Results 8,481-8,500 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (17 Oct 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:Building Blocks - Improvement GrantBuilding Blocks - Capacity GrantBuilding Blocks - Innovation GrantUnder the Building Blocks -...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: With all new properties contracted by my Department to provide accommodation for international protection applicants (IPAs), the provider is required to provide detailed information in relation to suitability for use. The Department carefully appraises each property before contracts are issued and properties are also subject to pre-occupancy inspections. Contracts for accommodation are...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (17 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: It was my priority to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in this year’s Budget in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers. As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per week for...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive immediately afterwards, nearly 100,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Ukraine and have sought refuge here in Ireland. Approximately 73,000 of those are being provided with accommodation from the State. In response to the crisis, the Government has sought to...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department processes any personal data breaches that occur in accordance with its obligations under the GDPR including reporting requirements to the Data Protection Commission and communication with affected individuals in relation to a breach of their data, as appropriate. The Department has an internal personal data breach reporting protocol. All breaches must be formally notified to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (17 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The issue to which the Deputy refers, is an operational matter for Tusla. As such I have referred this question to Tusla to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below provides details of the revised capital budget that was allocated under the National Development Plan post transfer of specialist community based disability services to my Department, which took effect from 1 March 2023: 2023 €m 2024 €m 2025 €m DCEDIY Capital Allocation 124.37 134.72 ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Legal Cases (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is preparing a response and will provide the information sought shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: This information will issue directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is involved in negotiations with a range of accommodation providers across Ireland, and has received an offer of accommodation from the provider to which the Deputy refers. This offer is being evaluated to determine if it meets the Departments requirements. Due to the commercial sensitivities involved, it is not possible to provide information on the negotiations with any...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together. 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: Budget 2024 (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: It was my priority to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in this year’s Budget in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers. As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per week for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to have secured an allocation of €4.5m to commence the first phase of roll-out of the Equal Participation Model from September 2024 Work is in progress to finalise the model which will aim to help children and their families who may be experiencing disadvantage to access early learning and childcare settings, through a range of supports, universal and targeted. To support...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The proportion of services accessing AIM has increased substantially since its establishment in 2016. Application volumes for all AIM funding were at their highest level by September 2023 than in September of previous years. After 7 years in operation, AIM has had a major impact on the lives of children and on the quality of preschool provision. More than 27,000 children have received over...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Budget 2024 (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: It was my priority to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in this year’s Budget in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers. As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per week for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Budget 2024 (18 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In Budget Estimates for 2024, I secured funding of €7.3 billion for my Department for 2024. This will enable my Department to continue to deliver services across all programmes and schemes on the Vote in 2024. To illustrate this, I have secured an investment package of €1.1bn for early learning and childcare and over a billion has been secured for Tusla, Child and Family Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (19 Oct 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, through the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (19 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department oversees a case management process, through which local City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) and School Aged Children (SAC) services experiencing difficulties. Once a service engages with their local CCC they will be able to avail of supports through the case management process....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Budget 2024 (19 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: It was a priority of mine to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in this year’s Budget in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers. As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Pension Provisions (19 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The foster care allowance is payable to foster carers on behalf of and to offset expenses in relation to the child in foster care. Foster carers are not employees and accordingly Tusla does not make pension contributions on their behalf. However, I am aware that eligibility in respect of the State Pension (Contributory) is an issue of genuine concern for foster carers. I have been advised...