Results 2,741-2,760 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to provide the following information to the Deputy regarding the amount paid in late interest payments and penalty payments by my Department in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, that is, 14 September 2021, in respect of late payments being made to suppliers, service providers and contractors. Year Amount of Late Interest payments Amount...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme is designed to be flexible and accommodating around parents' needs. The Scheme has similary been designed to be flexible in its application process. The online application allows for the parent to complete the process at their own pace at a time that suits them, and parents also have the option of completing a paper application by post. The system caters for...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. Throughout the pandemic, the State has offered significant supports to childcare services across the country, and rightly so. The childcare sector stepped up, particularly last January, and kept services open for the most vulnerable children. The Deputy is right. The expert group on the funding model will report in the coming months and set out how...

Adoption (Information) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I welcome the opportunity to speak to the highly important issue raised in this Bill and I acknowledge Deputies Connolly, Pringle and Joan Collins for bringing it forward. Access to birth information has been to the forefront of my agenda since I became a Minister and bringing forward legislation on this and other matters is a priority for me as a Minister and for this Government. We are...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (16 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised by IPAS officials that every transfer request, including that to which the Deputy refers, and which is currently under consideration, is looked at on its own merits in the context of both the suitability of the current accommodation offering, and the availability of similarly suitable accommodation at the desired location.  However, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A key priority for me as Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is to improve affordability, accessibility and quality of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC). Historically, there have been low levels of investment in ELC in Ireland. Over the past five years however, investment has increased by some 141% and currently stands at €638 million per year. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: In July I met with some of those involved in writing the report, and I welcome the report's findings and proposals. On working conditions and staffing, the report highlights the low wages of those who work in early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services. I firmly believe that their level of pay does not reflect the value of the work practitioners do for children,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The standard to which the Deputy refers, EN 14683, is a medical mask or surgical mask under the Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EEC – class I (for non-sterile medical masks) / Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/745 - class I (for non-sterile medical masks). My Department currently makes disposable masks which conform to the standard E14683 available to DCEDIY staff members. Each...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am strongly committed to the improvement of childcare provision in Ireland under the National Childcare Scheme. This commitment to improvement is underpinned by the current review which gives specific attention to children whose parents are not working or in education or training. The basis for the design of the National Childcare Scheme is provided in the 2016 Policy Paper on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Pre-school services are governed by Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 and by the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. The minimum adult: child ratios for services providing full day care, part-time care and sessional care are set out in the these Regulations. The minimum ratio for children availing of sessional pre-school services in the age category 2.5 years to 6...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Sector (21 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator for raising this issue, which my Department is monitoring on an ongoing basis and through formal reviews. The level of pay in the sector does not reflect the value of the work that early learning and care and school-age childcare practitioners do for children, families, society and our economy. I am doing all that is in my power to address this issue. However, as the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Sector (21 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I hope we can continue to grow the very significant amount of investment the State already puts into childcare. We have to remember that €638 million is going into the sector right now, plus the supports-----

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Sector (21 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: -----we are providing in the context of the employment wage subsidy scheme, in respect of which, as the Senator knows, I was able to negotiate a sector-wide exemption. The Senator is absolutely right, however, that we are not putting enough into childcare as a country. We started investing in childcare only ten years ago. Those countries that the Senator rightly makes a comparison with...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (22 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator for raising this issue, which my Department and I are monitoring on an ongoing basis and through formal reviews. I have met with the Senator and services in her area and I know she is particularly engaged on this issue. The national childcare scheme, NCS, represents the first ever statutory entitlement to financial support for early learning and childcare. It marks a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (22 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Throughout Covid we have supported all services and through the employment wage subsidy scheme we have also had a specific sustainability fund for services facing issues due to Covid or due to unintended consequences of some parts of the national childcare scheme. This fund has been providing additional supports to some services, particularly in areas of disadvantage. The State puts a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (22 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Acting Chair. I appreciate it.

Seanad: Child and Family Agency (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of this important legislation. The purpose of this Bill is to give full effect to the Taoiseach's announcement on 27 June 2020 that education and welfare functions would return to the Department of Education. These functions, namely, the functions vested in me, or under the Education Welfare Act 2000, and the administrative...

Seanad: Child and Family Agency (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators for their contributions to this debate. I am pleased to hear the broad cross-party and cross-group welcome for the Bill in principle. I listened carefully to what the speakers said and I will consider some of the issues they raised. I will respond to a few of the Senators now. The day-to-day responsibility for these services has been moved to the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (21 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla is the independent statutory regulator of early years services in Ireland. The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate promotes and monitors the safety and quality of care and support of children in Tusla registered early years services in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. New applicants who wish to register a new early learning and care...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: After-School Support Services (21 Sep 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 420 and 438 to 440, inclusive, together. The National Childcare Scheme provides financial support to help parents to meet the cost of childcare and to support better outcomes for children. The schemes objectives are to promote (i) a reduction in child poverty, (ii) positive child development outcomes, (iii) labour market activation and (iv) improved...