Results 2,921-2,940 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I am conscious of the need for a significant improvement in the pay and conditions of employment for early learning and childcare professionals. The level of pay they receive does not reflect the value of the work they do for children, families and our wider society. As the Deputy knows, the State is not the employer. We cannot directly determine the wages in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy knows, we have engaged extensively on this with other Deputies in terms of local groups bringing similar issues to my attention. I have worked to put forward short-term solutions. I see the broadening out of the sponsorship element as part of that. If we need to do more to clarify roles, responsibilities and duties I am happy to do so. We are doing that piece of work in our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy says, the issues are affordability for parents, sustainability for services and fair pay and conditions for staff. All that coming together will deliver quality for children, which is what we are trying to achieve. Whether the children are from the most disadvantaged backgrounds or not, quality for children is absolutely essential. We all recognise that this will require very...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended), working parents are entitled to five weeks of paid parents’ leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. The intention of this leave is to enable parents to spend time with their child in the earliest years. It is deliberately non-transferable...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Priorities (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Anti-Racism Committee is an independent Committee established by Government in 2020 to develop a National Action Plan Against Racism. The work of the Committee will help to strengthen the Government’s approach to combatting individual and institutional racism and will build on the anti-racism actions included in the Migrant Integration Strategy (MIS) and the National...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Asylum Seekers (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to confirm the Government’s intention that the accommodation centres operated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), which is part of my Department, will be independently monitored by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for compliance with the National Standards for accommodation offered to people in the protection process. These...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: At the outset, I want to make it very clear that it is my position that is in not acceptable that a survivor has to give their GP's contact details before they get access to their health data on their file from the Commission archive. Since this issue was brought to my Departments attention we have worked hard to resolve it. Currently, underS.I No. 82 of 1989 – Data Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Protection (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm that I am aware of the serious incident regarding a child protection matter which had occurred at the organisation referred to by the Deputy. In response a working group was established under the remit of Tusla’s Director of Services and Integration and a number of safeguarding measures were agreed and implemented within the organisation. In addition, an independent...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Correspondence (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Neither I nor Minister O'Gorman, have yet received the results of the audit the Deputy mentioned but I look forward to reviewing it in due course. Both I and Minister O'Gorman are supportive of all measures that seek to improve the experience of those with disabilities in their everyday lives. I recently lent support to the 'Make Way Day' initiative which asks all members of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domestic Violence (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I appreciate the Deputy’s ongoing interest in relation to Tusla’s Accommodation Review. I know the Deputy is deeply committed to ensuring the safety and care for victims of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. I share the Deputy's concern on this matter. Following my last reply to the Deputy on this question in early July, I am pleased to confirm that the Review has been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy will be aware that, as part of its response to the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation, the Government committed to establishing a Restorative Recognition Scheme for survivors of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. This Scheme will include a financial payment and a form of enhanced medical card. An Interdepartmental Group (IDG) was set up to develop...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 (NAPC) sets out a phased, incremental approach to extending supports and regulation to all non-relative childminders, including enabling childminders to take part in the National Childcare Scheme. The NAPC is a key priority for my Department, and I am keen to move as quickly as possible with implementation. However, the NAPC will...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Direct Provision System (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to confirm the Government’s intention that the accommodation centres operated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), which is part of my Department, will be independently monitored by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for compliance with the National Standards for accommodation offered to people in the protection process. These...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Young people have been severely affected by the restrictions to protect public health during this pandemic. This has been borne out by multiple research reports including “How's Your Head?”, a national consultation commissioned by my Department. This research has informed the Government response across the pandemic. In recognition of the vital role played by youth work in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government commits to establishing a dedicated agency, Childcare Ireland, “to assist in expanding high quality early learning and childcare, best practice and innovation, and professional development in community and private settings, along with developing career paths for early learning and childcare staff, and for expansion of the early years curriculum,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department currently invests €638 million in early learning and childcare, with affordability for parents a key objective of this investment. The major programmes funded by my Department that contribute to affordability include the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). The ECCE Programme provides free access to early learning...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 159 together. I acknowledge that many early learning and childcare services are reporting staffing and recruitment difficulties, with increased pressures as a result of Covid-19. My Department is actively monitoring the issue and has sought data and evidence-based proposals from sectoral representatives. The primary data source for the sector is the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Funding (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) is a cross departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility under the Child and Family Agency Act 2013for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. My Department is working with key stakeholders across Government,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I maintain a close interest in the Bessborough site, and I will continue to engage with survivors and the local authorities in terms of protecting this site. I know from my engagement with survivors that respectful treatment of burial grounds is an issue of huge sensitivity. The grounds of the former mother and baby institution at Bessborough extended originally to around 200 acres. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Medical Cards (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy will be aware that, as part of its response to the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes (and Certain Related Matters), the Government committed to establishing a Restorative Recognition Scheme for survivors of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Scheme will include a financial payment and a form of enhanced medical card. An...