Results 9,421-9,440 of 11,817 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Capital Expenditure Programme (15 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: From 2020 to Budget 2024, Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.8 million to €77.95 million, a 26% increase overall. The annual capital budget available to support youth services in 2023 was €2.7m. This funding supported small grants which enabled the purchase of essential equipment and the completion of minor works. This year, my...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (15 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland’s recently published National Policy Framework for Children and Young People recognises the important role of youth work services in supporting young people to thrive and fully develop their potential. It acknowledges the important ongoing reform programme and further commits to the development of a new Youth Services Action Plan to provide a strategic direction for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (15 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The importance of having and retaining well trained youth workers has been raised by youth organisations and referenced in the report referred to by the Deputy. I recognise that we need to ensure that we continue to have sufficient numbers of well trained and supported youth workers and volunteers so to have high quality and accessible youth services. It is important that we address...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (15 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Exchequer funding for youth services is currently allocated on an annual basis in the Budgetary process. My Department is obliged to adhere to the public sector spending code, and therefore it is not possible to enter into multi-annual grant agreements with the youth organisations funded by my Department. However, so to support organisations to have greater certainty of funding on a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (15 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Targeted Youth Employability Support Initiative (TYESI) provides funding to youth services to support young people aged 15 to 24 years who are not currently in education, training or employment. TYESI was first introduced in 2021, as the ‘Targeted Youth Employability Support Initiative 2021-2022’. This initiative as evaluated in 2023, with recommendations informed the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (15 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Two Referendum Bills have passed all Stages in the Houses of the Oireachtas which will: - amend Article 41 of the Constitution to provide for a wider concept of Family; and - delete Article 41.2 of the Constitution to remove text on the role of women in the home, and to insert a new Article 42B to recognise family care. The Referendum is planned to take place on 8 March 2024. As the Bills...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: What I said to Mick Finnegan on behalf of survivors on Thursday when I met with him, and what I have said to the Oireachtas joint committee subsequently, is that I am frustrated by the lack of progress on protection and a child safety lead in the organisation. To expedite that and to ensure we can have protection for the young people who continue to work in St. John Ambulance, the Government...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his engagement, the Drogheda Deputies for theirs and all the Louth Deputies on this. There was communication with them and with the local authority. Absolutely, however, we need to make sure we have the supports in place for a significant number of vulnerable people in family groups who will be using the D Hotel as their accommodation. Our Department will work, for...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his engagement on this issue over the past week. We are examining the potential of undertaking dual-use of the D Hotel. There are challenges to that, particularly where a hotel is hosting families. That was the proposal with regard to the D Hotel but we are examining that. I can confirm I will meet the Drogheda Business Improvement District and the Drogheda and...

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2024: Motion (21 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft; Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2024, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 25th January, 2024. I thank the Members of Dáil Éireann for making time to discuss this motion today concerning the order I propose...

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2024: Motion (21 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputies for their contributions. As provided under the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, the draft order laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas cannot be made law until a resolution approving the order has been passed by each House. Therefore, approval of the motion by the Dáil today is essential to ensure the continuation of the scheme. As I said in my...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Help Service (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Browne for his ongoing advocacy on behalf of Stephen and his family. As he knows, home support services are provided to both children and adults with a wide range of disabilities, from physical and sensory disabilities to intellectual disabilities and autism. The home support service for children with disabilities assists the child with various activities and supports...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Help Service (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. As he said, he has raised this matter a number of times in the Dáil, for which I thank him. I also thank him for his acknowledgement of the work that HSE staff and section 39 staff are doing with Stephen's family. It is important we do that. As I stated, the HSE provides a range of assisted living services, including home support services, to support...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for offering me the opportunity to respond directly to him. IPAS is currently accommodating about 27,000 people in more than 200 accommodation centres throughout Ireland. Of these 27,000 people, 5,914 have been granted status. Under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, those who have had their applications...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy has outlined his reading of the law and I respect that. I do not have the EU legislation, the primary or the secondary legislation, before me right now.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (22 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have no doubt he could. I do not need him to; I will be able to get them myself. I thank him for the offer. We will examine the point he has made. On the wider point, the Deputy is absolutely right; there is real pressure with providing accommodation for people arriving here, including many highly vulnerable people seeking international protection here. We also want to support those...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, which will open to applications within this quarter, provides for financial payments and health supports for eligible persons. The legislation that underpins the Scheme provides that a person who spent at least 180 days as a mother or child in a Mother and Baby or County Home Institution, as listed in Schedule 1 of the Act, is eligible for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Fórsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Referendum Campaigns (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Two Referendums are planned to take place on 8 March 2024. In line with the McKennaand McCrystalprinciples on the use of public funds in a referendum, all papers in the relation to the work of the Interdepartmental Group are precluded from publication until after the referendum votes have taken place. Two Referendum Bills have passed all Stages in the Houses of the Oireachtas which will, if...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for this 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.