Results 5,441-5,460 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Education and Training Provision (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equal Opportunities Employment (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked the agencies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child Care (Placement of Children in Foster Care) Regulations, 1995 and the Child Care (Placement of Children with Relatives) Regulations, 1995, stipulates that the allowance payable to foster carers and relatives shall not be less than an amount specified by the Minister. The foster care allowance was last increased on January 1st 2009. Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Support Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla provides a range of family support services both directly and through its commissioned partners. Prevention and early intervention is cost effective. High quality, evidence informed prevention and early intervention services can help to address difficulties such as early school leaving and behavioural problems. Integrated, high-quality services to children and families must be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In December 2021, Government adopted the 25 recommendations contained in an Expert Group report, "Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC)". The new funding model will support delivery of ELC and SAC for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families. To achieve this, there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Funding of the nature described by the Deputy is not available within my Department's youth service's budget. For the past number of years, the annual capital budget available to youth services has been approximately €3 million. Decisions around the allocation of these funds are made based on an assessment of need at a given time. The funding is distributed among 30 national youth...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Rights (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: An Employment Regulation Order (ERO) is an instrument drawn up by a Joint Labour Committee (JLC), adopted by the Labour Court, and given statutory effect by the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail. The ERO fixes minimum rates of pay and conditions of employment for workers in specified business sectors: employers in those sectors are then obliged to pay wage rates and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Services must inform the Department if they close the entire service and they may be given Force Majeure permission to close if the closure is outside of their control, such as power cuts or extreme weather.My Department can, at its discretion, continue to provide funding to services which have closed on Force Majeure grounds. If a service reduces its hours, and is contracted to provide any...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ensuring the availability and affordability of early learning and childcare for parents is a key priority for Government. The Transition Fund is a temporary, once-off scheme to support providers between the end of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme in April and the introduction of the new Core Funding Scheme in September. The primary objective of the Transition Fund is to ensure that fees to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (14 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you for your question, Deputy. As you may be aware, my Department does not comment on individual cases publicly. The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) is continuing to work to support those admitted to Ireland under the Afghan programme to secure accommodation in the community, including through community sponsorship.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Committee Stage (2 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I want to recall what we are trying to do with regard to early life information. The definition provided on page 10 of the Bill sets out the various types of information relating to a relevant person's life from birth to 18 years that are eligible to be released under the legislation. It is not an exhaustive list but it provides clear and consistent guidance on the type of information that...

Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Institutional Burials Act 2022 (Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam) Order 2022: Motion (14 Sep 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I move: That Dáil Éireann: — having regard to the enactment and subsequent commencement of the Institutional Burials Act 2022; and — noting that a draft order to be made by the Government, prepared in accordance with section 7(1) of the Institutional Burials Act 2022, has been duly laid before Dáil Éireann on 26th August, 2022, together with a Statement...

Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Institutional Burials Act 2022 (Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam) Order 2022: Motion (14 Sep 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. They were absolutely right to recognise the pivotal role Catherine Corless has played in this. We would not be here today but for her dogged persistence in highlighting what happened in Tuam. The Deputies are right to credit her with dragging the Irish State to this place today. The passing of this legislation was a lengthy process, one...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Family Law Cases (14 Sep 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this important matter. It is of huge significance to the family involved. I am not aware of any of the circumstances of this case. The question submitted to me related specifically to guardians ad litem, which have a very narrow remit. From what the Deputy has described, I am not sure how much directly covers the situation. The situation raised is a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Family Law Cases (14 Sep 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. Obviously, there are clear lines of responsibilities between me as the Minister and Tusla as the agency that answers to the Department. I cannot direct them to take certain actions but perhaps if the Deputy would communicate some details about this case to me I can ask if agency staff have any concerns about the processes here. This is as much as I can do to intervene....

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Sep 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to introduce this Bill to the House and I look forward to today's debate on this important legislation, which is required to commence the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 in full. That landmark legislation will bring to an end wardship for adults. The State will move away from an outdated and disempowering status approach to persons with capacity difficulties to a...

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Sep 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Senators for their contributions and their support in passing this critical legislation. The move away from wardship is long overdue. It represents a huge step forward in further aligning Ireland with our commitments under the UNCRPD. Senators have spoken very eloquently about how the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act was passed in 2015 and for seven years we have seen no...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (14 Sep 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has implemented a Blended Working Policy which currently requires a minimum of two days attendance onsite as mandatory. This is pro-rated for staff on a reduced working pattern. Formal applications for blended working opened in my Department on 29 August 2022. To date 474 have made requests for blended working. No requests have been denied.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (14 Sep 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is seeking information in relation to the number of persons who have died in the care of the State or while known to child protection services. As this relates to operational matters for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.