Results 221-240 of 11,700 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The goal of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE universal pre-school programme and reap the benefits of quality early learning and care. AIM is a child-centred model, involving seven levels of progressive support, moving from the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 25 July, I announced a package of measures to support the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare sector as remaining services reopen in late August/early September. Access to the Revenue Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) within the July Stimulus will bring total funding provided by Government to the sector between 24 August and 31 December to just under...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: In order to support the sustainability of the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Sector my Department launched the Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS). The TWSCS was layered on top of the Revenue TWSS and provided additional funding towards childcare staff wages to ensure that they could be retained by their employer.  The TWSCS operated from 6 April...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Reopening Funding Package (RSP) for July/August is an exceptional arrangement devised to support early learning and care and school aged childcare services in meeting the reopening guidelines after the COVID-19 closures. As of 24 July there were 2,672 applications approved for the RSP with a total value of €9.6 million.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Childminding Re-opening Grant applications are being processed by the regional Childminding Development Officers who work in City/County Childcare Committees, and payments are being issued by their 6 respective host City/County Childcare Committees. The amount spent to date on the Childminding Re-opening Grant is €186,000as on 24 July 2020. There are currently an additional 41...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware the recently announced €75 million funding package to support childcare services re-opening from June 29 contains four significant elements: - A once-off reopening support payment for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September. - A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September. -...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The estimated additional cost of this measure would be €26m. The National Childcare Scheme subsidy payments are paid weekly and are calculated by taking the hourly subsidy awarded to a child and multiplying it by the number of hours they attend a service or the maximum number of hours awarded to them per week (whichever is fewer). The National Childcare Scheme's existing universal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are 34 registered early learning care (ELC) and school aged care (SAC) services in Co. Longford. 14 of these services have reopened since June 29, which is 40% of the total number of services. Usually 60% of services nationally close in the months of July and August.  My Department does not have data on the number of children who have returned to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are 84 registered early learning care (ELC) and school aged care (SAC) services in Co. Westmeath.  28 of these services have reopened since June 29.  Usually 60% of services close in the months of July and August.  As of 27 July 2020, nationally 85% of the services which were open in July 2019 have reopened since they were permitted to do so on 29...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department does not record data in relation to the number of services providing early years care to children aged under one year. If parents are experiencing difficulty securing a place for their child, they can contact their local County Childcare Committee (CCC) who can advise them on all childcare options in their locality.  A list of all CCCs can be found on myccc.ie

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise the importance of the early learning and childcare sector for children’s positive development and in terms of supporting the economy to return to normal. On 25 July I announced a package of measures to support the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Care Childcare sector as remaining services reopen in late August/early September. The funding package will enable...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 732 and 733 together. 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, where possible, which restricts interactions between closed...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 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 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 to social...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has carried out research into the intentions of parents and early learning and care (ELC) and school age childcare (SAC) providers to estimate the likely supply and demand for places in the coming months. IPSOS MRBI undertook a survey of households with children from May 22-24, 2020.  Parents/guardians were asked to consider what type of arrangement they...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has, since 2015, administered an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services providers are invited to apply for capital funding to increase capacity and to maintain and improve their services. The 2020 Capital programme was launched on 26 February with a budget of €7.2million. ...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below sets out the number of domestic adoptions applications received and the number of adoption orders granted for the years 2011-2019 and to date in 2020. Year Applications Received Adoption Orders Granted 2011 47 39 2012 92 49 2013 98 116 2014 ...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 738 and 740 together. The data the Deputy refers to was derived from the Independent Review of the Cost of Delivering Childcare in Ireland, which undertaken by Crowe in 2018 on behalf of my Department. The brief included: - analysing the current costs of providing childcare and the factors that impact on these costs; - the development and delivery of a model...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The allocation for Subhead B.3: ECCE and AIM Pre-School Programmes in 2020 is €338.576m, as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2020. This Subhead comprises three distinct expenditure lines in respect of: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, beneficiary elements of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), and the ECCE Programme Support Payments (PSP). The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The recently announced €75 million funding package to support childcare services reopening from June 29 contains four significant elements: - A once-off reopening support payment for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September. - A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September. - Continued access for eligible...