Results 8,341-8,360 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to supporting all those seeking refuge in Ireland and is considering all offers of accommodation. The department is currently availing of repurposed office buildings, decommissioned Defense Forces barracks and tents to try to address shortfalls in reception capacity. Each centre where applicants for International Protection are being provided with accommodation in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Regarding the Core Funding fee review process, I must note that Pobal, in their role as scheme administrator, are currently assessing the case referred to by the Deputy, and hence I am not in a position to comment on its status or potential outcome. Partner Services must uphold their obligations regarding Fee Management as laid out in the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement. In...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Poverty (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth does not itself collect data on child poverty or deprivation; rather the Department uses Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, for instance its Survey of Income and Living, Growing up in Ireland, Quarterly National Household Survey and Census data. The Central Statistics Office makes extensive use of the HP...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Vulnerability assessments are administered using a questionnaire and referral process. Questionnaires are available to applicants in a number of languages in all International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation centres, and via the IPAS website. The Resident Welfare Team (RWT) has four Assessment Officers and three Social Work professionals seconded to it on a full time...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am acutely aware of the sense of urgency surrounding the establishment of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme and I am focused on delivering the Scheme as soon as possible. To that end, a significant milestone was achieved on 11 July with the enactment of the underpinning legislation - the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023. This Act allows for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: If any family is experiencing challenges in accessing a place or supports for their child in an early learning and care service, the family's best route is to contact their local city or county childcare committee (CCC) funded by my Department. CCCs are available to support parents and children at a local level. Contact information for the relevant CCC is available atwww.myccc.ie. Pobal on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is not possible to to provide an update in respect of a person's potential eligibility for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme in advance of the Scheme being open for applications. Opening the Scheme as soon as possible is a priority for me and my Department. I would encourage any person who thinks they may be eligible for the Scheme to make an application when the Scheme is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will appreciate, my Department has faced significant challenges in 2023 particularly in the areas of international protection and the humanitarian response to the Ukraine crisis. My officials have been working closely with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and reporting to Government throughout the year in relation to the monitoring of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In March 2022, I published the report of Professor Conor O’Mahony, the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection on Proposals for a State Response to Illegal Birth Registration in Ireland. The report's recommendations included a recommendation (recommendation 16) regarding a payment towards legal costs associated with, for example, a declaration of parentage. Following receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Some €69 million has been allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars: 1. Building Blocks - Improvement Grant; 2. Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and 3. Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. Please see below table detailing a break-down of the family units seeking international protection, by local authority area and by household size, excluding those with leave to remain. I trust this information clarifies the matter. Local Authority Sum of Units of 1 Parent 1 child Sum of Units of 1 Parent 2 children Sum...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Funding provided by my Department for early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services is the same for both Irish-medium and English-medium services. My colleague the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media provides additional supports for naíonraí in the Gaeltacht through her Department and its agencies. With regards to funding the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Regulatory and Poverty Impact Assessments (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you Deputy for your correspondence regarding the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme. The ECCE programme is available to all children within the eligible age range. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the 1st September start date. There is no underage exception for ECCE...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Core Funding is a payment to Partner Services designed to support quality, sustainability, and enhanced public management, with associated conditions in relation to fee control and cost transparency, incorporating funding for administration and to support improved pay and working conditions of staff and to support the employment of graduate staff. The State is not the employer within the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Together for Better, the new funding model, is about getting the most out of the three Early Learning and Childcare programmes, ECCE including AIM, NCS and Core Funding, working together and ensuring stability and sustainability in the sector. Together for Better is already delivering substantial benefits for children, parents, staff and providers and I am very proud of the significant...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Reports (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise the enormous impact that pregnancy loss has on expectant parents, and I wish to extend my sympathies to all parents who have suffered such a loss. Work to examine the needs of bereaved working parents coping with pregnancy loss is being advanced at present. My Department has commissioned a qualitative research study to examine the workplace experiences of parents coping with...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (26 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware, the Child and Family Agency, Tusla administers the Family Resource Centre programme, funding 121 Family Resource Centres (FRCs). Where possible I make it a point to engage with Family Resource Centres, they play a pivotal role for so many communities across the country providing a comprehensive range of services tailored to individual community needs. Their...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (28 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his Topical Issue submission and for raising this important matter. I recognise that he has long championed this particular issue. I share his concern about children in the care of the State and his recognition that those requiring special care, who are perhaps the most vulnerable, should have access to a special care place when they need it. Tusla and I are well...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (28 Sep 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. As he knows, I meet Tusla on a quarterly basis. I was not at a meeting held two weeks ago, but at a previous meeting we discussed special care and the particular recruitment challenges in the sector. I specifically asked Tusla to bring forward a detailed business case for a special care allowance. That has been brought forward and we are considering it. We will revert...