Results 9,081-9,100 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Support Services (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, and subsequent amendments made under the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021, working parents are entitled to five weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, as defined in the legislation, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. The definition of relevant parent under...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue, with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. Capital funding for approved housing bodies, including services that provide refuge accommodation, is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand the Deputy's question is in reference to the operations of Family Resource Centres (FRC). Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. Tusla provides core funding to 121 FRCs in marginalised communities throughout the country, which enables centres to leverage broader community support and access funding from...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The ECCE programme runs for 38 weeks each programme year. The standard capitation rate paid to providers is €69 per child, per week, and the higher capitation rate paid is €80.25 per child, per week. The programme currently provides 15 hours of free early learning and care per week. €289.3m has been allocated to ECCE in 2021.  The following table shows the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The introduction of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) was a landmark moment for making high quality childcare more affordable and accessible to families in Ireland. The objectives of the NCS are to improve outcomes for children, reduce poverty, have a positive impact on gender equality in relation to labour market participation, tangibly reduce the cost of childcare for thousands of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1204 and 1216 together. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has recommended the use of play-pods in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services as an alternative to social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of ‘play-pods’ is to limit the number of people a child has contact with,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1205 and 1218 together. While a range of views have been expressed in reaction to the Commission of Investigation's Final Report, it is important to emphasise that the Commission was entirely independent in the performance of its functions and this independence was guaranteed in law. It was a matter for the Commission alone to reach whatever...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you Deputy for your question. The implementation of A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service is in its early stages, and much of the progress to date has focused on development of the high-level implementation plan. The Implementation Team for the transition to the new International Protection Support Service is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1207 to 1211, inclusive, together. Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2018. This marked an important milestone in a process to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland that has gathered momentum since Ireland became a signatory to the Convention in 2007. Our approach to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Policy on surrogacy rests with the Minister for Health while policy on parentage rests with the Minister for Justice.  Legislation on family leaves must be developed in the context of the legal situation concerning parentage, including in relation to surrogacy.  Any changes in the legal situation with regard to parentage and surrogacy are matters for the Minister for Justice and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department does not hold the information as requested by the Deputy. As the Deputy will be aware the State has a legal obligation to provide accommodation and other support services for international protection applicants. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department currently meets this obligation through the Direct Provision system. The system is completely...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Asylum Seekers (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you Deputy for your question. The implementation of A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service is in its early stages, and much of the progress to date has focused on development of the high-level implementation plan. The Implementation Team for the transition to the new International Protection Support Service is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The aegis bodies under my Department’s remit are best placed to respond directly to the Deputy on the manner in which they publish the salary levels for their employees.  My Department is contacting all aegis bodies under its remit to ask that they respond to you directly advising whether any of their salaries are not disclosed.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Programme (27 Jul 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: IRPP has responsibility for the arrival of family members being reunified under Irish Humanitarian Admissions Programme. Family members arriving during Covid 19 have been facilitated in IPAS quarantine centres at no cost to the refugees or their family members.  All quarantine rules have been observed.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (27 Jul 2021)

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: Domestic Violence (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue with policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. Capital funding for approved housing bodies, including services that...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a two-year, universal pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. Children are eligible to enrol in the  Programme once they are 2 years and 8 months of age in the September of a given programme year and are eligible to avail of two years of the programme (provided that they are...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Officials in my Department are currently compiling the information as requested by the Deputy.  This information will be supplied to the Deputy in no later than 10 working days.  I have asked my officials to follow up on this to ensure delivery as a matter of urgency.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (27 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The play-pod model in Early Learning Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) is recommended as an alternative to social distancing between children. The purpose of ‘play-pods’ is to limit the number of people a child has contact with, to facilitate contact tracing, and to support close, positive interactions between children and their adult caregivers. This system also reduces...