Results 1,121-1,140 of 11,729 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Tusla ABC Programme within Tusla's Partnership Participation and Family Support is an area based Prevention and Early Intervention initiative currently being delivered across 12 sites of urban disadvantage, including one in Clondalkin where the Blue Skies programme is situated. Discussions continue to take place across the ABC programme to explore the potential scaling of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am committed to ongoing engagement with former residents of Mother and Baby Institutions and their advocates. As an important first step in meeting this commitment, I have personally spoken to a number of former residents and advocates in this area over recent weeks, including a majority of the Collaborative Forum. In addition, I have read and responded to the views of many...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy may be aware, on 10 December 2019, the then Government approved the drafting of a Bill along the lines of the General Scheme of the Certain Institutional Burials (Authorised Interventions) Bill 2019. The General Scheme provides for: - creation of a statutory basis for exhumation of remains, located at former institutional sites which reach a defined set of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Proposed Legislation (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: In December 2019, the then Government approved the drafting of a Bill along the lines of the General Scheme of the Certain Institutional Burials (Authorised Interventions) Bill 2019. It was then referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee (JOC) on Children and Youth Affairs for pre-legislative scrutiny and, in parallel, to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) to be drafted as a Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Family Resource Centres (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme, was established by the then Department of Social and Family Affairs in 1994. It later transferred to the Family Support Agency, which became part of Tusla on its establishment in 2014. Tusla administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme, and Tusla funding supports 121 FRCs across the country. Core funding allocations for the FRC Programme,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme in mainstream pre-school settings. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every child, including those with additional needs,  can...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Premises are sourced either through a full tender process which is administered through the Government’s Procurement Portal www.etenders.gov.ie or through responses to calls for expressions of interest, which are advertised in the national media. My Department is assisted with these tender projects by the Office of Government Procurement. The tender process which commenced in late...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department currently has contracts in place for 48 accommodation centres, including management contracts for 6 State owned centres.  The 48 centres comprise 45  accommodation centres for International Protection applicants, the National Reception Centre for International Protection applicants in Balseskin, Co. Dublin and 3 Emergency Reception and Orientation...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My officials are compiling copies of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy to be forwarded to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme in mainstream pre-school settings. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every child, including those with language delays,  can meaningfully...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year.  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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Staff (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets out the legal obligations of public service bodies to meet a target of 3% of employees with disabilities. Under the Act, the National Disability Authority (NDA) has the statutory role to report, on an annual basis, on compliance with the 3% target.  The Disability Act 2005 defines disability as follows: “Disability, in relation to a person,...

Seanad: Combating Sexual, Domestic and Gender-Based Violence: Statements (Resumed) (8 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am grateful to you, Acting Chairman, and to all the Members of the Seanad for facilitating this debate. As Senators are aware, there was a similar debate in the Dáil a couple of weeks ago at which I spoke. It is great to see the need to extend the time for this debate because of the degree of interest among Senators. No matter what our political differences may be, I think we all...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Measures (9 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to addressing gender inequality in the workplace and the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019 is an important tool in ensuring transparency on the gender pay gap.  The aim of the Bill is to require employers over a certain size to publish gender pay gap information.  The Bill provides that the Minister shall make regulations requiring employers to publish...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence (9 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to Domestic, Sexual Violence and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility under the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV.   I am pleased that my Department has been able...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Workplace Relations Commission (9 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Officials of my Department are currently reviewing the Workplace Relations Commission's consideration of the pay rates of the managers of the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs).  The CCCs are one of the key support mechanisms of my Department, and I want to acknowledge the important role they play in providing vital support and guidance to early learning and care and school...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme 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 September start date and a child cannot turn 5 years and 6 months of age during the course of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Adoption Services (9 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (9 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Final Report submitted to me by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters is just under 3,000 pages long. Previous references to the length of the Report were given on the basis of preliminary indications by the Commission while it was finalising the Report. At that time, I had not been given sight of the Report,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (9 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have secured an additional €5 million in current funding for youth services nationally as part of Budget 2021.  This additional funding will be allocated to youth services in the coming year to support the delivery of universal and targeted youth services nationwide. My officials are currently working on the apportionment of these funds in the context of the publication of...