Results 10,521-10,540 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (Resumed) (26 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I begin by thanking all Members of the House for their very thought-through and meaningful contributions this afternoon and last week. It has been an extremely good and considered debate. It is clear that many Senators have taken the time to go through what is a huge report. It took me weeks to get through it all in detail. Many Senators today, such as Senator Ahearn and some Senators...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 and 243 together. Responsibility for the recording of the number of people who test positive for COVID-19 lies with the Department of Health. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) cannot confirm positive test results of any person as we do not hold such personal medical information. Decisions on who should be tested and the release...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A large number of services for children and young people funded directly or indirectly by my Department have charitable tax status. Information sought by the Deputy is currently being collated and the response will issue as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently developing the White Paper, which will set out options, together with the recommended direction, for the new model of accommodation and services for International Protection applicants and the transitional processes needed to implement the model. Options for developing a not-for-profit approach are currently being examined in this regard. A large scale...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to apologise to the Deputy for the inconvenience caused. I have referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that they investigate the matter and arrange for the reply to issue to the Deputy, with an appropriate clarification. The response prepared by Tusla in relation to Parliamentary Question Nos. 981 and 982 (3rd November 2020) would have included figures validated to August 2020. I...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his further questions on this important matter. I indicated when I met with the Seanad there was a need to explore the matter further before deciding on how best the matters outlined should be progressed. I met with the Commissioner of St John Ambulance in December and I can report that he and the Chairman of St John Ambulance have informed me that they are taking...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 introduced a significant extension to the existing parental leave entitlements, raising the age of the child for whom parental leave may be taken from eight years to twelve. It also extended the parental leave entitlement by 8 weeks, on a phased basis. The last of these increases came into effect on 1 September 2020 and parents are now entitled to 26...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Childcare services will continue to receive funding under my Department's funding schemes, including ECCE, NCS, CCSP and TEC, where they close: - under direction of the Government (all services that deliver the pre-school ECCE programme only have been directed to close); - by direction of public health authorities; - with force majeure permission to close because they do not have the children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has held frequent meetings with representatives from the early learning and care and school aged care sector on the operation of childcare services during the Covid-19 pandemic. A Covid-19 Advisory Group was established in May 2020 to provide expert advice and guidance to my Department in preparing for the phased reopening of services, on 29 June and full reopening at the end...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (21 Jan 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: Child and Family Agency (21 Jan 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: Child Protection (21 Jan 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: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My department monitors emerging research on the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people in Ireland, as well as internationally. In addition, my department has both commissioned and directly undertaken a range of research activities relating to the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people. Details of these research activities are as follows: - * Published by the ESRI in July...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission’s Terms of Reference require it to establish the extent of compliance with relevant regulatory and ethical standards of the time of systemic vaccine trials found to have been conducted on children in one or more of the homes. In its Final Report, the Commission has identified a total of seven vaccine trials which took place in the institutions under investigation in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The media have an important public service to perform in covering an issue as detailed and important as the Commission's Report. At 8:00am on the morning of Tuesday 12th, some members of the media were provided with electronic access to a copy of the report to facilitate detailed coverage, under very strict embargo. This practice provides that a detailed, sensitive and informed public...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Sixth Interim Report was published in full on 12 January. It is available on my Department's website. This is in line with the commitment I gave last year to publish the Sixth Interim Report in tandem with the Final Report. The Sixth Interim Report, when originally prepared, contained a technical report related to one chapter of the final conclusions of the report. The then Attorney...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes has conducted an extensive five-year long investigation into Mother and Baby institutions, including the burial practices at each of the institutions in its Terms of Reference. In the case of Bessborough, the Commission reported that it was unable to locate the burial place of most of the children, some 859 persons, who died there....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have separately written to An Bord Pleanála and Cork City Council to encourage them to consider the interim and final reports of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, and the views expressed by former residents of this institution, when deciding on the planning applications for development at the site of the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home. I am open...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 265 together. The Commission has made clear recommendations in relation to redress on the basis of its extensive 5-year investigation. Notably, the Commission identifies three specific groups for whom it recommends redress might be considered. The Government has made a very significant and early commitment to accept these recommendations and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A printed copy of the Final Report of the Commission is available to any survivor who wishes to have one. The Report was made available in digital format in the first instance so as to immediately make it available to the widest possible audience. This is particularly important having regard to the sheer size of the report and the challenges which arise in disseminating hard copies, due...