Results 5,081-5,100 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (15 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis. The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: First 5 sets out a commitment to increase State spending on Early Learning and Childcare to at least €1bn by 2028. Already, more than 100,000 children avail of the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) programme, a universal two-year pre-school programme available free to all children within the eligible age range. In addition, the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department funds Tusla registered early learning and childcare services to provide a number of Early Learning and Care schemes to eligible children. The level of care that early learning and childcare services provide must be in accordance with their registration with Tusla and in line with planning conditions set out by the Local Authority. While the level of care is determined by their...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Ensuring the availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key priority for me. Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. Every year, more than 100,000 children participate on the universal...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (16 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response. The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant and my Department’s role is focused on the immediate,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Residential Institutions (16 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 29 March, the Government approved high-level proposals for a National Centre for Research and Remembrance. The establishment of the National Centre is a core commitment in the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions; the overarching aim of which is to support the implementation of the 22 commitments made by Government in response to...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm to the Deputy that the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department has a policy on safeguarding residents against domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and harassment which includes reporting structures and procedures for any incidents. This policy has been published on our government website under the policy documents section linked below:...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department operates the Dignity At Work policy - an anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for employees of the Irish Civil Service - which aims to promote respect, dignity, safety, and equality in the workplace for all employees. A key objective of the policy is to provide awareness regarding the steps which individuals may take if they believe that they have been bullied,...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputies referenced three separate areas in their contribution and I will look to address each of them. Amendment No. 1 seeks to repeal section 85(6) of the 2015 Act. Section 85(6) was originally included to qualify and limit the application of advance healthcare directives in the context of pregnancy. As Deputies will be aware, the provisions regarding advance healthcare directives...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As we all know, this is a complex piece of legislation. It is tying into an even fatter piece of legislation that is as complex. The key thing is to make sure that drafting is done in a way that is absolutely compatible with this Bill and the existing Act. That is why it is really important that we have the view of the Parliamentary Counsel on everything we do.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I imagine that, when the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021 is brought forward, it will have to include a provision to ensure it fits in seamlessly with the legislation we are passing today and the 2015 legislation. It is better that it be done that way because the work the Deputy, the committee and the Department are doing on that mental health reform Bill will provide an opportunity to...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland ratified the UNCRPD in 2018. As such, the country is bound by that Government decision to the obligations contained within the convention. However, to do what Deputy Sherlock is proposing would be unusual, and possibly even inappropriate, in that it would require the courts under an individual Act to have regard to all the provisions of the convention when the State has already...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: No. I am sorry if I was unclear.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will address that point. I take what Deputy Ward is saying on board. We have the DSS to support people, engage with those who are becoming intervenors and provide them with guidance and reassurance about how they can do their job well. However, the UNCRPD also requires safeguards in respect of those who have the role of supporting people who have some restriction on their capacity....

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will begin by recalling what the principles in the 2015 Act state on this point. Section 8 contains the guiding principles. Section 8(1) provides: "The principles set out in subsections (2) to (10) shall apply for the purposes of an intervention in respect of a relevant person, and the intervener shall give effect to those principles accordingly." Section 8(2) provides: "It shall be...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I may bring further amendments to section 12. I am advised by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel that, technically, subsection (8) may not be needed to give effect to the provision in terms of the requirement on complaints provisions.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to flag something in terms of sections 18, 23 and 47. I intend to bring forward further Government amendments regarding who can conduct capacity assessments in order to broaden the criteria from medical professional to broader categories of healthcare professionals to be prescribed by regulations. This will reduce costs for the relevant person and allow them to access less formal...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am considering amendments to this section in order to remove references to certain instances where in the original 2015 Act the director had to defer matters to the court. Removing such references would improve administrative processes and reduce costs for people making applications under the legislation.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand the thrust of amendments Nos. 9, 10 and 15, which seek to consider the means of the person and the financial burden imposed when setting fees and charges for co-decision-making and EPA arrangements under the Act. I assure Members that a thorough process was undertaken in regard to the setting of fees and charges under the Act to ensure that the costs would not be prohibitive to...