Results 11,001-11,020 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (8 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am very aware of the pain felt by survivors and relatives of the deceased who died at the former Mother and Baby Home, Bessborough. One of the most tragic aspects of what happened is the uncertainty regarding the burial place of many children who were resident there. There is no particular expertise in my Department in relation to estimating the cost of a geophysical survey. I...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Correspondence (8 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare (which includes school aged childcare) is a key Government priority. Considerable investment has taken place in recent years to improve the resourcing, quality and availability of early learning and childcare. Data available shows that the level of capacity in the sector has risen substantially in recent years. However, I am aware...

Seanad: Maternity Protection Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of this important legislation. It is an incredibly worthwhile Bill and one which will have a very real impact on women at a hugely important juncture in their lives. The Bill provides for two main areas of reform. These are, first, a pause in maternity leave for treatment for serious illness and, second, maternity leave...

Seanad: Maternity Protection Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank all Senators for their contributions to the debate this afternoon and for their strong welcome for the key principles behind this Bill. I believe this is very important legislation. I am conscious of the real impact it will have on the lives of individuals at some very significant moments in their lives. There is widespread support for the proposals to allow seriously ill women to...

Seanad: Maternity Protection Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator for her proposed amendment and for powerfully articulating the need to legislate in this space and create that new entitlement for parents of children born via surrogacy to have the opportunity to spend time with their babies in the same way that all other parents do. I, along with the Ministers for Health and Justice, met a number of groups that represent surrogate and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (9 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you Deputy for your question regarding the number of habeas corpus applications in which Tusla was a respondent for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 to date. Tusla has provided the below table in response to your query. Year Number of applications 2022 0 2023 0 2024 to date 2

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 182 together. I am very pleased to have secured a 9% increase in youth service funding for 2025, bringing my Department’s investment under our main youth budget subhead to a total of €84.9 million. This increased level of funding will enable the expansion of youth service capacity to engage more young people, across both universal and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Guardians Ad Litem (9 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm that my Department has a contract for temporary emergency accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) with the accommodation provider to which the Deputy refers. I can also confirm that International Protection applicants are not currently being accommodated in this location. My Department is not in a position to provide details of contractual arrangements...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Budget 2025 estimates for the NCS were calculated using administrative data drawing on hourly usage of children availing of the scheme, their educational stage and subsidy type; patterns of growth in the scheme, and information relating to capacity available in the early learning and care system nationally. An additional 14 million subsidised hours (or 1.96 hours per child per week) and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (10 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the State’s humanitarian response to the Ukrainian crisis, the Government developed a rapid build housing programme to provide temporary accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) at several sites across Ireland. As recommended by the Comptroller and Auditor General, assessments of the delivery mechanism and of the long-term future use of the units...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (10 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is designed to substantially reduce costs to families using eligible early learning and childcare. It is designed to be flexible, recognising that early learning and childcare needs are different for each family. The NCS is designed to fit around the needs of families. The family agrees the number of hours to be used with provider and (within overall...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (10 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I must inform the Deputy that I do not become involved in individual cases. In some cases, information can be passed on to Tusla with the express permission of the individuals involved. However, in the particular case highlighted by the Deputy, it is not clear whether all persons involved have given permission for their data to be shared in this manner. As a result, this matter would be best...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Reviews (10 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Child Protection: Statements (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will begin by stating the absolutely central importance of child protection. While central to work in my Department, it must be something that every one of us is cognisant of and takes with the utmost seriousness. It is simply too important to be used as a political football. Tusla, which falls within the remit of my Department, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to...

Disability Services: Motion [Private Members] (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to address the issues raised in the motion tabled by Deputy Tully. The Government will not oppose the motion but we will use our time to demonstrate what we have delivered in the sphere of disability over the past four years. The motion touches on a wide range of issues, spanning the remit of several different Departments, including my own. I will provide some details of...

Disability Services: Motion [Private Members] (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Will be ratified.

Disability Services: Motion [Private Members] (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Yes, that is correct.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Supplementary)
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Chair for facilitating our meeting today. I thank the committee for making time to consider this Supplementary Estimate for the children, equality, disability, integration and youth Vote group. We need a Supplementary Estimate at this point principally due to the expectation that the Vote will breach its total allocation before the end of November 2024. The Supplementary...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Supplementary)
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Coveney for his questions and kind remarks, and his recognition of the work that officials here and the many officials in my Department do every day for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. On the first point on IPAS processing times, I am not able to give the most up-to-date figures because the Minister, Deputy McEntee, deals with processing through the...