Results 10,621-10,640 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the current Covid19 restrictions, financial supports continue to be available to the Early Learning and Childcare (ELS) and School Age Care (SAC) sector, notably the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS). EWSS is an economy-wide enterprise support for eligible businesses in respect of eligible employees. It provides a flat-rate subsidy to qualifying employers based on the numbers of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parental Leave Act 1998 entitles parents to unpaid leave to look after their children. This leave is available to a relevant parent, who is defined as a parent, adoptive parent or person acting in loco parentis. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Community Participation (Disability) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2019 reached Committee Stage in the previous Seanad, however, the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the Dáil and Seanad in January 2020. As it was a Private Members Bill, it would be a matter for members to decide how they wish to progress this legislation in the new Dáil and Seanad.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to fully commencing the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (“the 2015 Act”). The Act provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. The 2015 Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. The Act provides for the establishment of new administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Disability Act (2005) has been commenced in full except for Part 2 which makes provision for an Assessment of Need. This section was commenced for children aged under the age of 5 in June 2007. It was intended that the HSE would deliver Assessments of Need under the Disability Act for this age group and the Education for Persons with Special Education Needs Act (2004) (EPSEN) would...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The area of disability services is a priority area for this Government. To support people with a disability, significant resources have been invested by the health sector in disability services, and the Government has ensured that an additional €100 million is being provided for new disability measures next year under Budget 2021. These measures will include an additional 80,000...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on this matter, as it presently falls outside my area of responsibility. However if the Deputy wishes make contact with my private office in the form of a representation I will ensure the matter is examined appropriately.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I do not have a particular funding stream appropriate to a project for the purpose as outlined by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Paternity Leave (17 Dec 2020)

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 on 8 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 (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: In preparing for the publication of the final report of the Commission on Mother and Baby Homes, I have highlighted to survivors the counselling supports available to those who may feel they need additional support. Many of the stakeholders I have engaged with in recent weeks have highlighted this issue to me, and I recognise the importance of ensuring former residents’ mental health...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Longford Refugee Resettlement programme commenced on 1st March 2018 following the signing of a grant agreement between the Department of Justice and Longford County Council for a period of 18 months with funding of €191,500 under Phase I of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP, 2015-2019). The commencement date of the programme was changed at the request of the Council...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on this matter. This is more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Education.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (17 Dec 2020)

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: School Attendance (17 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under Section 21 (6) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 schools are required submit a report to the Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) on the levels of attendance at that school during the immediately preceding school year within 6 weeks of the end of that school year. TESS holds this data on school attendance at a County level. The most recent published data on the number of school...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: White Papers Publication (16 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: 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 not-for-profit approach. The Government has also committed to the development of a White Paper which will set out how this new system will be structured and the steps to achieving it. My Department is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (16 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established in 2015 in response to the migration crisis in central and southern Europe. Under this programme, the Government committed to accepting up to 4,000 people into the State, primarily through a combination of the EU Relocation Programme and the UNHCR's Refugee Resettlement Programme. In total over 3,000 persons with Syrian nationality...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (16 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Disability Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2016 reached Committee Stage in the previous Dáil, however, the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the Dáil and Seanad in January 2020. The Programme for Government commits to finalising this required legislation and while there is no date for publication as yet, work on progressing the legislation is ongoing in my Department with a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (16 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to fully commencing the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (“the 2015 Act”). The Act provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. The 2015 Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. The Act provides for the establishment of new administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Foster Care (16 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since public health restrictions were introduced Tusla has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring children in care, where it is assessed as in their best interests, have contact with their families. Guidance has issued to Tusla staff with regard to children in care and their contact with their parents and families. Tusla is an essential service and as such the public health restrictions...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 to 241, inclusive, together. The National Childcare Scheme provides financial support to help parents to meet the cost of childcare and to support better outcomes for children. The schemes objectives are to promote (i) a reduction in child poverty, (ii) positive child development outcomes, (iii) labour market activation and (iv) improved quality. The NCS...