Results 8,561-8,580 of 11,816 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Reviews (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In 2021, I announced a review of the Equal Status Act 2000 and the Employment Equality Act 1998, known collectively as the equality Acts. The review is examining the operation of the equality Acts from the perspective of the person taking a claim under its redress mechanisms. It is further examining the degree to which those experiencing discrimination are aware of the legislation and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Reviews (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Adding a new ground to the equality legislation and a new protected characteristic in terms of forbidding socioeconomic discrimination is something about which I feel passionately and which the Government committed to examining in the programme for Government. It has been the subject of Private Member's legislation from several parties in this House and the previous Dáil. I will be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Reviews (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Absolutely. I am happy to engage with the Deputy, particularly on the socioeconomic discrimination ground that I hope to bring forward in that draft legislation. As regards her wider point on poverty, its impact on people and the report launch she attended, a key step my Department was able to take in the budget this year is the introduction of the new equal participation model in early...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine thousands of people have had to flee their homes and seek refuge. The State is currently providing accommodation to over 74,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine. As part of this very significant national effort, the Government approved the construction of 700 rapid-build homes on State-owned land, which...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: At all times we have worked within the confines of the the temporary protection directive and we will continue to work within its confines. We will not do anything in breach of the temporary protection directive. As I am sure the Deputy is aware, it is interpreted in different ways across many member states, and many member states have taken a much more stringent and a much tighter approach...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In my initial response to Deputy Harkin, I spoke about the 700 OPW modular builds, which are small but are of a very high spec. I think they have an A3 rating. They consist of living space with two bedrooms - a double bedroom and a bedroom with two bunk beds - and a toilet facility. There is a small kitchenette in the living space as well. They are for the use of Ukrainians for up to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Until the Cabinet agrees a particular policy, I will not be in a position to go into detail or to talk to the message because that would only cause confusion. This question is a good opportunity to remind the House that we continue to accommodate Ukrainians and international protection applicants. As the Deputy knows, we accommodate Ukrainians primarily in serviced accommodation, but also...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In terms of the rate of payment, it is €800, tax-free, and does not interfere with any other benefits, allowances or social welfare benefits an individual might receive. We have to be careful in terms of interference with the private rental market, with the housing assistance payment and with other areas. We feel that €800 is probably the right area right now. It has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is an acknowledgement of the real pressures that are on the system that the Government is undertaking a review of the offering towards Ukrainians and will bring forward a change. We recognise there are pressures in this regard. There are pressures because what we are experiencing is unprecedented. This war on the European Continent, something we never thought we would see in our...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In Budget 2024, I secured a total of €1.109bn in funding for early learning and childcare, representing an 8% increase on this year's funding. The funding in 2024 provides for:Investment in the National Childcare Scheme, including a further 25% average reduction to parent’s costs and expansion of NCS to childminders, benefitting more than 150,000 children. Additional funding...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 44 together. Foster carers play a vital role in the care of our most vulnerable children. The placement of a child in foster care is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their family of origin. It enables children in State care to live in a safe, secure, and stable home environment. As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My officials have clarified that the question refers to permanent closures of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services in Cork since 2021. Every year it is normal for some services to close while other new services open. Services close for a wide variety of reasons including retirement of owners or other personal circumstances. Tusla is the independent statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am conscious of the disruption caused to a number of early learning and childcare services, owing the recent floods in Cork and I am aware that the local Childcare Committee has been engaging with impacted services. With regard to financial supports for these services, they have been made aware that any service forced to close due to the flooding may apply for the continuation of funding...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 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 Grant;Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; andBuilding Blocks - Innovation Grant.The Building Blocks -...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Each year, Pobal gathers data from early learning and childcare providers which informs the Early Years Sector Profile. Based on data captured in respect of the (unpublished) 2022/23 Sector Profile Survey (which was gathered in late Spring/ early Summer 2023), there were 10,091 places across services in County Meath. Of these place, 1,311 were unfilled – representing a vacancy rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Promotion (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I launched the first Nutrition Standards for Early Learning and Childcare Services in May this year together with my colleague Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State, fulfilling a commitment in First 5, the whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families. These standards were developed in collaboration with Healthy Ireland and the Department of Health to inform...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government has agreed that HIQA will monitor accommodation offered to people in the protection process for adherence to the National Standards, which were adopted by Government and published in 2019, and came into effect in 2021. This agreement is time limited to the end of 2024, though it may be extended by agreement of my Department and the Minister for Health. These National...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Pobal are the administrators of all early learning and childcare funding programmes on behalf of my Department. Where there is any change in circumstances for a service provider i.e. change of address, change of legal structure or change of ownership, the provider engages with Pobal to flag this change of circumstance and advise of the date that the change will be implemented. Pobal will...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is making a significant investment in youth services in 2024, building on the increases in recent years and securing the achievements into the future. The full package of current funding for youth services and programmes in my Department is €77.95 million, an increase of €5 million, or 6.8%, on the 2023 budget. There is no capital allocation in 2024....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Industrial Disputes (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Members of staff working in the clerical and administrative functions of Tusla have an extremely important role. Their work facilitates and enables many of the agency’s functions, including arranging inter-agency and family meetings, processing work related to child protection referrals, and assisting with calls from members of the public. Clerical and administrative staff...