Results 5,601-5,620 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (4 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department has secured a landmark €1.025 billion in funding under Budget 2023 for early learning and childcare. This includes additional funding of €121m for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) which has been allocated to reduce average parental co-payments for early learning and childcare by 25%. From 2 January 2023, all families accessing registered early learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Care Services (4 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 491, 492 and 496 together. As Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth I value highly the work of the community and voluntary sector across the country that provide services to and on behalf of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I am conscious of the extremely positive impact these organisations have on improving outcomes for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Public Sector Pay (4 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 493 and 494 together. Section 56(14) of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 stipulates that 'an arrangement under this section shall not give rise to an employment relationship between a service provider, its employees or agents on the one hand and the Agency on the other'. Therefore, Section 56 agencies are ultimately responsible for the recruitment of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Public Sector Pay (4 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under Sections 56-59 of the Child Care Act, 2013 Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, funds service providers and Community and Voluntary sector bodies to deliver services on its behalf. The service providers operate independently of Tusla and are responsible for the recruitment of employees and the terms and conditions under which they are employed. Section 39 agencies refers to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (4 Oct 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: Parental Leave (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There have been significant advances in the provision of family leaves in recent years. Parental leave is one of a range of measures supporting parents to reconcile family and working life. Under the Parental Leave Act 1998 (as amended) an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the sense of urgency surrounding the establishment of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme and I am focused on delivering the Scheme as soon as possible. It is my intention to bring the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill to Government seeking publication and presentation to the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming weeks. I referred the Bill to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 sets out a plan for extending State support and regulation to childminding on a phased basis over the coming years. The overall objective of the Action Plan is to improve access to high quality and affordable early learning and care and school-age childcare through childminding. A key objective of the National Action Plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the National Childcare Scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered providers are eligible to participate. This limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered providers helps to ensure that public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision. Childminders who are currently minding...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has introduced a blended working policy which provides for staff to apply for blended working. Under this policy staff are required to attend the office 2 days per week, as agreed with head of unit and remote working is not available on a 100% basis. One employee, who has been approved for blended working has identified a designated remote workstation in Co Clare.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Many children with disabilities, including autism, take part in mainstream early learning and care services. Participation of children with disabilities in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) universal pre-school programme in mainstream early learning and care services is supported by the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM). The key objective of AIM is to support early learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to thank the Deputy for her question, and can confirm that I have referred the matter to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for their direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Health Act 2007 established the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and the Office of the Chief Inspector of Social Services. HIQA, set up by the Department of Health and independent in its functions, was established to drive high-quality and safe care for people using health and social care services in Ireland. In relation to my Department, HIQA is authorised, under Section...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together. The Department has secured a landmark €1.025 billion in funding under Budget 2023 for early learning and childcare. This includes additional funding of €121m for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) which has been allocated to reduce average parental co-payments for early learning and childcare by 25%. From 2 January 2023,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Human Rights (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the recent UN statement and I would like to reassure the Deputy that the Government takes its responsibility to investigate and address historic wrongs and allegations of human rights abuses very seriously. Since 1999, Ireland has undertaken investigations into allegations of abuse in several institutional settings. These investigations have sought to establish the facts...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: 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: Mental Health Services (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is a matter more appropriate for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can inform the Deputy that my Department has no contracts with the company referred to nor is there a record of any such contracts or subcontracts since 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Public Sector Pay (5 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, I value highly the work of the community and voluntary sector across the country that provide services to and on behalf of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I am conscious of the extremely positive impact these organisations have on improving outcomes for children, young people and families all over Ireland. The...