Results 281-300 of 11,700 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Attendance (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am happy to confirm that. We double-checked that with Tusla and TESS today in advance of addressing the Deputy’s question. Where an absence is explained due to a Covid-related reason, that will not count towards the 20 days. The Deputy is correct that parents are nervous as this is such a different environment but when one looks at how the education and welfare service worked over...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Attendance (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is a common sense approach. We are carrying out the September audit of who is attending because research undertaken by my Department over the past number of months has shown that there is a real potential for impact of the three and half months spent out-of-school on children generally but, particularly, on children with special educational needs and from disadvantaged backgrounds....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. First, I commend the early learning and childcare sector on the fact that 94% of services that normally open during the summer, did so again this year. This is despite the very many challenges Covid-19 created. Our preliminary information is that the level of term-time services reopening over the past two weeks is also extremely high. This involved a major...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. On the point about testing, I will continue to engage with the acting Chief Medical Officer and the HSE. Again, I am working in the context of NPHET advice and that objective to increase the general level of testing but also to get the response in the tracing time down as quickly as possible. The statistics out today show that, certainly in the past week, we are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. We are all aware of the high turnover in that sector and statistics released yesterday highlighted that. I know they are for 2015 but, nonetheless, they are concerning as regards the overall sector. This is probably one element of creating the uncertainty that exists in the sector. We are undertaking a workforce development plan and, as the Deputy said, greater...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: That is the sting in the tail but it is the context in which we know we are all operating. It is to ensure that we have those solid protections for childcare professionals who, as we have seen over the summer, have gone above and beyond to get childcare reopened during that period.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Years Sector (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I greatly appreciate the anxiety of parents who seek an overage exemption from the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme for their child. Overage exemptions for ECCE are provided by my Department and are governed by three guiding principles: first, a specialist has recommended the additional time in ECCE; second, the child will not reach six years of age before beginning primary...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Years Sector (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. On the origin of the exemption, when the ECCE programme was just a one-year programme there were certain children who, because of their particular needs, would not have been able to avail of the full five days so they ended up taking three. We allowed them to take it then over two years. I believe that is the origin of the two-year rule in that particular situation but...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Years Sector (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is always welcome to send on representations. I will try to process them as quickly as possible. I know from examining representations I have received from various Deputies that we give a significant number of exemptions. Even in the short time I have been in my role, I have given a significant number of them. I am sorry if the Deputy's name has not been on those...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I am sure he will recall the general scheme of a Bill to give effect to a phased forensic standard excavation at the site of the former mother and baby home in Tuam. It lapsed earlier this year prior to formal pre-legislative scrutiny. It is my intention to seek Cabinet approval to reintroduce this legislation. Following that approval, I will be seeking for the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for that. A significant number of people live in very close proximity to the site. I have not yet visited it. I will be visiting it. I hope to do so soon. I understand there are houses and gardens backing directly onto the site. I can only imagine how the attention, controversy and genuine sadness associated with the site have affected them. I am open to the Deputy's...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I spoke to the former Minister, Dr. Zappone, a couple of weeks after taking on my role and we talked through some of the key challenges facing me as the new Minister. Dr. Zappone spoke specifically about her visits. I believe she made a number of visits to Tuam. She spoke about the impact on her and advised me to visit. I have also spoken to Catherine Corless and her family. She, too,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I am acutely aware of the importance of the commission of investigation and of how much the report is anticipated by the former residents and their families. The commission's final report is due to be submitted to me by 30 October 2020. It is important to understand that when the commission submits its final report to me, I will have to address a number of procedural...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I fully agree with the Deputy. In fairness to the commission of investigation, we are all aware that a chunk of our lives was missed this year and that has caused difficulties and delays for everyone in every context. I do not want to make comparisons because I do not want to minimise the issue we are discussing. However, everyone's lives were delayed and that is the context here. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy makes a fair point. My Department has a network of people it communicates with on all issues to do with the mother and baby homes commission of investigation, and we will use that network. However, the Deputy is correct that we will need a clear communications approach as regards the publication of this report. I remember when the Saville inquiry in London published its final...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Attendance (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Tusla Education Support Service, TESS, operates under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. It emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three key strands, namely, the statutory educational welfare service, the home school community liaison scheme and the school completion programme. I recognise that returning to school is challenging for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Attendance (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy raised a number of points, one of which is related to the number of social workers in Tusla. We have questions coming up on that issue later when we will talk about increasing the number of social workers. 5 o’clock Based on how the legislation is being implemented I believe the Tusla staff and those in TESS are very much focused on that element of support and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Attendance (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy's point on technology is important. Tusla has been recognised across Europe as being one of the social worker agencies that was quickest to move to work online during the Covid pandemic. I wish to recognise the work Tusla has done there. The Deputy may not be aware that TESS is moving out of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and moving over to the Department of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Attendance (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: In the future this matter will be addressed by the Department of Education and Skills.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: After-School Support Services (8 Sep 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 53 together. I thank Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan for his question. There is a large demand for high-quality, accessible and affordable school-age childcare services. This demand is seen in all areas of the country, including in my constituency and I have no doubt in Cork city. To help meet this demand, the programme for Government commits to...