Results 6,101-6,120 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: That is not accurate.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is right that it is good for us to be clear on these things. I accept that there is a challenge for the tourism industry here. I absolutely understand it. We are looking to diversify where we are accommodating displaced persons from Ukraine. That is why we are bringing modular accommodation, vacant homes and the refurbishment of homes into play. That will operate to support...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. It is indicative of the real fears which Ukrainians have that they will make this journey here irrespective of the uncertainty of the accommodation situation they will have when they arrive here. It is indicative of their fears for themselves and for their families that they do so because they are in a wartime situation. There are missiles falling on civilian targets...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for this question. The operational challenges in responding to conflict are very significant and all Departments and agencies contribute to meeting the welfare needs and integration of Ukrainian displaced persons into communities. As a country, we have responded well in assisting those and we will continue to work across Government to do that. As the Deputy will know,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will follow up on the specific issue of the PPS numbers. I have always recognised that the scale of the challenge and increase in international protection, IP, numbers is putting pressure on the system. One cannot have that number of people arrive in a country in a crisis situation without pressures. There will be times when the system will not work as quickly as it should. I understand...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is nothing that the Deputy has said there that I can disagree with. I am happy to look into that and to see what we can do to expedite the process in that particular situation. Following up on this issue, and I do not need to tell the Deputy this, but the reason we are under pressure is because of the scale of the war and of its ongoing nature. Many of us in this House thought that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Ukraine War (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand that the Deputy is not. I will follow up on the specific point of the PPS numbers raised by the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Together for Better is the new funding model that supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good. It was recommended by an expert group, adopted by the Government, and has been widely welcomed by representative groups advocating for parents, children, the workforce and providers. To date, 93% of providers - well over 4,100 - have signed up. Of those, 984 are in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: We are up to 85% takeup of core funding now in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. That is continuing to grow, which is very positive. I know that is still slightly below the national level, but it is still a very significant level of takeup. The Deputy spoke to the disruption to parents and to children's learning from these closures. Again, I just do not believe they are necessary. I am always...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is a diverse sector and we want to continue that diversity. That is why we are looking to put the ECCE programme on a statutory basis. That way there will continue to be a strong role for ECCE-only providers because that is what some parents want. In respect of the slightly lower sign-up rate in the Deputy's area, and indeed in my area, ultimately, many of the providers remain in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is indeed a good follow-up. In budget 2023, I introduced major reforms to the national childcare scheme, NCS, which will substantially improve the affordability of early learning and childcare for families. I secured additional funding of €121 million to be allocated to the NCS from 1 January of next year in order that all families accessing registered early learning and childcare...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: That is a fair question. They will feel it in January. That is when the NCS changes will come in. There was some discussion on whether we should phase them in and go from 50 cent to €1 in January and a bit more later on, but the whole thing is coming in from January. That is good for parents in that they will get the immediate benefit of what is on average a cut of 25% from January...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I believe some providers held off. Originally, we had an 89% national takeup. That is now up to 93%. As Deputy Richmond pointed out it was originally 81% in our constituency and now is up to 85%. That is marginal but it is moving in the right direction. This is just year 1 of core funding. Originally for year 1, when budget 2022 was announced, we had €207 million for core...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Law Cases (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Durkan. As the Minister with responsibility for children, I am committed to upholding the best interests of the child in all situations. As the Deputy knows, Ireland held the presidency of the Council of Europe this year. One of the priorities chosen for the Irish Presidency was the theme of Hear our Voices and a particular focus on youth engagement. As part of this, I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Law Cases (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise Deputy Durkan's own interest in and commitment to this issue. We have discussed it before. There is a real opportunity now due to the work the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, is doing on the family courts. There are two elements to that. There is the physical element whereby family law cases should not take place in the normal District Court alongside licence renewals...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Law Cases (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As Deputy Durkan knows, I cannot speak to the details of the specific cases and he is not asking me to do so. We had that very useful conference in terms of the best interests of the child principle. In particular, that was very relevant because the conference was about using that principle in the types of cases the Deputy is talking about. Tusla, my Department and the Ombudsman for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Asylum Seekers (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy is aware following our earlier discussions, we are working with HIQA to implement the commitment for HIQA to monitor International Protection Accommodation Service, IPAS, centres against national standards adopted in 2019 and in effect since the beginning of 2021. Planning is well advanced on this process. Detailed work is being undertaken by my Department, in consultation...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Asylum Seekers (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My understanding is that all staff working in centres should be Garda vetted but I will come back to the Deputy on that because I do not want to say something on the record that I cannot 100% stand over. We do not know how many HIQA pilot inspections are planned to take place. Again, these pilot inspections are to give HIQA an understanding, once it rolls out the full scheme of inspections...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Asylum Seekers (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There have been assaults in international protection centres and when there is an assault, my Department would be notified. Obviously, it is initially a matter for the Garda. If someone under the age of 18 is involved, either as a victim or a perpetrator, then Tusla would be involved as well. In terms of the question about child protection, again, it is my understanding that child...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (17 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76, 110, 121 and 124 together. The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to opening the national childcare scheme to childminders at the earliest possible opportunity, although it will be necessary first to develop and introduce childminder-specific regulations and to give childminders adequate time and support to meet regulatory...