Results 8,881-8,900 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The allocations under Budget 2022 are being considered by Government in the context of the annual Estimates process for 2022. As this process is ongoing, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this stage. In recent years, funding for the provision of youth services has increased on an annual basis. Between the years 2016 and 2021 the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am very conscious of the need for significant improvement in pay and working conditions for practitioners in ELC and SAC services. The level of pay they receive does not reflect the value of the work they do for children, for families and for the wider society and economy. As the State does not employ early learning and childcare practitioners, I cannot set wage levels or determine...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth provides annual funding to this organisation and to a number of others to support them in their role to enhance the lives of children and young people. This organisation and other similar youth organisations play an extremely important role in providing children and young people with opportunities for developmental...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal free two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for early years...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I remain strongly committed to the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. My Department made a comprehensive submission to the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 seeking confirmation as to whether Ireland was in a position to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The advice...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Programme for Government (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently compiling the information requested by the Deputy and a response will be issued directly as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Revenue Commissioners (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to provide the following information to the Deputy regarding settlements between State agencies (under the remit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth) and the Revenue Commissioners in the past five years. The National Disability Authority, Adoption Authority of Ireland, Oberstown Children Detention Campus and Gaisce have all responded stating that...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Assisted Decision-Making (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (the 2015 Act) is a very important piece of legislation that changes the existing law on capacity from the status approach of the wardship system to a flexible functional approach, whereby capacity is assessed on an issue and time-specific basis. It will abolish the wards of court system for adults by repealing the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland)...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Agreements (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international treaty that establishes two procedures aimed at strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the Convention. The first is an individual communications procedure allowing individuals to bring petitions to the Committee claiming breaches of their rights; the second is an...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under Strategic Priority 6 (Engage Employers) of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (2014-2024), the Government committed to increasing the statutory target for employment of people with disabilities in the public sector from 3%, which is the present target, towards 6% by 2024. The legislative proposals to make this change were contained in the Disability...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 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. The programme runs from September to June each year, aligned with the primary school calendar. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Services (5 Oct 2021)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I share the Deputy's view that ableism, as with other forms of discrimination, must be challenged. The Equal Status Acts 2000 - 2018 prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities in accessing goods and services. In addition, the Employment Equality Acts 1998 - 2015, prohibit discrimination on the grounds of disability in employment, including vocational training and work...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Work Supports (5 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is now more critical than ever that our young people are supported as they experience the social, economic, physical and mental health impacts of the pandemic. In recognition of the vital role played by youth work in providing such support to young people, funding levels have been maintained throughout the current challenging period. This has enabled the youth sector to continue to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. An extensive amount of work has been done on this issue by my Department with the Departments of Health and Justice. The line Ministers have met on three occasions in regard to this specific legislation and how to advance the issue. The special rapporteur for child protection, Professor Conor O'Mahony, provided a detailed report on options in regard to providing full...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (30 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm to the Deputy that, in response to the current crisis in Afghanistan, approximately 400 places have been made available by my Department for humanitarian cases from Afghanistan with priority being given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women, girls, and minorities, members of LGBT+ community,  as well as those working with NGOs and European...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (30 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm to the Deputy that, in response to the current crisis in Afghanistan, approximately 400 places have been made available by my Department for humanitarian cases from Afghanistan with priority being given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women, girls, and minorities, members of LGBT+ community,  as well as those working with NGOs and European...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: From the outset of Covid-19, my Department has engaged closely with the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre in keeping the sector informed of how to comply with public health guidance. This guidance includes advice for services on how to manage a confirmed case in their service. As is always the case, the terms and conditions of employment are a matter for the employer and the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I acknowledge that many early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services are reporting staffing and recruitment difficulties, with increased pressures as a result of Covid-19. My Department is actively monitoring the issue and has sought data and evidence-based proposals from sectoral representatives. The primary data-source for the ELC and SAC sector is the Pobal...