Results 7,881-7,900 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 152 together. In instances where a service has concerns about their sustainability, the first step in obtaining support is for the service to reach out to their local City and County Childcare Committee (CCC). Once a services engages with their local CCC they will be able to avail of supports through the case management process. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and the programme year runs...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (31 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and the programme year runs...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (31 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. The Department monitors early learning and childcare capacity on an ongoing basis, with a particular focus on responding to the unmet early learning and childcare needs of families. The annual data captured by Pobal on behalf of my Department - through the Early Years Sector Profile Survey - is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (31 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are currently more than 4,200 Partner Services participating in Core Funding – representing 95% of all eligible services. These services must operate in line with the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement. Regarding fees, Partner Services must uphold their contractual obligations regarding Fee Management as laid out in this Agreement. In its first year, Partner Services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (31 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I acknowledge that many early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services report staffing difficulties in relation to recruitment and retention. In general, staffing pressures in the sector are caused not by insufficient supply of qualified personnel, but by high levels of staff turnover. However, providers of ELC and SAC are private businesses. As the State does not...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (31 May 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I and the Government welcomed the publication of the independent review in relation to the handling of past complaints in St John Ambulance Ireland (SJAI). I thank Dr Geoffrey Shannon for his work in bringing to light his findings, and acknowledge the dedication and extraordinary courage that victim-survivors have shown through their central role in ensuring the review was undertaken....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Traveller Community (1 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy may be aware, In March 2017 the Irish State recognised Travellers as a distinct ethnic group in Irish society. By taking this step, Ireland has shown its determination to value and preserve the unique culture, identity and heritage of Travellers in this country, and to overcoming the legacy of marginalisation and discrimination that the community has experienced. Building on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Welfare Code (1 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 322 together. The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, which was recently signed into law by President Michael D. Higgins, includes provisions which will introduce 5 days paid domestic violence leave in a 12-month period. Ireland has become one of the first countries in European to introduce a right to such leave. The level...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (1 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides universal, free pre-school to children in the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers. In a limited number of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (1 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 314 and 315 together. The service to which the Deputy refers had previously availed of funding through the Special Category of the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) Programme. Following a review of this programme in 2018, it was determined that a number of services no longer fell under the Specials category as they had either equalled or exceeded their...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (1 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Immigration Support Services (1 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked extensively as part of the cross-governmental response to assist over 83,000 arrivals fleeing the war in Ukraine, of which 61,000 have sought accommodation from this Department. Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Communications (1 Jun 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. It is envisaged that the referendum will take place in November of this year. My Department has convened an Interdepartmental Committee, involving all Government Departments, to develop...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (1 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The state bodies under the aegis of this Department are - Tusla - Oberstown Childrens' Detention Campus - The Adoption Authority of Ireland - The National Disability Authority - The Irish Human Rights and Equality Authority - The Ombudsman for Children's Office Reflecting their independent status, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Ombudsman for Children's...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Food Prices (1 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Matters related to social welfare payments are a matter for the Department of Social Protection. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, the Department of Social Protection may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Pringle. Engagement is taking place between the relevant agencies and Departments in bringing about a resolution here. It is early stages in the process yet and we want to let those negotiations continue. We are very committed to the capacity review, and both I and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, want to see that implemented. We will be looking forward to bringing...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to answer the question she has raised. A key objective of my Department is to ensure early learning and care provision promotes the participation of all children. To that end, the Department has taken steps to integrate additional supports and services for children and families with additional needs. The access and inclusion model, AIM, which was...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I am acutely aware of the cost-of-living crises that many families face. This is why in last year's budget I was able to get a very significant investment to cut childcare costs for all parents, at an average of 25%. This is why in next year's budget I am looking specifically to extend that out to childminders. The Deputy also raised this issue with regard to the...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Report Stage (14 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Senator Boyhan for his amendment and detailed contribution. I also thank the other Senators for their contributions. This Bill already provides for a review of the operation of the scheme, with an overall review under section 49 and an annual review under section 12. I am not in a position to accept these two amendments; however, I will bring forward my own amendments, related to...