Results 9,941-9,960 of 11,819 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (24 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Capital funding 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 investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars: Building Blocks - Improvement Grant; Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. Significant funding has been...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The ECCE programme is available to all children within the eligible age range. 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 for the 1st September start date. The minimum eligibility age for the ECCE programme was revised in September 2018 when it was reduced from 3 years to 2 years and 8 months. The revised...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Advertising (24 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department’s expenditure across advertising in 2022 and 2023 can be found in the table below. To achieve efficiencies and value in advertising placement and public information campaign management, the Department utilises the services of a media buying agency with relevant expertise in the area. Total Ex. VAT Regional Radio Ex. VAT ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (24 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department has no record of payments to the company in question. There has been no engagement between Department officials and personnel from the company.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Awaiting reply from Department.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Awaiting reply from Department.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Awaiting reply from Department.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Awaiting reply from Department.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for her engagement on this issue, about which we have spoken a number of times, and her constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, has also been in touch on the issue. In January 2023, through the online offers portal on gov.ie, my Department received a commercial offer of temporary accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection fleeing the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I recognise that a significant number of Ukrainians are resident across counties Kilkenny and Carlow. I recognise the welcome they have received from communities. Ukrainians are being accommodated in urban and rural areas. People are being accommodated in many different situations all over Ireland. Our primary focus is on meeting the necessary guidelines we have set...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: We have converted many types of buildings for use as Ukrainian accommodation. The Deputy has set out her concerns about the use of equestrian facilities but we have done it successfully in Millstreet and in Kill. Those are two areas in which we have converted equestrian accommodation into emergency accommodation in recent times, recognising the scale of our accommodation challenge. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. The commission of investigation into mother and baby institutions made significant findings regarding the failings of the State and religious bodies, which together ran mother and baby and county home institutions. The Government believes all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to the legacy of these institutions. As the Deputy knows, we have an...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I am aware of the context, and that is why I thought it was important to get somebody with negotiation skills backed up by experts who have financial analysis to understand the means available to the orders and congregations with which these engagements are taking place. As I said earlier, I am not in a position to give a date today. I think it is important that we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: EY has been involved in this process since November last year. Its task is to provide an independent financial assessment of the resources available to each of the organisations involved. I am not aware as to whether its analysis has been completed. Whether the report from the negotiator will be published at the end of the process will be a matter for the Government to make a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Significant progress has been made in advancing plans for a dedicated State agency for early learning and care. The programme for Government contained a commitment to advance that. It is envisaged this agency will undertake some functions currently carried out by Pobal early years, including the Better Start programme, the 30 city and county childcare committees, as well as operational...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I outlined a number of steps in the process. We are in the key second phase at the moment, involving an in-depth costing. When I originally brought proposals to Cabinet, we had a notional set-up cost of approximately €14 million and a notional operating cost per year of about €50 million. We are talking significant money, obviously. The Deputy knows me. I believe any...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. I could speak at length about the various things we have done in the early years sector. When I became Minister, my priorities were cutting the cost of childcare for parents, ensuring childcare professionals are better paid and improving the sustainability of childcare providers. We have done a significant amount in all three of those areas, while recognising there are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. Ensuring high-quality early learning and childcare is affordable and accessible is a policy priority. The range of data available to my Department indicates that supply of early learning and childcare is increasing but I also recognise there are parts of the country where there are real capacity challenges. The latest early years sector profile survey showed that,...