Results 921-940 of 11,700 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 together. There is one dedicated accommodation centre for international protection applicants located in Co. Monaghan and another in Co. Meath. There is no such centre in Co. Cavan. As of 15 November, 228 people are accommodated at the St Patrick's Accommodation centre in Co. Monaghan and 604 people at the Mosney Accommodation Centre in Co Meath....

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 603 and 624 together. My Department has no plans to open an International Protection Accommodation Centre at Riverdale Hotel Ballybay, or to utilise any other property not already in use in County Monaghan at this time. Premises are sourced either through a full tender process which is administered through the Government’s Procurement Portal...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Premises are sourced either through a full tender process which is administered through the Government’s Procurement Portal www.etenders.gov.ie or through responses to calls for expressions of interest, which are advertised in the national media. My Department is assisted with these tender projects by the Office of Government Procurement. The tender process which commenced in late...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Garda Vetting (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department has a Child Protection and Welfare Policy and a Garda Vetting Policy, both of which mandate that all staff in accommodation centres are vetted by the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) in advance of commencing work in an accommodation centre. This policy is applied to all IPAS accommodation centres as well as all...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand that the Parliamentary Question referred to by the Deputy was asked of the Minister for Justice and Equality and related to the monitoring of social media for criticism of Direct Provision and Government policy. I can inform the Deputy that my Department does not engage in such monitoring activities. The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Maternity Leave (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: To support parents of children born during the strict lockdown measures, the Government intends to extend parent's leave from two weeks to five weeks for each parent of all children born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019. The Government also intends to extend the period in which parent's leave can be taken up until that child turns two or, in the case of an adoption, two years after the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a programme of supports to enable children with a disability to access and fully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. AIM supports children with disabilities to attend mainstream pre-school where they can learn and socialise with their peers. It includes 7 levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Five contracts of €25,000 or more have been found to be non-compliant with procurement guidelines from 1 January 2019 to date and are listed in the table below. The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation and the National Disability Authority have informed my Department that they were awarded in this manner due to time constraint and their expertise. Name of ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Welfare Service (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has responsibility for Educational Welfare Services including the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. The Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) has a role in assisting parents or guardians source a school place where a child cannot access one, however it cannot compel a school to make a place available for a child. TESS engage...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Measures (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am committed to developing legislation that will help deliver much needed access to information for adopted people. It is important to acknowledge that this process will take some time, as there are complex and sensitive issues at play, involving the balancing of rights and interests of both parties. I am, however, committed to advancing fresh proposals next year. I am very much aware...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters submitted its final report to me on the 30th October 2020. I had signalled that there would be a short time interval between receipt of the report and the separate arrangements for its publication. A number of relevant procedural issues are being expedited to ensure I can seek the approval of Government to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Process (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: An application to waive pre-legislative scrutiny was made to the Oireachtas Business Committee in respect of the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Act 2020. The waiver was sought and granted on the basis that the legislation was to be enacted to ensure it did not impact on the timeline for the Commission to complete...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Data Protection Officer role in my Department is carried out by an Assistant Principal Officer.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Asylum Seekers (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is the policy of my Department's International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to provide the most appropriate accommodation avaialable for a person or family. Where a family, as in this case, is residing in temporary accommodation the IPAS will look to provide suitable accommodation in a fully supported dedicated accommodation centre as soon as possible, in this instance in own...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Tribunals of Inquiry (24 Nov 2020)

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 and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Where there is a confirmed case of Covid-19 in an Early Learning and Care (ELC) or School Age Childcare (SAC) setting and an individual is thought to have been in the setting during the infectious period, public health will conduct a risk assessment and advise the service as to what action, if any, is required. Such actions may include exclusion of staff or children from a play-pod, a room or...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Qualifications (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Learner Fund bursary for childminders was introduced in 2019 as part of the overall Learner Fund. The bursary is for childminders who achieve a level 5 or level 6 major award in early childhood care and education recognised on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and who register with Tusla. Childminders who are registered with Tusla can also avail of the Learner Fund graduate...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Act 2020 provides for the deposit of the database and associated records with Tusla, in addition to transferring a copy of this data and the entire archive of records from the Commission to me as the prescribed Minister. Section 2 (1) of the Act governs the deposit of certain...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Child Care Act 1991, the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, is the statutory body with responsibility to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Tusla assesses all child welfare and protection concerns that are reported to it. The Children First Act 2015, which was fully commenced in December 2017, provides for a number of key child...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (24 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: A core function of my department relates to supporting and protecting children. This is done through a robust policy, legislative, sectoral and service framework that is both mutually reinforcing and responsive to the needs of vulnerable children and their families. Under the Child Care Act 1991, the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, is the statutory body with responsibility to promote the...