Results 11,281-11,300 of 11,817 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (13 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department provides a number of funding schemes which provide help to parents and guardians with childcare fees, including the NCS, CCSP and TEC. Under these schemes parents pay a reduced fee, and the Department compensates the providers for the loss in income. In addition my Department fully funds the universal free preschool programme ECCE. These schemes are administered by Pobal. Each...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (13 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department operates an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care and school-age childcare service providers are invited to apply for capital funding to enable them to carry out works to maintain and develop their premises. The purposes for which this funding can be used are determined on an annual basis by my Department. I will announce details of the 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Attendance (13 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 which emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS operates a referral based system. Under Section 22 of the Education (Welfare), Act 2000 each school is obliged to have a statement of strategies to encourage regular attendance among all students. Where a school...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I acknowledge that many early learning and care and school-age childcare services are reporting staffing and recruitment difficulties, with increased pressures as a result of Covid-19. There is no official data on the extent of staff shortages. However, officials in my Department have been actively monitoring the issue and have sought data and evidence-based proposals from sectorial...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Childcare services providing the ECCE programme may charge a refundable booking deposit to hold an ECCE place for a child. The maximum deposit a provider may charge is equivalent to four weeks’ ECCE payment, which amounts to €258. The deposit must be returned to the parent or guardian once the child is registered and approved on the ECCE programme. Childcare services may not...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (13 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Childcare providers who operate from their homes are required to register with Tusla and are thereby able to take part in the National Childcare Scheme if they care for four or more preschool children, or seven or more children of any age, from different families. The exemption from regulation - and therefore from the National Childcare Scheme - applies to those who care for smaller numbers...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (13 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department operates an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care and school-age childcare service providers are invited to apply for capital funding to enable them to carry out works to maintain and develop their premises. The purposes for which this funding can be used are determined on an annual basis by my Department I will announce details of the 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Childcare Scheme (13 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Allowance has been made within the design of the National Childcare Scheme for potential changes to be made to the income thresholds. The Scheme has been designed to be flexible, with income thresholds, maximum hours and subsidy rates which can be adjusted in line with Government decisions and as more investment becomes available. As such, any adjustments deemed necessary by Government can be...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Data Retention (8 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The new Early Years platform is designed to support multi-layered rights of access and security to information submitted by parents and providers. This includes sensitive and personal information. Access to the system is based on specified business need and functional requirement; and must align with sound data protection principles. Access to sensitive and personal data is restricted to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts (8 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has no current contracts regarding public relations with agencies or consultants. This excludes information campaigns run through media buying companies as this is paid advertising rather than public relations.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff (8 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The power to transfer functions from one Minister/Department to another and to rename Departments is vested in the Government under section 6 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, Subsections 6(1)(c) and 6(1)(d) of the Act enable the Government to transfer functions from one Minister or Department to another by a Transfer of Functions Order while subsections 6(1)(a) and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Budget Statement (8 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment as these responsibilities have not yet transferred to my Department. These matters are more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. The transfer of functions process is ongoing in this regard, which I expect will conclude very shortly. I look forward to engaging with...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator for raising an issue that is of real concern to me. I acknowledge that there is a need for significant improvement in levels of pay and working conditions for practitioners working in early learning and care and school-age childcare services. The level of pay they receive at the moment does not reflect the value of the work they do for children, for families and for the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As regards the overall funding of the sector, I am focused on the report of the expert funding group. I have contacted it since taking on this role as Minister. I have asked that we will have something very clear by the middle of next year to allow three major pieces of work: the expert funding group, the workforce development plan and the organisational review of the entire sector. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (7 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The allocations under Budget 2021 are being considered by Government in the context of the annual Estimates process for 2021. As this process is ongoing, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this stage. While I recognise and acknowledge that youth sector funding saw deep cuts during the preceding decade, in recent years, funding for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (7 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The allocations under Budget 2021 are being considered by Government in the context of the annual Estimates process for 2021. As this process is ongoing, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this stage. While I recognise and acknowledge that youth sector funding saw deep cuts during the preceding decade, in recent years, funding for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (7 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department maintains close contact with the 30 national youth organisations we fund, including NYCI, and I, and officials from my Department, meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments in the youth sector. Officials from my Department also meet with youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises. In recent...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Expert guidance on the safe reopening of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on 29 May, and updated on 31 July. In addition to the expert guidance from the HPSC, my Department has provided a range of online resources and guidance to support service providers,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (7 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme incorporates two kinds of subsidy towards the cost of quality of childcare. The universal subsidy is available to all parents of children aged between 24 weeks and 36 months (or until the child qualifies for the Early Childhood Care and Education programme if later). The universal subsidy is set at a rate of €0.50 per hour and is available for up to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (7 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The level of subsidy available under the National Childcare Scheme is dependent on the age of the child in respect of whom the subsidy is paid. Children availing of a universal award receive a flat rate of €0.50 an hour. For income assessed awards, subsidies range from a maximum of €5.10 per hour for babies, €4.35 for 1 and 2 year olds, €3.95 for 3, 4 or 5 year...