Results 10,541-10,560 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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 and certain related matters was established in February 2015 to provide a full account of what happened to vulnerable women and children in these institutions during the period 1922 to 1998. Its terms of reference are attached to the Government Order establishing the Commission (Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2015). The Commission...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. My Department is engaged with HIQA about undertaking the role of monitoring the services provided to those accommodated in our centres against National Standards that were published in 2019. The National Standards meet the requirements of the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive (Directive 2013/33/EU) which we voluntarily opted...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: A new vulnerability assessment process is currently being piloted by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department. The purpose of these assessments is to determine if, by virtue of a particular category of vulnerability, an applicant is deemed to have special reception needs, what those needs are and what actions are required to address those needs. As part of...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Between 11 and 31 January, access to early learning and childcare services is restricted to the children of essential workers and vulnerable children. In addition, the resumption of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school programme has been delayed. During this period, my Department is continuing to provide funding under its schemes (ECCE, NCS, CCSP and TEC) as long as early...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid parent’s 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 parent's leave, and the period in which it can be taken will be extended to the...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising these matters with me. As I am sure he will understand there are a number of issues in the correspondence which will require consideration. I will examine these matters with my officials and revert directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is 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: Childcare Services (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare services are typically either privately owned or operated by community organisations. Service providers are contracted by my Department to provide services at a subsidised rate to parents and are free to set their own policies regarding the charging of fees. The current agreements between the Department and providers do not deal with the...

Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (Resumed) (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am sharing time with the Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Troy. Last week, the report of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes was published. Following this, the Taoiseach, on behalf of the Government, offered our apology and asked for forgiveness for the failings of the Irish State, failings that repeated over decades and which had the most horrendous...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358, 374 and 382 together. A printed copy of the Final Report of the Commission will be made 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 363 together. It is a matter of deep regret that details of the Commission's Final Report were leaked ahead of its publication. I contacted survivors immediately on learning of the coverage in a Sunday newspaper and the matter is now under investigation. I understand why many survivors are feeling hurt and let down that any element of the Report...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I met with my predecessor in July, shortly after I was appointed. We discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to the remit of the Department, and the additional functions transferring to it. The topics we discussed included the Adoption (Information and Tracing) legislation, and the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A Government decision on 6thJanuary 2021 paused the ECCE programme for the remainder of the month and restricted access to other types of early learning and care and school-age childcare to only the children of essential workers and vulnerable children. My Department has provided guidance in respect of the eligibility criteria for parents and providers with regard to essential workers. For...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid parent’s 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 parent's leave, and the period in which it can be taken will be extended to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 383 together. In responding to the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation, I and my colleagues in Government are committed to taking a survivor-centred approach, characterised by consistent engagement with former residents and their representative groups, including the survivor diaspora. The design and delivery of the measures within the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Between 11 and 31 January, access to early learning and childcare services is restricted to the children of essential workers and vulnerable children. In addition, the resumption of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school programme has been delayed. During this period, my Department is continuing to provide funding under its schemes (ECCE, NCS, CCSP and TEC) as long as...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are no plans in place to provide employees of my Department with Covid-19 vaccinations due to their role in the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (20 Jan 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 is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and runs from September to June each year, aligned with the primary school calendar. The figures supplied by the scheme administrator Pobal in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early learning and care (ELC) and school aged childcare (SAC) services are provided by private enterprises, either privately owned or operated by community organisations. While service providers are contracted by my Department to provide services at a subsidised rate to parents they are free to set their own policies regarding the charging of fees. If a parent of an eligible child...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The resumption of the free pre-school ECCE programme has been postponed until 1 February, in line with primary and secondary schools. Other early learning and childcare and school-age childcare services (ELC/SAC services) can remain open to provide childcare to the children of essential workers and to vulnerable children. ELC/SAC services which are providing childcare to the children...