Results 7,621-7,640 of 11,754 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (10 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158, 160 and 161 together. Thank you Deputy for your questions. This is an important topic and impacts many services being provided on behalf of the State. It is important to recognise, the work that the many and varied bodies you refer to provide, is vital to many families and vulnerable people. I greatly appreciate the work of these community NGOs, often...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mental Health Services (10 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: While youth mental health is the policy responsibility of the Minister for Health, the youth sector has an important role to play in fostering wellbeing and building resilience. Young people need a safe, supportive community environment in order to promote their wellbeing and to fulfil their potential. Funding for youth organisations does not provide for intensive or long term services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Voluntary Sector (10 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In relation to youth services and young people, my Department maintains close contact with 30 national youth organisations which it funds under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. My officials and I meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments or challenges in the youth sector. This provides a forum for organisations to give information on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy is aware, access to suitable accommodation for international protection applicants is severely constrained at present. There are over 500 people seeking protection currently unaccommodated in the State. The number of international protection applicants (IPAs) and Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) arriving in Ireland is expected to remain at elevated levels...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues, and outsourcing of elements of the process to speed up processing and to respond to supplier calls. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and my Department is according this issue very high priority. With regard to the service provider...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Homeless Persons Supports (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Local authorities may provide emergency accommodation to those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It is the role of the housing welfare officers to assess the needs of families and children presenting as homeless and in need of accommodation. Under the Children First Act 2015 and Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, where a child...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 28 February 2021, with the dissolution of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, my Department became the data controller for all the personal data contained in the records and databases that transferred from the Commission. Former residents of Mother and Baby Homes can make a subject access request to my Department under the GDPR for access to their record. I am very...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department operates from a number of building locations including:Block 1 Miesian Plaza, 50 – 58 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin. D02 XW14. (Floors 2 and 3).Montague Court, 7 – 11 Montague Street, Dublin. D02 FT96. (Floors 2 and 3).Citywest, Garter Lane, Saggart, Co. Dublin, D24 KF8A, which is a Ukrainian Refugee Transit Centre.Cleaning services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is prioritising making more timely payments of valid invoices, including providing more resources to address any issues, and outsourcing of elements of the process to speed up processing and to respond to supplier calls.  With regard to the service provider referred to, I am advised that my officials are engaging with this supplier, with a view to regularising the account...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Family Resource Centres are funded by Tusla, from the allocation secured for Tusla by my Department in the annual estimates and budget process. Potential changes in funding are considered and explored through the annual budgetary process.  Tusla administers the Family Resource Centre Programme which provides funding support to 121 FRCs across the country and my Department allocates core...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The reference to S.I. 605/22 - Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No.4) Regulations 2022 in the Department’s Briefing Note referred to in the details of your question was an informational point contained in the 'Context and Overview of Current Accommodation Pressures' category of the Briefing. This information provided context on the the efforts that the Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (17 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has not provided any funding under the per cent for art scheme in each of the past five years to date in 2023.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy and Senators for joining me at the online meeting yesterday. At that meeting I recognised that the information provision timeline was really tight. The reason for that was the need to house people, in light of the fact we have people on the streets at the moment.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise that causes difficulty for the Deputy and elected representatives in terms of the engagement there. I reiterate that I and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, are happy to engage with the delegation of residents to discuss and address some of the issues. I have to be honest; we need to use this accommodation. The accommodation is suitable. I do not want to be putting...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am really not patronising you, Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Bruton for the question. Some €45 million is provided for under the national development plan for capital investment in childcare. It will be available in 2025 and 2026. This summer, we hope to make the call for capital for 2025. That call will be coming out this summer. In terms of the legislation on the childcare agency, a working group is now coming together...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for the question. There is a very close working relationship, in fairness, both at Cabinet level through the Cabinet subcommittee but also in terms of other mechanisms. My Department has a weekly call with the County and City Management Association, CCMA, on which the DRHE is represented, so there is a close working relationship there in terms of providing accommodation...

Accommodation Needs for New Arrivals: Statements (23 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will be sharing time with the Ministers, Deputies Darragh O'Brien and Harris. I will begin by setting out the context in which we are having this debate. Since February 2022, more than 85,000 people have fled to Ireland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war was inflicted on a country that did not seek it and has killed thousands of people. It has triggered the...

Accommodation Needs for New Arrivals: Statements (23 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: They are far-right activists peddling lies about vulnerable people in order to further their own agenda. This has been an increasing theme in the past six months. We have seen the emergence of an insidious thread of racism, xenophobia and unfounded rumours. Misinformation and outright lies have been spread on social media and in communities. There is vilification of men, in particular,...