Results 10,221-10,240 of 11,827 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (28 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Minister is not permitted to intervene in individual cases as there is an obligation by law that Tusla, is independent in its work. The Department has forwarded on the details to Tusla and requested a response be provided directly to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (28 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland and many other European countries are experiencing a significant increase in people seeking international protection (IP). The arrival numbers remain significantly elevated. In the first 20 weeks of 2024, nearly 8,000 people have arrived in Ireland seeking accommodation from the State, averaging 398 people per week. This is more than five times the average from 2017-2019. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (28 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department values the key role that the Ombudsman for Children plays in holding public bodies to account and upholding the rights of children. However, difficult choices are required every year in the allocation of funding across a range of key policy and service areas including many areas that the Ombudsman for Children himself has identified as meriting attention and funding. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (28 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is a matter for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Rights (28 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with six months of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave. All forms of family leave are kept under review to ensure that they are effective in supporting families and children. Work is ongoing to develop legislative proposals to allow women undergoing...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (28 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to extending regulation and supports to all paid, non-relative childminders who work in their own homes. The National Action Plan sets out a phased approach to regulation with a preparatory phase followed by an extended transition period, to allow childminders lead-in time for any requirements. This supportive, phased process aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (28 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department does not have the details of payments to third party providers of transport services as requested by the Deputy. Further, as providers are not required to classify the method of transport used, my Department is not in a position to provide a breakdown by transport method as sought.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 May 2024)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme scheme is a universal scheme which provides 2 years of free preschool to children in the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. My Department funds private early learning and care service providers to provide the ECCE programme at a standard rate of €69 per week per child attending the ECCE programme....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are two types of subsidies available under the National Childcare Scheme: Universal Subsidies are available to all families with children under 15 years old. This subsidy is not means tested and provides €1.40 per hour towards the cost of a registered childcare place for a maximum of 45 hours per week. This rate will be increased to €2.14 per hour from September 2024....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for her question. The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) template and any resulting contract is commercially sensitive and is not divulged by the Department. The planning legislation relied upon forms part of this process. With all new properties contracted by the Department to provide accommodation for International Protection (IP) applicants, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (29 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In line with commitments in First 5, in December 2021, I launched Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), 2022-2028. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in ELC and SAC and to raise the profile of careers in the sector. During the development of Nurturing Skills, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Education Schemes (29 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Senior Educational Welfare Officer in Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), has requested for this parliamentary question to be redirected to Tusla for response.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Merchant pub, which I believe the Deputy is referring to, was offered for international protection accommodation some time ago. The offer was rejected by my Department. I gather the Deputy is highlighting that there is potential that the pub may be re-offered. It has not been as yet and there is no offer currently with my Department. I cannot speak to what the owners will do in the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is no application within my Department for that pub right now.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The previous application we dealt with was rejected for significant reasons. As the Deputy will be aware, none of us wants to be in a situation where we are taking hotel accommodation. That is why we published a comprehensive accommodation strategy, one that moves away from reliance on private providers and towards a core of State-provided accommodation.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: If I can have a last word, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, in the short-term, it is about being able to provide accommodation for people who are rough sleeping at present. Another 109 people were offered accommodation today.

Commission for Future Generations Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am really pleased to have the opportunity to speak to this Bill on Second Stage today. I thank Deputy Ó Cathasaigh and his team for their work on this legislation. I have not had the opportunity to meet the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales yet but, in my role, I have met a number of Welsh Ministers at various intergovernmental meetings over the last number of years. It has...

Commission for Future Generations Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I again thank Deputy Ó Cathasaigh for bringing this matter to the Dáil. I acknowledge, as Deputy Nash did, the range of contributions from across the House. We heard different but valuable perspectives, all of which pointed to the importance, significance and worthwhile nature of the proposal before us. Across the Oireachtas, we all come from different political backgrounds...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (30 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the FRC Programme, which supports 121 FRCs throughout the country. At present, there are no plans to expand membership of the Programme. The commissioning of FRCs is an operational matter for Tusla, and subject to availability of funding. I am aware that Aiseanna na hÓige has expressed an interest in applying...