Results 2,261-2,280 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (3 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As identified in A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service, the Housing Agency will be a major partner with my Department for successful implementation. A number of meetings have been held with the Housing Agency and work is ongoing to develop a Memorandum of Understanding and an action plan. Another key stakeholder in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (3 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service, was published on 26 February 2021, along with translations of the Executive Summary into Irish, Albanian, Arabic, French, Georgian, Somali and Urdu.  The service provider was Word Perfect, with whom my Department has a contract, and the cost including VAT was €3,780.65. These...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Wards of Court (3 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: On very rare occasions, the level of specialist psychiatric or therapeutic intervention required to treat a child in the care of the State is not available in Ireland. If the child has a serious psychiatric condition,  for which there is no appropriate facility in Ireland,  a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist may recommend to the Court that the child requires treatment in a secure...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Support Services (3 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla's Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme (PPFS) is intended to support children, young people, parents and families in accessing preventative and support services while enabling their participation in decisions which affect their lives. It aims to prevent risks to children and young people arising or escalating through building sustainable services within Tusla and...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to address the House on the Second Stage of the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2021. The purpose of this Bill is to provide for a requirement that employers publish certain information on the differences in pay between female and male employees. The provisions of the Bill will initially apply to companies with 250 or more employees, with this threshold reducing to 50 or more...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators who have contributed to the debate. We are all of one mind about the need to address this issue. It was a welcome opportunity to discuss the gender pay gap and the proposal before the Seanad. Almost all Senators stated that the gender pay gap was a real and pressing issue that impacts on women in the workforce throughout their working lives and, as a number of Senators...

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) (Non-Disclosure Agreements) Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Was Senator Flynn planning to speak?

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) (Non-Disclosure Agreements) Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Sexual harassment and discrimination have absolutely no place in any workplace and employers should be open in addressing these challenges when they occur. I thank Senator Ruane, her staff and the co-sponsors of the Bill for their work in bringing forward this important legislation. The objectives of the Bill are laudable and, accordingly, the Government will not oppose it. No person...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I want to express my appreciation to Deputy Costello. The Deputy posed this Topical Issue matter a while ago and he facilitated me by moving it to today. I thank the Deputy for that. The issue the Deputy has brought to our attention is a very important one. There are approximately 6,000 children in care in the State. Of those, a very large proportion, 93%, are in foster care and a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Regarding alternative care and the wider care system, as the Deputy knows, there has been a long-running review of the Child Care Act 1991. We hope to make proposals for a significant amendment of that legislation in the near future. I look forward to working with Deputy Costello and other Members on the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. There is a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to examine the introduction of a new ground of discrimination, based on socioeconomic disadvantaged status to the Employment Equality and Equal Status Acts. In addition, a broader review of the Equality Acts is also planned shortly. I hope to undertake a public consultation on potentially amending the Equality Acts to include a socioeconomic...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Meetings (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability is aware of the outstanding commitment to meet with the Deputy and the residents of the service. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Minister had to postpone a meeting scheduled for April 15th, 2021 and sent her apologies for same at the time. The Minister is working to find a suitable time and date for this meeting and will contact...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Communications (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can inform the Deputy of the following engagement by my Department with the company referred to. As part of the monitoring, review and evaluation of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS), section 26 of the Childcare Support Act 2018 requires that a formal review of the NCS takes place. The fundamental purpose of the review is to provide key data and information to support the future...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The service as referred to by the Deputy was established in May 2020 as an additional support for International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) residents. IPAS understands that not everybody feels comfortable contacting the Department directly. The provision of this non-IPAS managed helpline, takes cognisance of that and is a specific measure to alleviate that concern. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Cybersecurity Policy (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: ICT services are provided to my Department by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). The provision of ICT security is part of that service. My ICT Staff engage closely with the OGCIO on the issue of cyber security, who in turn engage with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure best practice is followed as it relates to all aspects of cyber security. For...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 provides for the recognition of cohabiting partners and for protections for them. It established a redress scheme for long-term opposite-sex and same-sex cohabiting couples who are not married or registered in a civil partnership. The redress scheme may be activated at the end of a relationship, whether by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are no plans at present to raise the age for which foster care allowance are paid available up to age 23. There are a number of aftercare supports already in place for young adults transitioning from state care to independent living. Aftercare services are support services build on and support the work already undertaken by many including foster carers, social workers and residential...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the Summer of Play initiative I announced recently a provision of €6 million in funding is being made to support outdoor play. One strand of this funding the Playing Outside Grant for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Aged Childcare (SAC) services will provide €5.5 million in funding for services. The objective of this grant is to support services to enhance...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Details of allocations by county can be found in the table below and also at this link This scheme, introduced in 2013, provides capital funding to support the development of new recreation facilities for children and young people, and for the refurbishment of existing play and recreation facilities and incorporation of natural play elements. The scheme is operated via Local Authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment as responsibility for disability services has not yet transferred to my Department. These matters are more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health. The recent cyber attack on the Department of Health has rendered them unable to access their IT systems.