Results 9,261-9,280 of 11,817 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile (AEYSP) provides a detailed overview of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector in Ireland, including the numbers of children in receipt of state subsidies, information on ELC and SAC fees, staff wages, qualifications and turnover. In December 2023 the Department launched the Early Learning and Childcare Data website,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. 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. Any change to the design features of the ECCE...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Care Services (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child Care Act 1991 is the primary piece of legislation providing for alternative care and child protection policy in Ireland. The Act is a wide-ranging piece of legislation, which, at its core, seeks to promote the welfare of children who may not be receiving adequate care and protection. Consequently, the Act sets out a detailed statutory framework, which includes but is not...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Proposed Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Following consideration of the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee, arising from the pre-legislative scrutiny process, I asked my officials to reconsider Head 11 and the role of the proposed Committee. On foot of this process, I have approved, in principle, a strengthened role for the Advisory Committee, and my officials are liaising with OPC in relation to our updated policy...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Heads and General Scheme of a Bill to amend the Child Care Act 1991 were published in April last year, and have gone through the pre-legislative scrutiny process. A considerable number of recommendations were received from the Joint Oireachtas Committee, and my Department has been giving consideration to both these recommendations and to feedback received from stakeholders. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Consular Services (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware my department is responsible for the provision of accommodation to persons in the International Protection process and I will provide a response in that regard. All other matters should be directed to Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. As part of the programme of work to deliver on commitments made in A White Paper to end Direct Provision and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of their contract with my Department, providers of accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection are required to submit a weekly register in relation to their contracted capacity. The registers provide occupancy and vacancy figures which are checked by a team in my Department to make sure the figures provided do not exceed the maximum capacity agreed with the provider in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: International Protection Accommodation Service The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) works at all times to ensure accommodation capacity is utilised in the most effective manner possible. Across IPAS’s 265 properties variances exist between maximum capacity and actual number international protection applicants in residence. The largest part of this differentials is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Census of Population (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is a matter for the CSO and Dept of Taoiseach.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I believe the Deputy means Question No. 1352 of January 2024. The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be the largest scheme of its type in the history of the State with an anticipated 34,000 people eligible for its benefits. Given its scale and significance the Scheme has been placed on a statutory footing and enabling legislation – the Mother and Baby Institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Department officials are currently working on both the Quarter 3 2023 and Quarter 4 2023 returns for Purchase Orders over €20,000. The Quarter 3 2023 return will be published on the Department's website by Friday, 26 February 2024, and the Quarter 4 2023 return will be published as soon as it is available. A return for all Purchase Orders over €20,000 in Quarter 1 2024 is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days. The Deputy may wish to be aware that the Community Engagement Team has been established within my Department which stands ready to respond to queries of this nature, and they may be contacted directly at community@equality.gov.ie

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days. The Deputy may wish to be aware that the Community Engagement Team has been established within my Department which stands ready to respond to queries of this nature, and they may be contacted directly at community@equality.gov.ie

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising this point. He raised it with me beforehand. I am aware of the article the Deputy spoke about. Whenever a childcare, early learning or after-school care service closes, it is a deeply traumatic time for children and parents. That being said, a significant number of early learning and after-school care services have opened in Cork in the past year. I will...

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: It was 600.

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is a significant number.

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I appreciate having a further opportunity to speak in the House on migration, specifically this evening on the issue of international protection. Before speaking to the specifics of the debate, it is important to set out the context. As we are living it, and have lived it over the past three years, it is easy to lose sight of how unprecedented these circumstances have been. Since the...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Revised Estimates for my Department for 2024, including that of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC. As members will have seen in the briefing provided for them last week, my Department is projected to spend €7.293 billion in current expenditure and €135 million in capital expenditure during 2024. This represents an...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you. As regards the use of private providers by Tusla, this happens in the context of foster care, residential care and special emergency arrangements. The question was posed in terms of cost controls in the private sector. Our objective is to support the public element of provision, whether that is directly through Tusla's social workers, Tusla residential placements or the...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Yes. We expect it to be up and running by the end of quarter 1 of this year. I do not have a specific date but that gives us a clear idea. We have done a significant amount of work to put in place the major IT system that will be needed to deal with a scheme to which 34,000 people will apply. We have put in place staff to oversee it. We have also put in place the training, and we spoke...