Results 4,681-4,700 of 11,745 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: We had a lengthy debate on this matter the last day. I spoke in detail about my concerns regarding amendments Nos. 23 and 24 and the rigidity they would build into the legislation by creating a definition of personal data rather than using one that develops according to the European Convention on Human Rights, ECHR. I also made known my concerns about amendments Nos. 103, 124 and 125. I do...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am. We have been very clear about the GDPR rights that are restricted. They are set out clearly within the legislation, with the minimal possible restriction that is allowed, and Article 15 is not listed among them so I am confident that the SARs can continue to operate without impingement.

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Senator knows, under article 15 the data controller makes an individualised decision. I cannot speak to individualised decisions but I can speak to the fact that there is no provision within this legislation to place limitation on article 15. Article 15 is not one of the GDPR articles that is listed as being limited by this Bill. My understanding is, and it is the intent of the...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I cannot accept these amendments, which seek to add to the list of secondary information sources provided for in the legislation, primarily because they do not define what they are intended to cover with the clarity and specificity required in the legislation. I will draw attention to the secondary information sources currently included in the Bill, which are: the Minister for Children,...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The impression could be given here that religious orders involved in the provision of adoption are not somehow covered. It is important to be absolutely clear here. A registered adoption society and an accredited body are both covered, so any religious institution or organisation that is either an accredited body or a registered adoption society is fully covered by this legislation. I...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: During the discussions on this, including some of the informal consultations my officials and I did, this issue was raised. At the time, we in the Department said we were confident that all institutions that we know to have been involved in adoptions, touching on the issue of illegal birth registrations, were subject to regulation or inspection by a public body and, as such, would be covered...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Senators for their contributions. What we are discussing here gets fundamentally to the centre of what this legislation is trying to achieve, which is that for the very first time in Irish history, adopted people, people who were boarded out and people who were subject to an illegal birth registration would have an automatic right to their full birth, early life care, medical...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Regarding Senator Higgins’s query on the phrase "all relevant records", the manner in which the application form for information will be designed will be clear on the fact that a person seeking information under the legislation may choose certain types of information. We must recognise that some adopted people may wish to do this. It will be as clear as a box that reads, "For all...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Funchion for these two amendments. I will speak to both amendments because they are linked. I thank Deputy Sherlock for his contribution. I am not in a position to support these two amendments. I hope I can clarify why that is. In terms of the amendment No. 1, my concern is that the use of the word "represent" could be interpreted as active representation. This would...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I accept that all amendments have been tabled with good intent and I am responding to them as such. I was not in the previous Dáil. My understanding was there was no reference to party-type rights in the original draft. The Deputy tabled an amendment similar to what she is proposing here. What we have done now is proactively recognise that the issue of party-type rights had been left...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: In response to the crisis in Afghanistan in August 2021, my Department, through the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP), has made approximately 545 programme refugee places available for humanitarian cases from Afghanistan. My Department has co-operated with a wide range of organisations to identify individuals and families whom we could welcome to Ireland under the IRPP. We have...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment that the Government will develop and implement a new National Strategy for Women and Girls, which provides a whole-of-Government framework through which women’s empowerment continues to be advanced. The National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2021 was developed in consultation with stakeholders,...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine on February 24, and the invoking of the Temporary Protection Directive shortly thereafter, my Department has been working intensively as part of the cross-Government response to the Ukraine crisis. My Department is focused on providing short term accommodation to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Approximately 21 000 people have been...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Abuse (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for its direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Abuse (24 May 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for its direct reply to the Deputy.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy as the matter raised is an operational matter for Tusla.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for their direct reply to the Deputy.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I have asked officials in my Department to undertake a review of the Equality Acts (Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015) which will examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality. The review will include the existing Programme for Government commitments on the introduction of a socio-economic...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare (ELC) that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority. Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in ELC has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Prior to September 2018 there were three entry points per year to ECCE (September, January and April) and children had to be at least 3 years old to enter the scheme. This lead to a situation where there was variation in the number of ECCE weeks a child could qualify for, ranging from between 61 and 88 weeks depending on the date of birth of the child; although in reality almost no children...