Results 2,961-2,980 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Improving early learning and childcare affordability for parents is a key priority for me, along with increasing quality and accessibility for children and ensuring that providers can operate sustainably and that their employees can benefit from improved pay and conditions. Early Learning and Childcare is a public good with benefits across society, as have become even more evident in the...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date. The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The inspection report to which the Deputy refers was published on the former Reception and Integration Agency website, www.ria.gov.ie. The RIA website was replaced by a dedicated International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) website in August 2021. Unfortunately, the published inspection report was not migrated to the new IPAS website, part of the gov.ie portal. This has now been...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department operates the Play and Recreation Capital grant scheme, which provides funding, via Local Authorities, 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. Under this scheme, each of the 31 Local Authorities can make one application...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: In 2018 Ireland committed to receiving 36 separated children seeking international protection (unaccompanied minors) from Greece under the European Union Relief Projects. Of that 36 I can confirm that there are now 34 separated children in Ireland from Greece with the further remaining two due to arrive in the coming weeks. Their arrival had been delayed by the additional challenges...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Section 26 of the Childcare Support Act 2018provides for a review of the operation of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) to commence 12 months after the first payment of subsidies under the scheme. The 12 month review, which commenced at the end of March 2021, is an independent assessment of the implementation and impacts of the NCS during its first year of operation. Primary evidence...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Earlier this year, I published A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service. Since then my Department has taken a series of steps to implement these reforms. A staff team has been established in my Department to lead the transition to the new model and has developed a detailed implementation plan. I have established a Programme Board...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Since its formation, this Government has made clear that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a priority. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to investigate the provision of paid leave and social protection provision to victims of domestic violence with a view to establishing a statutory entitlement to paid domestic violence leave. My Department is...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The 12 month review of the National Childcare Scheme, as required under Section 26 of the Childcare Support Act 2018, commenced at the end of March 2021. It is an independent assessment of the implementation and impacts of NCS during its first year of operation and will provide key data and information to support the future development of the NCS. The report is in the final stages of...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 314 together. Since 2017, the ‘Migrant Integration Strategy (MIS) – A Blueprint for the Future’ has been the central policy framework adopted by Government to promote the integration of all migrants who are legally residing in the State. Coordinated by my Department, the Strategy envisages a whole-of-government approach to enhance...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165, 305 and 306 together. The Child and Family Agency (Tusla), is the dedicated State agency responsible for improving child welfare and protection outcomes for children. Tusla is committed to promoting safe practice in all areas of alternative care, including residential care and foster care. Safe practice is defined as the implementation of appropriate...

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

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) service providers are invited to apply for capital funding, to maintain and improve their services. In 2021 I secured €10.5 million in Capital Funding for ELC and SAC childcare services. The objective of the first round of grants...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Many children with disabilities, including autism, take part in mainstream early learning and care services. Participation of children with disabilities in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) universal pre-school programme in mainstream early learning and care services is supported by the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), which is delivered by my Department. The key objective of AIM...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The amount provided in 2020 and 2021 to youth capital projects; and the amount of the allocation that was drawn down for 2020 and 2021 (to date) is provided in the table below. Youth Capital 2020 2021 Allocation €1,950,000 €3,000,000 Draw down €2,379,650 €2,328,650 The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Rights of People with Disabilities (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2018. This marked an important milestone in a process to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland that has gathered momentum since Ireland became a signatory to the Convention in 2007. The approach being taken to meeting the obligations of the UNCRPD is one of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: 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 Annual Early Years Sector Profile. In the most recent...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There has been a significant expansion in the provision of family leaves in recent years, with the introduction of paid parent's leave through the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 and its extension to five weeks this year with the Family Leaves and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021; as well as extensions to unpaid parental leave through the Parental Leave Amendment Act 2019 to 26 weeks per...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Paternity Leave (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 (as amended), an employee who is a relevant parent in relation to a child is entitled to 2 weeks paid paternity leave to be taken in the first 6 months after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. A relevant parent in relation to a child means a person, other than the mother, who is the father of the child, the partner (spouse, civil...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: First 5 was published in November 2018. The strategy focuses on the period of early childhood and takes a joined-up, cross-government approach to supporting babies, young children and their families during their early years. The Implementation Plan, published in May 2019, covers the first phase of the ten year plan and identifies key milestones for each action across 2019, 2020 and 2021....