Results 11,561-11,580 of 11,817 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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: Departmental Staff (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: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm that there was no expenditure directly incurred by my Department since 2015 in regard to services or goods provided by the named company.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (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 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. The funding package for the ELC and SAC sector includes three significant elements: -...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Details of expenditure by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on advertising campaigns to support policies and programmes during 2019 and in 2020 to date are set out in the table below: Policy/Programme Year Print Broadcast* Outdoor Consultancy/Production Supporting Children Campaign 2020 ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Freedom of Information (29 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently processing thirteen Freedom of Information requests. Section 14 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, allows for an extension of up to four weeks of the deadline for a decision to issue, under certain circumstances. An extension has been applied to two of the requests referred to under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Act.  This is on the basis that the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (29 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is an ongoing investigatory process in relation to a number of institutions in the form of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters. The Commission is independent in its work and is due to make its final report to me on 30th October this year. Separate to the Commission process, I am committed to addressing the Tuam site itself and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (29 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Officials in my Department have been monitoring closely developments in relation to early learning and care (ELC) and school age childcare (SAC) sectoral capacity, including the supply of, and demand for, places as COVID-19 restrictions ease. Supporting services as they reopen, and ensuring that capacity is sufficient to meet demand, is a key priority of my Department. The following points...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (29 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Expert guidance on the safe reopening of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on Friday, 29 May.  The guidance recommends use of a “play pod” model which restricts interactions between closed groups of children and adults as an alternative...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (29 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has introduced a range of supports for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) facilities, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These supports have aimed to maintain the sustainability of the sector and to maintain the affordability of services for parents. Following the closure of ELC and SAC services on 12 March 2020, my Department continued to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (29 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Crowe was commissioned by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to undertake an independent review on the cost of providing quality childcare in Ireland. Preparation was underway to launch the report in April 2020. However, owing to other pressing demands caused by COVID-19, its launch was postponed and is now planned for September / October. The brief for the Review included: -...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (29 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early learning and care and school age childcare services are required to have valid insurance in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. These services are provided by private operators, and they source insurance from commercial insurers. My Department has not carried out research into the cost of the provision of State funded...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Maternity Leave (29 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have no record of correspondence from the group mentioned by the Deputy; however, the Deputy may be interested to know that I have received a request to meet from a similarly named group. My officials have acknowledged the request, and I will consider the matter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: In order to support the sustainability of the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Sector during COVID-19, my Department launched the Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS). The TWSCS provided funding towards a portion of childcare staff wages to ensure that they were retained by their employer. The TWSCS also provided a contribution towards overhead costs. The TWSCS...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Expenditure (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department oversees a Case Management process through which local CCCs and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and care and school age care services. Sustainability Funding is accessed through Case Management and is available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal. Pobal co-ordinate the overall...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Data (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for the AAI, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Data (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for the AAI, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 702 and 703 together. The broad components of the full cost of delivering childcare was identified in the Independent Review of Costs. The Review indicated a pattern of costs consistent with those found in other jurisdictions, including England, New Zealand and Scotland, which I identified a dominance of staff costs in the make-up of the overall cost...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: An Independent Review of the Cost of Delivering Childcare in Ireland was undertaken by Crowe in 2018 on behalf of my Department. This Review found that approximately 40% of the total income to the sector comes from parental fees. This percentage varies significantly across services. Many services rely entirely on State funding while others services rely exclusively on parental fees. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: In 2020, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is providing Tusla with core funding of €25.3m for almost 60 organisations that deliver services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV). Tusla estimates that additional funding of some €0.75m will also be provided to DSGBV service providers this year, in order to support continuity of service during...