Results 5,361-5,380 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child Care Act 1991 (‘the Act’) is the statutory framework for child welfare and protection in Ireland. The legislation places a statutory duty on Tusla to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. It sets the legislative provisions in relation to taking children into care, and the responsibilities of the Sate in that regard, which...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla has stated that at the end of April 2022, there were 5,869 children in care and of these 5,246 (89%) were in foster care. Of the 5,246 children in foster care, 3,737 (71%) were in general foster care and 1,509 (29%) were in relative foster care. Tusla has advised that data is not collated on the length of time these children were in foster care. Tusla has further advised that at the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Children are placed in the care of Tusla when their care needs cannot be met in the home setting, for a variety of reasons. Tusla has stated that when a young person needs to come into the care of Tusla an individual assessment of need, care plan and pre-placement risk assessment is carried out and put in place to ensure that the child’s needs are best met in the most appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 to 267, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I can confirm that the matter has been referred to Tusla, for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Safety (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The issue that the Deputy has raised is one which is relevant to both my Department and the Department of Justice. My Department has policy responsibility for public law child care proceedings and the Department of Justice has responsibility for private family law proceedings, which include proceedings relating to separation, divorce and child custody cases. In terms of public law child...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Guardians Ad Litem (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Currently, guardians ad litem, or GALs, are appointed by the court for children who are the subject of child care proceedings under the Child Care Act 1991. The GAL has an important role in that they are required to ascertain the views of the child and communicate these to the court. They are also required to make recommendations to the court as to what is in the best interests of the child....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (7 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. There is an obligation by law that Tusla is independent in its work. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Senators will be aware that this is an omnibus Bill. It is part of the cross-Government domestic response to the crisis in Ukraine with legislation covering my Department and measures related to the work of the Department of Justice and the Department of Transport. The Bill also addresses matters relating to the Stardust inquiry. I thank Senators for facilitating this time-sensitive...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank all of the Senators for their contributions. As this is a miscellaneous provisions Bill, we are dealing with a number of important matters and one incredibly sensitive matter. I thank all Senators, in terms of the Stardust tragedy and our efforts, albeit belated, as a State to provide justice to those who died and provide justice to their family members, for their contributions....

Confidence in Government: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has said, Ireland has been profoundly challenged over the past two years with the global pandemic, a war in Europe and a once-in-a-generation spike in inflation. This Government has managed those enormous challenges and at the same time has delivered new and reforming policies that improve life for people and families across this country. It is on...

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on the European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to accept the following measure: Proposal for a Regulation...

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank all Members for their engagement on, and their contributions, to this issue. I wish to take a few moments to restate the benefits of opting into these amendments to the AMIF programme. The fund will help to support a broad range of programmes in the area of asylum, migration and integration in Ireland and the State's response to the Ukraine crisis. It is my intention to build on...

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the committee members, and particularly the chair, Senator Flynn, for their comprehensive report which raises many key issues and makes a number of really important recommendations which will require work across all Departments and agencies of the State. Travellers in Ireland have faced, and continue to face, systemic racism. I will take this opportunity to reaffirm my commitment...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: During 2021, €70m was secured in the revised National Development Plan (NDP) allocation for ELC and SAC. 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 / Innovation Initiatives. Some €10m will be made available in 2023 for a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Qualifications (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, all staff working directly with children in a pre-school service must hold at least a Level 5 major award in early childhood care and education on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or a qualification that the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has deemed to be equivalent. My...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: First of all, I would like to assure you that the health and well-being of all people who avail of accommodation provided by this Department is of the highest priority to myself and my officials.All persons accommodated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) are provided with fully catered or independent living accommodation and the same IPAS supports whether they have a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is aware of the concerns raised and is considering the issues raised in the correspondence and will issue a response in due course. I will also be requesting that my officials meet with the corresponding organisation to discuss the matters further. The review which the correspondent references noted the considerable success of the NCS in reaching those most in need. As the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 660 to 662, inclusive, together. My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: When first introduced, the ECCE programme was delivered over 38 weeks in a given ECCE programme year and children were required to be between the ages of 3 years and 2 months and 4 years and 7 months in September in the year they enrolled. ECCE now provides for 72 weeks over two years. To enable this, a child must now have turned 2 years and 8 months on or before the 31st August of a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (12 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is not providing any funds for the civil cases that the organisation referred to by the Deputy is defending in the courts. Civil cases and their disposition are a matter for the organisation concerned. Funding from my Department is made available to the organisation in question through a structured grant scheme established to support the delivery of youth services. It is the...