Results 4,121-4,140 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: On this issue of pay and conditions, I firmly believe that the level of pay in the sector should reflect the value of the work that early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners do for children, for families, for society and the economy. The most recent available data indicates the average hourly wage for non-managerial staff in the sector in 2021 was €12.60, with many...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Budget 2022 announced the introduction of the new Core Funding stream, the details of which were further articulated in Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare published in December 2021. Core Funding will be available to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers for the 2022/2023 programme year,...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Core Funding is a new supply-side funding stream available to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers from September. It was originally announced in Budget 2022 and is informed by recommendations of an Expert Group to design a new funding model for the sector that were adopted by Government in December. Core Funding marks a new departure in State funding of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 16 November 2021, my Department published an Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Action Plan is a high-level framework to drive, monitor and report on implementation of the 22 wide-ranging measures announced by Government in responding to the needs and concerns of those who spent time in these institutions. Each action...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Partnership for the Public Good, A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) - the report of an independently chaired Expert Group - was adopted in full by Government last December. This sets out a new approach to State funding of the ELC and SAC sector that includes: - A new additional funding stream for the sector, Core Funding, to support quality...

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, 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 Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the National Development Plan 2021 to 2030 my Department secured capital funding which will support capital programmes across the Department including the implementation of a new system of accommodation for International Protection applicants as envisaged under the White Paper to end Direct Provision and establish a new International Protection Support Service along with capital...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: During 2021, my Department successfully secured €70m in the revised National Development Plan (NDP) allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during 2023-2025. Investment under the NDP will consist of three pillars: Modernisation, New Capacity and First 5 Initiatives. This will enable significant capital investment in early...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings in relation to the failings of the State and Religious Congregations, who together ran Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Government believes that all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to Ireland's legacy in relation to these institutions. Following Government...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department will shortly commence work on preparing a Request for Tender (RFT) for the purpose of providing gender-specific accommodation for trafficked women. This will look at the accommodation needs of trafficking women but also how the services that they need can be provided to them. It will take account of their vulnerability and the importance of safeguarding their safety. It is...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Deputy, I can confirm that accommodation is being made available by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department to those Ukrainian nationals who seek international protection in Ireland, should they require it. My officials are continuously working to source further accommodation and supports for Ukrainian arrivals to Ireland through hotel accommodation and...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Community fora are being established in each local authority area as the means of coordinating support from public bodies, community groups and volunteers to support Ukrainian refugees in each county. Their role will be to coordinate the identification of refugee needs and to link them to key services in each local authority area.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy is aware, the Government has worked with the Red Cross on the logistics to put in place a national pledge. The website has been launched and is available online through registerofpledges.redcross.ie. There has already been a remarkable response by the public – already there have been over 20,000 pledges received. The Department is working closely with An Garda...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise that there are no ongoing Commissions of Investigation under the remit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Piloting of a Baby Box initiative for newborns 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 learning...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a dedicated social work team for Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP). Over the past 20 years, the SCSIP Team has developed expertise through Ireland’s participation in International Refugee Protection Programmes and by caring for the greater number of separated children seeking international protection who arrive...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to say that significant progress has been made in fulfilment of the commitment given in the Programme for Government 2020 to establish a youth assembly. The National Youth Assembly of Ireland is now in place to act as a consultative forum on issues such as climate, rural and other important issues, as required. The main function of the National Youth Assembly is to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 28 February 2021, with the dissolution of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, my Department became the data controller for all the personal data contained in the records and databases that transferred from the Commission. My Department is responsible for fulfilling data subject rights, including the right of access to personal data. I am very mindful of the...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to achieving its vision of a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland where people are supported to flourish and to live inclusive, healthy and fulfilling lives, whatever their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics. Ireland’s first National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2022, published in November 2019, is the primary policy...