Results 7,381-7,400 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In September 2022, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers. Together for Better, the new funding model comprised of the Early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to develop new, childminder-specific, regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home environment and the family setting in which childminders work. This is a necessary step in enabling non-relative childminders to register with Tusla and take part in the National Childcare Scheme, thus allowing parents who use...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to extending regulation and supports to paid, non-relative childminders who work in their own homes over the coming years. The National Action Plan sets out a phased approach with a preparatory phase followed by an extended transition phase, to allow childminders a lead-in time for any requirements. This supportive, phased transition...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Children who are with their families in emergency homeless accommodation are in the care of their parents or guardians, who have the primary responsibility for their protection. Homelessness as part of a family group is not, of itself, a basis for making a report to Tusla. Some children who are homeless as part of a family group may be referred to Tusla due to other child protection or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Human Trafficking (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The International Protection Office, An Garda Síochána or the Border Management Unit contact Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, when separated children seeking international protection or unaccompanied minors arrive at an Irish port,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department successfully secured €70 million under the revised National Development Plan (NDP) allocation for the Building Blocks Capital Programme, designed to meet current and long-term Early Learning and Childcare infrastructure needs. The Building Blocks Capital Programme includes three Pillars: - An Improvement Grant to improve energy efficiency standards, while also supporting...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As of the end of 2022 approximately 89% of children in care were being cared for by foster carers. While this record compares favorably internationally, I am aware that there is an ongoing difficulty in maintaining the number of foster carers in Ireland in line with demand for these placements. I am aware that while the overall number of children in care has decreased by 621, or by 9.7%...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: At the end of February 2023, there were 5,060 people with status (PWS) living in accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS). International Protection applicants (IPAs) who have been granted an international protection status or a permission to remain have the same access to housing supports and services as Irish and EEA nationals. There are a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I firmly believe the level of pay for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners should reflect the value of their work for children, families, society and the economy. The State is not the employer and therefore does not set the pay or conditions for employees in either early learning and care (ELC) or school-age childcare (SAC) services. However, there is now,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Last October the Government made an Order, under the Institutional Burials Act 2022, to direct the establishment of an independent Office to lead an intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co. Galway. The making of the Order followed on from Resolutions in the Dáil and Seanad in September approving the draft Order that was agreed by Government in July....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for her question and I am pleased to report progress on the development of the national Barnahus model of service for children who have experienced sexual abuse and their families. The Icelandic Barnahus model is a child-friendly, interdisciplinary and multiagency model of service that brings child protection, policing, medical, therapeutic and forensic services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child Care Act 1991 is the primary piece of legislation regulating child care (alternative care) and child protection policy in Ireland. The 1991 Act is a wide-ranging piece of legislation, which, at its core, seeks to promote the welfare of children who may not be receiving adequate care and protection. The Act covers the following main areas: 1. Promotion of the welfare of children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance, which is a payment to meet the needs of the child in their care. The foster care allowance is currently €325 per week for a child under 12 years of age and €352 per week for a child aged 12 years and over. The allowance is not considered as means for social welfare purposes, and is not subject to tax. Enhanced and additional allowances...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this relates to data collected by Tusla, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: A comprehensive public consultation on the review of the Regulations governing early learning and care took place between March and October 2022. This review primarily focused on enforcement powers of the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate, the independent statutory regulator for the sector. However, the Department also took the opportunity to undertake a wider but limited examination of lessons...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Gender Equality (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 8 March 2023 the Government announced the intention to hold a referendum on gender equality as recommended by the Citizens’ Assembly and the Special Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality. The decision to hold one or more referendums on this issue is in line with the Programme for Government commitment to respond to each recommendation of the Citizens’ Assembly on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The safety and protection of children remains the first priority of Government in early learning and childcare. Central to achieving this is enforcement of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 ("the ELC Regulations") and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018 ("the SAC Regulations"), which have children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The new policy framework for children and young people (0-24), covering the period 2023-2028, is expected to be published by the middle of this year. Last year, my Department published a Blueprint of the framework, setting out the approach which will focus on realising children and young people's rights, strongly aligned to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In October, my...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 29th March 2022 Government accepted the findings of the independent Review of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) Operating Model in Ireland that a dedicated state agency is the optimal operating model for the sector for the years ahead. A dedicated state agency will assist in the development of a more streamlined structure to better support the delivery of ELC...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Gender Equality (30 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department leads on cross-government policy to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2021 has provided us with a whole-of-Government framework through which women’s empowerment continues to be advanced. While initially due to conclude in 2020, the Strategy was extended in recognition of the impact of the...