Results 11,541-11,560 of 11,817 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I was pleased to provide a response to Deputy on the issue of Carrigtohill youth café when this was raised in a Topical Issue Debate in the Dáil on Thursday 9thJuly 2020.  Further to my response on 9thof July I am happy to provide the following update. On 10thJuly 2020 officials in my Department communicated with Cork ETB (CETB) who indicated that they were aware of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jul 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. The guidance recommends use of a “play pod” model which restricts interactions between closed groups of children and adults as an alternative to social...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Communications (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since being issued with my Departmental email address after I assumed office, I have conducted official business through my official Department of Children and Youth Affairs secure email account. The Department has an information and communication technology acceptable usage policy which does not permit access to webmail services from its network. I also have a personal email account...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Meetings (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since I was appointed Minister on the 27th June, I have had a number of meetings with my Ministerial colleagues, agencies and bodies under the remit of my Department, and NGOs, which have been detailed in a table below. I have also engaged in a large number of meetings with my officials in the Department of Children & Youth Affairs, as well as meetings with the Minister of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Advisers (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: On the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisers is subject to section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil, which incorporate the principles of section 11 of the PMSA Act, are...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a dedicated agency, Childcare Ireland. The Government envisages that Childcare Ireland will assist in expanding high quality childcare, best practice and innovation in community and private childcare settings. In 'First Five, the Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families', published in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Government is committed to supporting parents in caring for young children at home in a range of ways.  Within my Department, a policy priority is to provide access to high quality and affordable Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), whether parents work or are in education full time or part time, or look after their children at home full-time. These...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: State investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has increased by an unprecedented 141% over the past 5 budgets (from €260m to €638m). This has enabled, inter alia, a doubling of the ECCE programme to two years, a doubling of the number of children availing of State subsidies, a 60% increase in ELC and SAC places and greater...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: State investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has increased  by an unprecedented 141% over the past 5 budgets (from €260m to €638m). This has enabled, for example, a doubling of the ECCE programme to two years, a doubling of the number of children availing of State subsidies, a 60% increase in ELC and SAC...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: A central task in increasing flexibility in access to early learning and care and school-age childcare is to make subsidies available to a wider cohort of childminders than is currently able to access subsidies. A report on options will be completed by year-end, building on work already undertaken to develop a Childminding Action Plan. In 2016 an expert Working Group on Reforms and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 27 July, officials in my Department were informed that the service in question has reversed its decision to close. The Board of Management is now planning to reopen the crèche on 31 August.  My Department is providing support to the  service through Louth County Childcare Committee and Pobal. My Department issues grants and subsidies to early learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: State investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has increased  by an unprecedented 141% over the past 5 budgets (from €260m to €638m). This has enabled, for example, a doubling of the ECCE programme to two years, a doubling of the number of children availing of State subsidies, a 60% increase in ELC and SAC...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have been informed by Pobal, the agency which administers early learning and care funding programmes on behalf of my Department, that the total payments made to childcare providers in 2018 and 2019 are set out in the table below. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have been informed by Pobal, the agency which administers early learning and care funding programmes on behalf of my Department, that the total payments made to providers in 2018 and 2019, for ECCE and non-ECCE funding,  are as set out in the attached table. - ECCE Payments Non ECCE Payments Totals 2018 ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Officials in my Department are currently compiling the information as requested by the Deputy. This information will be supplied to the Deputy in no later than 10 working days. I have asked my officials to follow up on this to ensure delivery as a matter of urgency.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Sustainable Development Goals (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland has adopted a 'whole-of-Government' approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with each Minister having responsibility for implementing individual SDG targets related to their functions. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I  currently have responsibility for targets related to SDG 4.2. The transfer of disability, equality and inclusion to my...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 25 July, I announced a package of measures to support the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector as remaining services reopen in late August and early September. This is a substantial investment of just under €300 million in the period from 24 August to the end of the year. It recognises the importance of the sector for children’s positive...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National Carers' Strategy (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My colleague the Minister for Health continues to have lead policy responsibility at present for the National Carers Strategy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. These matters are more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Justice.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Detailed discussions between officials at my Department and at the Department of Justice are ongoing with regard to the transfer of functions between both Departments. Functions relating to Equality, Disability, Domestic Violence and Direct Provision are transferring to my Department under the Programme for Government. These are very significant policy and operational areas and I want to...