Results 10,441-10,460 of 11,827 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Capital funding has been allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare. Under the Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, which operated in 2023, €9 million was allocated in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 were awarded under two strands,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) process on the 30 April 2024 for the sourcing of suitable properties as International Protection Accommodation. The EOI seeks to identify properties for acquisition/lease under the following criteria: 150+ beds; Bedrooms in line with National Standards; existing properties/buildings in turnkey condition; existing properties that...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department releases weekly and monthly statistics that are available publicly on the gov.ie at the links below: gov.ie - IPAS Statistics (www.gov.ie) www.gov.ie/en/publication/07027-ipas-statistics/ There are currently 31,000 international protection applicants residing in IPAS accommodation. 5,595 people with status were in IPAS accommodation at the end of May 2024.Further...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The implementation of the new EU Migration Pact will result in broadly similar obligations in the area of accommodation provision. The introduction of reforms in other areas of the Pact, such as the proposed border procedure, may result in shorter processing times with a consequent reduction in the duration of accommodation provision. My Department is working with colleagues in the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are currently over 31,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole (of whom over 7,876 are children) compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. End Month Total in IPAS Accommodation Jan-23 19,635 Feb-23 19,936 Mar-23 ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department is not in a position to comment on individual cases. Under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, those who have had their application determined are no longer entitled to Material Reception conditions. However, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) continues to accommodate those with status, until such time that they progress...

Seanad: Migration: Statements (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Senators for inviting me and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to speak on the topic of migration. Conflict, persecution and violence are forcing a record number of people around the world to flee their homes. Just last month, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, reported that the overall number of people forced to flee their homes in such circumstances rose to 120 million....

Seanad: Migration: Statements (10 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will sit in for a while.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is working closely with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Department of Education to implement a comprehensive set of actions that were agreed as part of the 5 Year Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022. These actions are designed to affirm the importance that early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) settings...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 597, 599, 608 and 612 together. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) does not comment on the particulars of individual transfers. The Department is currently providing accommodation to over 31,000 people, of whom over 5,500 have been granted permission to remain in Ireland and, as such, are no longer in the International Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 Jul 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: Parental Leave (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There have been significant improvements in the duration of family leaves for working families in recent years in line with the Government's commitment in the Programme for Government to supporting parents, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their baby during the first year. The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 Jul 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: Mother and Baby Homes (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: While I try to be helpful at all times in the parliamentary process, the Deputy will be aware that I cannot be involved in individual cases and cannot comment on same. The legislation underpinning the Payment Scheme - the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023 - specifically provides for the explicit independence of the Chief Deciding Officer in administering the application...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Artificial Intelligence (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise that officials in this Department are not authorised to use AI applications such as ChatGPT when drafting speeches or responses to PQs.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Equipment (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Please find below table containing the requested information. Laptops Lost Laptops Stolen Phones Lost Phones Stolen 2024 1 0 2 0 2023 0 1 4 0 2022 0 0 3 0 2021 0 0 0 0 ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In March 2022, Government approved high-level proposals for a National Centre for Research and Remembrance, to be located on the site of the former Magdalen Laundry on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin 1. This Centre will stand as a site of conscience to honour equally all those who spent time in Industrial Schools, Magdalen Laundries, Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The number of accountants employed by my Department as of year end 2023 and end of June 2024 are listed in the table below. Date 31/12/2023 30/06/2024 Number of Accountants 6 7 It is expected that more accountants will be on-boarded in 2024 from panels held by Public Jobs.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Care Services (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Statutory responsibility for the provision of children’s alternative care services, including foster care and residential care, rests in the first instance with Tusla, as set out in the Child Care Act 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. Tusla is independent in the performance of its duties and may exercise discretion in carrying out its statutory functions. Section 41...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Core Funding is in operation since 15 September 2022 and has achieved very significant success in terms of the high levels of participation. 95% of providers participated in year 1 of the scheme, 94.5% providers have signed up for Core Funding Year 2. There are more providers in absolute terms participating in the Scheme this year. At its peak in Core Funding Year 1, there were 4,245...