Results 5,821-5,840 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla has informed me that at the end of July 2022, there were 5,208 children in foster care comprising 89.4% of all children in care (5,826). Of the 5,208 children in foster care, 29% (1,492) were in relative foster care. Both Tusla and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are committed to promoting safe and high quality practice in foster care. This is...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 and 338 together. Children's rights, and their enjoyment of these rights, are of paramount importance to my Department, and indeed across Government. The importance of child-centred policies and protections represent a core value in society where children can flourish and see a brighter future. There is no doubt that we must work towards ensuring this...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331, 333 and 334 together. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the dedicated State agency responsible for supporting and promoting the development, welfare and protection of children. The Child and Family Agency Act 2013 provides that Tusla is independent in the performance of its functions and also places the Agency under a requirement to have regard to...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: At the end of July 2022, there were 5,826 children and young people in the care of the State. Of these, 418 (7.2%) were in Residential Care, and 15 (2.6%) were in secure Special Care. Both Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are committed to promoting safe and high quality practice in all areas of Alternative...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: In terms of my Department's 2022 spending, I am currently seeking additional funding for my Department for 2022 principally to cover the additional costs arising in relation to the Ukraine response and due to the increased numbers of International Protection applicants arriving in the State. In this regard, I am bringing a supplementary estimate to the Dáil which has been agreed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (13 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: Early Childhood Care and Education (12 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: Early School Leavers (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: 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), which is delivered by my Department. The goal of AIM is to create a more inclusive environment in pre-schools, so all children, regardless of ability, can benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for their direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Residential services are provided directly by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and also by Private and Voluntary organisations that have been commissioned to do so by the Agency. Tusla uses a mix of these providers and its own directly provided services in order to maximise the availability of placements that are best suited to meet the needs of individual children and young people. Tusla...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for their direct reply to the Deputy.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. 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 in the universal pre-school programme (ECCE) and the National...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As I have previously indicated, publication of the Collaborative Forum’s report had to await the publication of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation. For this reason, the Forum's recommendations were initially published and a commitment was given to revisit the question of publication of the full report following the completion of the Commission's work in 2021....

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of Autism Awareness Month, in April 2021, I announced the Government’s intention to develop an Autism Innovation Strategy. The aim of the Autism Innovation Strategy is to identify bespoke challenges and barriers faced by Autistic and Neurodivergent people across Ireland and to deliver tangible solutions to address those issues. The strategy will focus on specific areas that...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Given the very significant challenges facing the housing system in Ireland, the Research and Evaluation Unit (REU) in my Department instigated a project to explore children’s experiences of housing and the consequences of housing issues for child development. This research, which is being conducted under the aegis of the Department’s partnership with the Economic and Social...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised) (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the committee for making time available today to consider the Supplementary Estimate for the Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Vote. The Supplementary Estimate is required in respect of a number of subheads across the Vote. Additional funding is required principally to meet the cost pressures occurring due to the extraordinary demands placed on my Department in...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised) (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I very much appreciate his acknowledgement of the work the Department has done on the response to the war in Ukraine. It has been done by the staff, not by me, from the assistant secretaries, one of whom is here today, all the way to clerical officers in Citywest working to help people move around the country. Amazing work has been done by the officials in my...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised) (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. On the higher level, when we are opening new accommodation either for Ukrainians or international protection applicants, we engage with the Department of Education and let it know people will be moving into the area in question. The Department now has a sophisticated scheme for identifying the areas in which there is pressure on school places. We engage...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised) (12 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: First, I recognise the amazing work the community in Clondalkin has done in terms of supporting integration and integrating with people who are in direct provision there. We provide those supports. We have a staff member from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, DRHE, seconded to our Department who works as a key worker for people in international protection to assist them in moving on....