Results 4,101-4,120 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In the first instance I would like to acknowledge the negative impact that Covid-19 has had on all our people both young and old. I would also like to commend our children and young people for the way they have dealt with the impact of the pandemic on their lives. The loss of social outlets during lockdowns has been felt across our society and my Department has put a number of measures in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended), working parents are entitled to five weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, as defined in the legislation, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Provision has been made in Budget 2022 to increase the number of weeks of Parent’s Leave and Benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides family support services both directly and by commissioning family support services through its community and voluntary sector partners. In 2021, funding of €2,563,709.57 was provided to 19 family support services in the Tusla Louth Meath area. These 19 organisations are: 1. Cox's Demense Youth & Community Project 2. Crann Support...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As set out in A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service, my department is currently working on implementing a new model of accommodation and supports for International Protection applicants. Under the new model, an applicant for International Protection will initially be accommodated in one of six new Integration and Reception...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Support Services (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides early intervention and family support services, through both internal Tusla family support provision and the commissioning of services through its community and voluntary sector partners. Under the Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme, 121 Child and Family Support Networks (CFSNs) have been set up across the country. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Proposed Legislation (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to end the practice of conversion therapy, an objective I strongly support. In addition, the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018 – 2021 contains a commitment to prohibit the promotion or practice of conversion therapy by health professionals in Ireland, and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019 - 2022 commits to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Homeless Accommodation (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The primary responsibility for housing and managing homelessness lies with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the local authorities. This responsibility includes the accommodation needs of young persons leaving all forms of State care. Policy responsibility for homeless young people, insofar as it extends to my Department, relates to children under 18 and any...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Significant steps are being taken to support families with the costs of early learning and childcare. The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is currently supporting thousands of families to offset these costs. A recent review of the NCS showed that: - 38% of families reported that half or more of their early learning and childcare costs were covered by the NCS; - 56% reported that they had more...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Communities Integration Fund arises from Action 51 of the Migrant Integration Strategy, which calls for funding to be made available to local communities throughout Ireland to promote the integration of migrants and refugees. Since its inception in 2017, the Communities Integration Fund has supported local communities nationwide with grant funding totalling €2.76m. Now in its...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since its formation, this Government has made it clear that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a key priority. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to investigate the provision of paid leave and social protection provision to victims of domestic violence. The issue of domestic violence leave has been researched by officials in the Department of Children,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is currently offering accommodation to Ukrainian refugees who need accommodation. The situation remains fluid, with initial accommodation being offered via hotels and similar facilities. It is envisaged that people will move from these settings as more suitable accommodation comes on stream. As this time, a county-by-county is not available. However, I...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme represents the first ever statutory entitlement to financial support for early learning and childcare. The scheme is designed so that those on lowest incomes receive the greatest support. Where parents are not engaged in work or study, the NCS subsidises up to 20 hours per week. Where parents are engaged in work or study, the NCS subsidises up to 45 hours of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) provides a framework for action on Traveller and Roma issues. It represents a whole of Government approach and brings Government Departments and Agencies together with representatives of Traveller and Roma communities to focus on key issues in a structured. I chair the NTRIS Steering Committee. My Department has an important...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Survivors Memorial (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The establishment of a National Memorial and Records Centre is a core commitment in the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The National Centre will stand as a National Memorial in honour of those who were resident in Mother and Baby Homes, County Homes, Industrial Schools, Magdalene Laundries and related institutions. This...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) 2017-2022 is one of two whole-of-government strategies in place, which include important measures to support people with disabilities in all aspects of their lives. The other is the Comprehensive Employment Strategy. Acknowledging the importance of whole-of-government action on disability issues, it is planned that there will be a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: ECCE provides universal, free pre-school to children in the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. ECCE is not mandatory but is a very popular scheme, with 95% of children in the eligible age cohort attending ECCE services. The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand that I will receive a draft National Action Plan Against Racism from the independent Anti-Racism Committee in the next few weeks. The National Anti-Racism Committee was established by Government in 2020 to develop a National Action Plan Against Racism. The publication of the Action Plan, when completed and adopted by Government, will fulfil a key commitment within the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As you may know, the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established in 2015. Since then to the end of 2021, a total of 3,320 people have been brought in through IRPP. 404 Afghans were brought to Ireland under IRPP in 2021 and 48 Afghans and 3 Libyans in 2022. Due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine it is difficult to estimate when the next group of refugees from Jordan and Lebanon...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has developed a comprehensive action plan to respond to the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) needs of Ukrainian children and their families. Key actions include: - Facilitating access to my Department’s funding schemes – the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) - Identifying ELC places available locally...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-Agency issue coordinated by the Department of Justice. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides supports for victims of domestic violence primarily through funded NGO service providers. In 2021, Tusla allocated €28m in core funding for DSGBV services plus €2m in...