Results 941-960 of 11,893 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am a strong supporter of the work of family resource centres. In recent weeks, I have visited the centre in my own community in Mountview, as well as centres in Waterford, Kilkenny, Limerick and Clare, and have seen the amazing work they do. I am pleased to say that in the budget announced yesterday I secured an additional €800,000 for the family resource centre programme. That...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy has flagged the needs of Youghal with me on a number of occasions. Our Department, working with Tusla, will set out an application process based on metrics. It will look at the need in a particular area, the demographics that are served and detailed CSO-type information. From my constituency and other areas, I know the significant benefits family resource centres can bring to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is and, I think, will always remain a key place for the community model in the delivery of early-years services, and the social enterprise model is part of that. We have spent much of the morning discussing the issue of capacity. As to where there are shortages of capacity, I come to the following view now, at the end of four years in this role. We recognise that sometimes a private...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In response to Deputy Kerrane, I am absolutely happy to look at that proposal. She might make sure it gets to me herself. I cannot commit here and now to making the payment but I will definitely look at it. In response to Deputy Sherlock, I do not think I have been very cautious. I have set out, from my party's point of view, a view of a step towards legislating for ECCE as a legal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for informing me of my role; I appreciate his advice.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy has taken Deputy Kerrane's time now. I will reply to his question.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I would argue that there is already strong alignment in respect of the curriculum, the aistear and síolta curriculums, which flows through the ECCE process and into junior infants and senior infants. There is already strong integration in respect of the curriculum approach. I think where we agree is on the level of State intervention, which is complete in respect of junior infants but...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: We were able to announce a 25% increase in funding for early years in my Department yesterday, a very significant increase in funding. What that will do in 2025 I draw into three distinct areas. As the Deputy knows, in 2024, we were able to achieve a second very significant cut in fees for parents through the national childcare scheme and, because of that, more parents are signing up to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Apologies.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority for me as Minister. The data available shows that the level of capacity in the sector has risen substantially in recent years. However, I am aware that nationally, and in my own constituency as well, some parents are having difficulty in locating the type of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is important, while acknowledging the imperfections of how our system operates right now, that we always acknowledge the amazing work done in so many services all over the country, both community and private, in looking after our children and providing early learning and care. I believe there is a greater role for the State in the direct provision of early learning and care,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I hope I have demonstrated over the last four years my absolute determination to reduce costs. I have done that through the increases in the national childcare scheme, NCS. On average, we have been able to halve costs for parents. That has to be acknowledged. I would like to go further if I am part of the next Government. I will look to continue to go further but I caution on costs,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As outlined in the national social enterprise policy, Trading for Impact, social enterprises are enterprises whose objective is to achieve a social or environmental impact, rather than maximising profit for its owners or shareholders. That policy response recognises that the early learning and childcare sector includes many social enterprises. Indeed, there are more social enterprises in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. She has spoken about an enhancement to the roll-out of the scheme that has been put in place. It is important to recognise that we are looking to make this scheme as easy as possible for people to get the initial award of a payment, a medical card or both, and to draw down the benefit. The Deputy identified a slight lacuna. A resource is being put in place to address...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I am conscious of the hurt felt in particular by the survivors and family members of people who died in Bessborough. One of the most tragic aspects of what happened in that particular mother and baby institution was the uncertainty regarding the burial places of the many children who were resident there and the many children who we know died there and in some linked...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I have had the opportunity to visit the site at Bessborough with a number of survivors and former residents. I know there are differing views on the excavation and reburial of human remains at that site. When we discussed Tuam, there was absolute agreement about the treatment of remains and the State's response. I do not think there is unanimity about the response at...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: That is a really difficult question to answer. How do we seek some degree of agreement or alignment among survivors on a site when there are clear differences as to how to proceed? I will not lie to the Deputy; I do not have the full answer for her today. There are different groups of survivors represented in Tuam but I know from my engagement when I travelled to Tuam and met survivors...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Capacity is now our core challenge in early years. Four years ago when I became Minister, the challenge was staff pay, which remains a challenge. The challenge was also the cost of childcare for parents. We have done a lot to meet that. It is still too expensive for some parents but we have taken important steps. The challenge was the sustainability of providers. In year four, core...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I think the Taoiseach was speaking in the context of proposals for his party’s manifesto in the general election, so I will not speak for him. However, I am happy to speak about what my own party will be talking about in the general election campaign.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy asked my view and I am very happy to give it to him. I believe the two years of ECCE should be legislated for on a statutory basis, so that every child has the right to access ECCE. Second, I believe that in areas of high capacity, the State now needs to step in and look at providing services directly. A combined model of public provision, community provision and private...