Results 10,461-10,480 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to assure the Deputy that the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in my Department continues to work towards achieving the 2019 Government pledge to welcome up to 2,900 refugees between 2020 and 2023. Unfortunately, Covid-19 and its related restrictions has interrupted the resettlement of refugees across the globe.  The Irish Refugee Protection Programme conducted a selection...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Workers Recruitment (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the petition urging the Government to end the current system of Direct Provision for accommodation and other services to international protection applicants who require such supports. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to ending the Direct Provision system and replacing it with a new International Protection accommodation policy, centred on a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Data (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 498, 499, 500 and 502 together. The scoping exercise to which the Deputy refers was commenced by my predecessor following Tusla’s discovery of evidence of illegal birth registrations in the files of the defunct St. Patrick’s Guild Adoption Society between the years 1946 and 1969. While it had long been suspected that illegal birth...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: On Tuesday 26 January, Government made the decision to extend the suspension of the ECCE programme and to continue to restrict access to other early learning and childcare services to the children of essential workers and to vulnerable children. It is currently planned for these arrangements to be in place until 5 March, with the timeframe remaining subject to review in the context of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has no role in relation to the funding of the European Youth Parliament. However, the Deputy may be interested to know that my Department provides funding to support the participation by young people in Ireland in the EU Youth Dialogue.  The EU Youth Dialogue facilitates and empowers young people to influence decision making on a local, national and European level and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 504, 507 and 509 together. I thank the Deputies for raising the concerns of former residents of these institutions. In addition to the information provided in this reply, my Office will arrange for responses to issue to the individuals concerned. In responding to the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation, the Government has approved the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCC) located nationwide who are funded by my Department. The role of CCC includes: - Assisting services in respect of compliance responsibilities - Assisting services in respect of the Case Management process/sustainability issues - Delivering training/workshops to services - Assisting services in respect of Regulatory requirements...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parents' Leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Under proposals approved by Government in December 2020, each parent will be given an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave, and the period in which it can be taken will be extended to the first two...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 508 and 510 together. The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parents' Leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Under proposals approved by Government in December 2020, each parent will be given an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave, and the period in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are no capital funding schemes available at present from my Department for the construction of new  early learning and childcare services. Existing or prospective early learning and childcare providers can receive expert advice on establishing, or expanding, an early learning and childcare service from the national network of City / County Childcare Committees (CCCs), who can...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A copy of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes is being made available at no cost to any survivor who requests one. My Department can be contacted at 01-6473200 from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm, or by emailing motherandbabyhomes@equality.gov.ie. Relevant details have been published on my Department's website and circulated through...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Qualifications (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the publication of the results of the SIPTU Big Start Campaign's Early Years Professionals Survey 2020. Many of the issues highlighted in the survey, in particular the level of pay among those working in early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SLC), are issues on which I have been actively engaging since becoming Minister for Children, Equality,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: First 5: A Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families, published in November 2018, sets out an ambitious programme of work across Government Departments to improve the experiences and outcomes of children in Ireland from birth to age 5 across all aspects of their lives in the coming ten years. Included in First 5 is a commitment to designing a new Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: In December 2020, working in partnership with SIPTU and Childhood Services Ireland (within IBEC), I began a short process in which interested parties were invited to discuss how best to address issues of pay and conditions in the sector and how a Joint Labour Committee (JLC) might support this. I appointed Dr Kevin Duffy, former Chair of the Labour Court, to be an independent chair for this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides funding to over 700 external organisations, mainly in the non-profit sector, to commission services to fulfil Tusla's statutory responsibilities, and to deliver on Tusla's strategic objectives and key actions. Non-profit organisations operate independently of Tusla and are responsible for the recruitment of employees and the terms and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (28 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Following Cabinet approval on 26 January for the continuation of additional measuresunder full Level 5 restrictions, I have announced new funding measures to support the Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare (ELC and SAC) sector to cover the period 1 February to 5 March. The pre-school (ECCE) programme will continue to be suspended during these extended restrictions. Other...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (28 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: On Tuesday 26 January, Government made the decision to extend the suspension of the ECCE programme and to continue to restrict access to other Early Learning and Childcare services to the children of essential workers and to vulnerable children. It is currently planned for these arrangements to be in place until 5 March, with the timeframe remaining subject to review in the context of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Magdalen Laundries (28 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy will be aware that in February, 2013, following publication of the McAleese Report, the Government appointed Justice John Quirke to devise a scheme to address the needs of Magdalen women. Justice Quirke presented his report in June, 2013 which included twelve recommendations. The Government accepted all of his recommendations in principle and the Magdalen Restorative Justice...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Assisted Human Reproduction (28 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Special Rapporteur on Child Protection reviews and reports to Government on specific national and international legal developments, existing or proposed legislative provisions and litigation in the area of child protection on the request of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. A review of children’s rights and best interests in the context of...