Results 8,501-8,520 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: 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 those over 12. The foster care allowance will be further increased in November 2024, up to €400 per week for children aged under 12 and €425 per week for those over 12....

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Foster care is the preferred model of care for children in care, who cannot live with their families of origin. In recognition of the importance of foster care in contributing to improved outcomes for children in care, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (19 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the challenges that can face an Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) service if they unexpectedly lose their premises and have an effective response in place to support such circumstances. 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 ELC and SAC services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (19 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare issues is vested wholly in Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information pertaining to an individual case. Consequently I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be given to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (19 Oct 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 Deputy is seeking information in relation to an individual case. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: No.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (24 Oct 2023)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (24 Oct 2023)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy has requested the first year, full year and annual costs of reducing childcare fees by 50% from September 2024. As announced in Budget 2023, the annual cost of increasing the minimum subsidy from €0.50 to €1.40 was estimated to be €121 million. As part of Budget 2024, a further increase in the minimum subsidy from €1.40 to €2.14 per hour...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As of the 20th October 2023, 146 services located within the boundaries of Dublin Fingal Dáil constituency are considered signed up to Core Funding, where they have a Core Funding application status at Contracted, Under Appraisal, Referred Back or Approved. There are three additional new services whose Pobal service reference number indicates they are within Fingal local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As of the 20th October 2023, 90% of services located within the boundaries of Dublin Fingal Dáil constituency are considered signed up to Core Funding, where they have a Core Funding application status at Contracted, Under Appraisal, Referred Back or Approved. There are three additional new services whose Pobal service reference number indicates they are within Fingal local...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: CHO9 is a HSE designation and not used with regard to early learning and childcare. I understand on clarification that the PQ relates to North County Dublin area which most closely aligns with Fingal County Childcare Committee and this response relates to the area encompassed by that committee. The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) encompasses 7 levels of support, which include universal...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Budget 2024 continues to improve investment for early learning and childcare with funding increasing by 8% or €83 million in 2024, to €1.109 billion. €303.31m has been allocated for Core Funding in 2024, a 14% increase on the 2023 investment in the scheme. This substantial increase on the 2023 allocation will support continued implementation of the scheme for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Programme (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023. Many of the provisions of the Act have now been commenced, including the introduction, as of 3 July 2023, of leave for medical care purposes for parents and carers and amendments to the Maternity Protection Acts to provide for the extension of breastfeeding breaks. An order amending regulations relating...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The First 5 Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families includes an action to agree a national approach to home visiting services, across a continuum of need, building on the current public health nurse home visitation programme and having regard to Irish evidence on the implementation of prevention and early intervention initiatives. Currently, a national review of Home...

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) (Non-Disclosure Agreements) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages [Private Members] (25 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Senators for their continued work on bringing forward this legislation, which will address the issue of the misuse of non-disclosure agreements in employment to cover up instances of harassment, discrimination and abuse. I reiterate that sexual harassment and discrimination have no place in the workplace. Employers should be open to addressing these challenges when they occur. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (24 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 1 Building Blocks - Improvement Grant; 2. Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and 3. Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: State Bodies (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have listed the dedicated Oireachtas email addresses for each of the relevant bodies under the aegis of my Department in the table below. Gaisce – the President’s Award does not have a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members. This organisation is not a State Body and the relevant protocol regarding the provision of information to members of the Oireachtas is not...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Priorities (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently in the final stages of completing the scoping exercise on kinship care, which will include a review of national and international literature and current best practices. Under Article 12 of the UNCRC, the child's views must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting him or her. In order to ensure that the voice of the child is present from the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Local Government Reform (24 Oct 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: There have been no functions under the remit of my Department that have been devolved in the context of the Local Government Reform Act 2014.