Results 3,741-3,760 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (15 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand that the Childline services is operated by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC). The ISPCC is a registered charity governed by a Board of Directors and operates independently. Accordingly my Department does not have the information sought by the deputy. Information on Childline and the ISPCC is available from their websites. childline.ie/ and ispcc.ie/

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (15 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is authorised by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth under Section 69 of the Child Care Act, 1991 as amended by Section 26 of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011 to inspect services taking care of a child on behalf of the Child and Family Agency (Tusla). This includes non-statutory (i.e. private fostering...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (15 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Assisted Decision-Making (15 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Decision Support Service (DSS), the organisation that will operate the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, will respond to the complex decision-making needs of people with capacity difficulties. To date, the Decision Support Service has made considerable progress in putting in place the administrative and IT systems needed to operate the 2015 Act. As part...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services (15 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on these matters which are more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department provides a range of schemes to support Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) service providers, and to support parents with the cost of ELC and SAC. This table provides the 2022 Allocations for my Department's beneficiary schemes: Beneficiary Scheme 2022 Allocation Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Services (15 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 544 and 545 together. In June 2021, I established the Birth Information and Tracing Implementation Group. This group is led by my Department, and includes representatives from the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Group's focus is on organisational and system readiness to support the provision of services under the...

Mobility and Transport Supports for People with Disabilities: Motion [Private Members] (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Regional Group for this motion, which gives us the opportunity to discuss these important issues. I emphasise, on behalf of the Government, our commitment to support people with disabilities and to the progressive realisation of our UNCRPD commitments. There is a real complexity in the issues discussed. They include issues we are already working on to address so we can improve...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My office is compiling the data requested by the Deputy, and I will respond in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Budget 2022 announced a once-off Transition Fund for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers to be paid in the period between the cessation of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and the introduction of the new Core Funding stream.  Between May and August 2022, ELC and SAC providers will have access to this Transition Fund. The primary conditionality...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The recommendations of an Expert Group to develop a new funding model for early learning and childcare were adopted by Government in December. This marks a new departure in State funding of the sector and is a significant step towards ensuring high-quality, affordable, sustainable and accessible services. The Expert Group report informed the transformative package of measures for the sector...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Core Funding will be allocated to services based on their capacity and the qualifications of those working in a service, with the large majority of Core Funding to be allocated based on capacity.  Capacity is a measure of the places being offered and the number of hours of service being provided. Calculation of the capacity of a service takes into account the regulatory requirements....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: While the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is an initiative of my Department, a Scheme Administrator has been engaged to manage the operation of the Scheme on my Department’s behalf. Pobal acts in this capacity as Scheme Administrator, and makes payments to providers in respect of all children who are in receipt of an NCS subsidy. NCS subsidies can only be paid once an application is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Piloting of a "baby box" initiative for new-borns is an action in the First 5 A Whole-of -Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028. This pilot is one initiative as part of a wide ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five including supports for parents to balance working and caring, developments in early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: A review of the ECCE programme which is due to commence shortly. The review will give an opportunity to providers and parents to express their concerns and will also inform the future development of the programme. The review will also give a range of stakeholders, including providers and parents, offering an opportunity to not only highlight the strengths of the programme as it has...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Many early learning and care and school-age childcare services report staffing and recruitment difficulties, with increased pressures recently as a result of COVID-19. In general, staffing pressures in the sector are caused not by insufficient supply of qualified personnel, but by high levels of staff turnover, compounded more recently by high numbers of COVID-19 cases and individuals...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ensuring improved affordability of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) for parents is a key priority for Government. I am also very conscious of the pressure that ELC and SAC providers are under regarding their operating costs.  As part of Budget 2022, I was pleased to announce that Government investment in ELC and SAC next year will reach €716 million....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department does not provide early learning and care or afterschool services.  Services are required to register with Tulsa and can then apply for funding under various funding schemes administered by my Department.  The National Childcare Scheme, or NCS, provides financial support for many parents to help with childcare costs. The NCS provides universal and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together. The recommendations of an Expert Group on a new funding model for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) were adopted by Government in December. The new funding model marks a new departure in State funding of the sector and is a significant step towards ensuring high-quality, affordable, sustainable and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Feb 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The recommendations of an Expert Group to develop a new funding model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) were adopted by Government in December. This marks a new departure in State funding of the sector and is a significant step towards ensuring high-quality, affordable, sustainable and accessible services. The Expert Group report informed the transformative...