Fund provides funding to eligible youth organisations for youth-led initiatives working to achieve a range of youth climate justice goals. Funding of €500,000 was made available in both 2020 and 2021 to support climate youth justice projects within the areas of network-building and communications, research, awareness-raising, influencing...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Improving early learning and childcare affordability for parents is a key priority for me, along with increasing quality and accessibility for children and ensuring that providers can operate sustainably and that their employees can benefit from improved pay and conditions. Early Learning and Childcare is a public good with benefits across society, as have become even more evident in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date. The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The inspection report to which the Deputy refers was published on the former Reception and Integration Agency website, www.ria.gov.ie. The RIA website was replaced by a dedicated International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) website in August 2021. Unfortunately, the published inspection report was not migrated to the new IPAS website, part of the gov.ie portal. This has now been...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department operates the Play and Recreation Capital grant scheme, which provides funding, via Local Authorities, to support the development of new recreation facilities for children and young people, and for the refurbishment of existing play and recreation facilities and incorporation of natural play elements. Under this scheme, each of the 31 Local Authorities can make one application...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: In 2018 Ireland committed to receiving 36 separated children seeking international protection (unaccompanied minors) from Greece under the European Union Relief Projects. Of that 36 I can confirm that there are now 34 separated children in Ireland from Greece with the further remaining two due to arrive in the coming weeks. Their arrival had been delayed by the additional challenges...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Section 26 of the Childcare Support Act 2018provides for a review of the operation of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) to commence 12 months after the first payment of subsidies under the scheme. The 12 month review, which commenced at the end of March 2021, is an independent assessment of the implementation and impacts of the NCS during its first year of operation. Primary evidence...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Earlier this year, I published A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service. Since then my Department has taken a series of steps to implement these reforms. A staff team has been established in my Department to lead the transition to the new model and has developed a detailed implementation plan. I have established a Programme Board...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Since its formation, this Government has made clear that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a priority. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to investigate the provision of paid leave and social protection provision to victims of domestic violence with a view to establishing a statutory entitlement to paid domestic violence leave. My Department is...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The 12 month review of the National Childcare Scheme, as required under Section 26 of the Childcare Support Act 2018, commenced at the end of March 2021. It is an independent assessment of the implementation and impacts of NCS during its first year of operation and will provide key data and information to support the future development of the NCS. The report is in the final stages of...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 314 together. Since 2017, the ‘Migrant Integration Strategy (MIS) – A Blueprint for the Future’ has been the central policy framework adopted by Government to promote the integration of all migrants who are legally residing in the State. Coordinated by my Department, the Strategy envisages a whole-of-government approach to enhance...