Results 5,781-5,800 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department provides grant funding to support a range of youth services which are delivered by voluntary youth organisations and carried out by both paid youth workers and volunteers. My Department has no role in the setting of pay scales or other matters that belong properly to the individual employer. The youth workers involved are employed directly by the organisation in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 147 together. Since publishing A White Paper to end Direct Provision and to Establish a new International Protection Support Servicein February 2021, my Department has placed a significant focus on delivering these reforms. Progress made include: the recruitment of a team dedicated to driving the implementation of the new programme; the establishment...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The First 5 My Little Library initiative offered a book bag with books and resources to every 4 and 5 year old who started school in September. The children received an invitation to participate in the action through their early learning and care settings or special pre-school. The objective of this action was that all children starting school in September 2022 would have storybooks in their...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In July 2021, Minister O’Gorman launched a public consultation process as part of the review of the Equality Acts (Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015) to examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality. The review will examine the operation of the Acts from the perspective of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (13 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (13 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: Disability Services (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 150 together. The transfer of policy, functions and funding responsibility relating to specialist community-based disability services (SCBDS) from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is a very significant transfer of functions, from the perspective of improving services for persons with...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Affordable, accessible, high-quality and sustainable early learning and childcare is a key priority for Government. On 15th September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model will support delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families. Together...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (13 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Funding for the provision of targeted youth services is administered on behalf of my Department by the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB) administer the youth sector funding in County Clare. The additional funding I have secured for LCETB in 2022 includes approved funding of €120,000 in June of this year for a new UBU...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since taking Office I have visited the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam and met with survivors and relatives of those who died while resident in the institution. I carefully considered the issues raised by them in the development of the Institutional Burials Act 2022. The Act, which was signed into law in July 2022, provides the underlying legislative basis for an...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Confidential Committee module was created alongside the Commission's inquisitorial process to allow those with lived experience of the institutions to provide their accounts as informally as possible. Although this was envisaged as a way to allow the truth as survivors wanted it told to emerge, I am mindful that this has not happened for many. I have always recognised the importance of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced the legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting in Ireland. The Act was commenced on 31 May 2022. Regulations have been made under the Act which enable reporting in 2022. The Regulations require organisations with over 250 employees to report on their gender pay gap in 2022. Employers were required to choose a ‘snapshot’...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Community Development Projects (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In light of the good work already done by the hub and Carlow County Council, further capital funding may be available through the Capital Assistance Scheme administered through local authorities on behalf of the Department of Housing. In addition, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre Programme which provides funding support to 121 Family Resource...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since my last announcement on the Little Baby Bundle pilot scheme, my Department has been overseeing a complex procurement process for a Managing Agent to design the bundle, procure its contents, to handle storage and coordinate delivery. The Request for Tenders (RfT) generated significant interest, and tenderers submitted sample bundles as part of the Open Competition. I am happy to say...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151, 156, 158 and 169 together. The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to opening the National Childcare Scheme to childminders at the earliest possible opportunity. Phase 1 of the Action Plan, which began in 2021, is expected to take 2 – 3 years to complete. Phase 1 includes developing new regulations and providing training...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 29th March, Government accepted the findings of the independent Review of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) Operating Model that a dedicated State agency is the optimal operating model for the ELC and SAC sector for the years ahead. It is envisaged that this dedicated agency will undertake the functions currently carried out by Pobal Early Years (including...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of Budget 2023, I announced major reforms to the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) from January 2023, which will substantially improve the affordability of early learning and childcare for families. Additional funding of €121 million has been allocated to the NCS from January 2023 so all families accessing registered early learning and childcare will receive a minimum hourly NCS...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Reviews (13 Oct 2022)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (13 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to end the practice of conversion therapy, an objective I strongly support. In addition, the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018 – 2021 contains a commitment to prohibit the promotion or practice of conversion therapy by health professionals in Ireland, and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019 - 2022 commits to...