Results 10,901-10,920 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Parental Leave (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: To support parents of children born during the strict lockdown measures, the Government intends to extend parent's leave from two weeks to five weeks for each parent of all children born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019. The Government also intends to extend the period in which parent's leave can be taken up until that child turns two or, in the case of an adoption, two years...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Resettlement Programme (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) has continued operations to resettle programme refugees nationally during 2020 with the assistance of the HSE and local authorities. At all times guidance has been sought from public health officials to deliver on the Government commitment with appropriate measures implemented to protect the public, refugees and staff.   A temporary...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Home Schooling (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy may be aware, Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) is responsible for addressing issues in relation to participation, retention and attendance in schools. In line with the provisions of Section 14(1) of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, Tusla‘s Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS) is responsible for the regulation of provision for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Reports (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to examining the introduction of a new ground of discrimination, based on socioeconomic disadvantaged status, to the Employment Equality and Equal Status Acts. The report on socioeconomic disadvantage as a new grounds of discrimination is currently being carried out by UCD. I am informed that the research has been delayed because of the ongoing COVID-19...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have asked the agencies within the remit of my Department to respond to you directly on this matter.   The agencies concerned are as follows: Adoption Authority of Ireland; Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission; National Disability Authority; Oberstown Children Detention Campus; Ombudsman for Children's Office;...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Maternity Services (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Baby Boxes for newborns are to be piloted under First 5 A Whole-of -Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028. Piloting Baby Boxes is just one initiative which is part of a wide ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five including supports for parents to balance working and caring, developments in early...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Asylum Seekers (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Responsibility for the provision of accommodation for applicants for International Protection transferred to my Department from the Department of Justice on 14 October, 2020.   Oversight of the International Protection Office was not passed on to my Department.  This particular office is still remained under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Justice.  Queries...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is responsible for the administration of the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. I have requested that Tusla respond directly to the Deputy with regard to services in the area where the organisation concerned is based.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services (19 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. 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 and Equality (DJE). 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services (19 Nov 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 and Equality (DJE). 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. The Programme for Government sets out a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care (18 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is, at present, no leave entitlement available for persons undergoing a social work fostering assessment, or for approved foster carers.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Brexit Issues (18 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The direct impact of Brexit on my Department, and the agencies under its remit, is limited. My Department continues to actively engage with the cross Departmental Brexit co-ordination structures, chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs. We will continue to work closely with colleagues across Government to protect the rights of children and to address...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (18 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The NCS offers a flexible application process, with a variety of assessment options for parents to assess their most recent income circumstances. One of these is a Current Year Assessment. This allows parents to have their current year’s income assessed to determine their level of subsidy, rather than the default option of the previous tax year. This could more accurately reflect their...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: In response to Covid-19, many measures have been put in place by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) in conjunction with the HSE.  These measures were first implemented from the time that country-wide restrictions were imposed in March and April this year and they continue to be implemented and added to for all our accommodation centres. These...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Budget 2021 (17 Nov 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 and Equality (DJE). 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. The Programme for Government sets out a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (17 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a committment 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: City and County Child Care Committees (17 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Officials of my Department are currently reviewing the Workplace Relations Commission's consideration of the pay rates of the managers of the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs). The CCCs are one of the key support mechanisms of my Department, and I want to acknowledge the important role they play in providing vital support and guidance to early learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Gender Equality (17 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 601 together. Addressing the factors behind the gender pay gap is a key commitment in the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020, and is a multi-faceted task involving a number of Government Departments and agencies. Tackling this issue is good for equality and it also makes good business sense, as firms that can report a low or...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (17 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy may be aware, the Direct Provision system encompasses the range of State services including accommodation, food, health and education directly provided to international protection applicants through all the relevant Government Departments and Agencies. It is a whole-of-government support system for those seeking international protection in Ireland.  Notwithstanding the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: EU Directives (17 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Directive on Work-Life Balance for Parents and Carers aims to increase the participation of women in the labour market and the take-up of family-related leave and flexible working arrangements. It also provides opportunities for workers to be granted leave to care for relatives who need support. By modernising the existing EU legal framework in the area of family-related leaves and...