Results 1,221-1,240 of 11,729 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under current COVID-19 restrictions, financial supports continue to be available to the sector,  notably the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS). EWSS is an economy-wide enterprise support for eligible businesses in respect of eligible employees. It provides a flat-rate subsidy to qualifying employers based on the numbers of paid and eligible employees on the employer’s payroll;...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Protected Disclosures (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The report to which the Deputy refers has been commissioned by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla has advised my Department that the report has not yet been finalised. As such, I am not yet in a position to consider whether such a report will or should be published.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Public health experts have confirmed that Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services may continue to operate during the current Level 5 restrictions. While no environment is without risk in relation to Covid-19, and this has been the case throughout the pandemic, services can significantly reduce their risk level by closely following the expert guidance...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Costs (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware, and welcome that, many childcare providers have refunded or credited fees for parents who cannot access services at this time. I would ask all services to take this step, where possible, in light of the significant State supports provided to the sector. I acknowledge that the relationship between a service and parent is a private one based on a contract. My Department is engaging...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I refer to your query in relation to the recoupment of overpayments under the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS). As has been advised to service providers and set out in the TWSCS Funding Agreement last April, it is a requirement of the TWSCS that unspent or excess monies are recouped. As per communications to service providers regarding the treatment of TWSCS...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: National Childcare Scheme (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Government decided on 6 January that, in order to reduce movement in the population, the ECCE programme would not resume until 1 February. Other Early Learning and Childcare and School-Age Childcare services (ELC/SAC services) can remain open on a restricted basis, to offer services to the children of essential workers and to vulnerable children only. Services who currently receive National...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the current Covid19 restrictions, financial supports continue to be available to the Early Learning and Childcare (ELS) and School Age Care (SAC) sector, notably the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS). EWSS is an economy-wide enterprise support for eligible businesses in respect of eligible employees. It provides a flat-rate subsidy to qualifying employers based on the numbers of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Between 11th and 31st January, access to early learning and childcare services is restricted to the children of essential workers and vulnerable children.  The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre school programme is not operating during this time. Essential workers are those that work in the list of essential services published on gov.ie.  One parent who is an...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have had spoken with Minister Donnelly on a number of occasions since the full level five restrictions were put in place on the 30th December on this specific issue. The provision of suitable childcare for the children of frontline healthcare workers, particularly for those with new childcare needs as a result of the closure of schools, is a significant concern for the Government. My...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Expert guidance on the operation of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HPSC last year and is available at . The advice from the national public health experts is that no change is required to the Infection Prevention and Control guidance for settings providing ELC/SAC during the pandemic....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently finalising it's Statement of Strategy, 2021-2023, for publication. The Strategy will detail the current and planned priorities of my Department in that period. The Department continues to have wide responsibility for policy, legislation and services in respect of children and young people. In addition, a number of new functions have transferred to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A decision was taken by Government on 6 January that the ECCE programme would be postponed until 1 February in order to reduce movement in the population to reduce the spread of Covid. My Department acknowledges that it would be very difficult for providers and practitioners to make up the four weeks they will be closed, and does not expect them to...

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (19 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the report of the commission of investigation and the terrible failure it revealed in how women and children were treated in institutions over many decades and to outline the Government's response. Before I begin, I pay tribute to all of the mothers and children who spent time in these institutions. I thank those who bravely gave their personal accounts...

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (19 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I understand I have ten minutes now and will have ten minutes at the end of next week's debate to respond as best I can to the various points made.I thank all Senators for their considered contributions. I will try to respond to some of the points in the order in which they were raised. The point made by my colleague, Senator Pauline O'Reilly, is a good place to...

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (19 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A number of Senators made that point about how the actions of the Government will be judged and I take it on board. Senator Pauline O'Reilly suggested that an apology may be forthcoming from Galway County Council, and I think that would be appropriate. The theme of the responsibility of local authorities in all of this was one on which Senator Boyhan also touched. Many of us here have...

Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (Resumed) (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am sharing time with the Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Troy. Last week, the report of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes was published. Following this, the Taoiseach, on behalf of the Government, offered our apology and asked for forgiveness for the failings of the Irish State, failings that repeated over decades and which had the most horrendous...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358, 374 and 382 together. A printed copy of the Final Report of the Commission will be made available to any survivor who wishes to have one. The Report was made available in digital format in the first instance so as to immediately make it available to the widest possible audience. This is particularly important having regard to the sheer size of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 363 together. It is a matter of deep regret that details of the Commission's Final Report were leaked ahead of its publication. I contacted survivors immediately on learning of the coverage in a Sunday newspaper and the matter is now under investigation. I understand why many survivors are feeling hurt and let down that any element of the Report...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I met with my predecessor in July, shortly after I was appointed. We discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to the remit of the Department, and the additional functions transferring to it. The topics we discussed included the Adoption (Information and Tracing) legislation, and the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A Government decision on 6thJanuary 2021 paused the ECCE programme for the remainder of the month and restricted access to other types of early learning and care and school-age childcare to only the children of essential workers and vulnerable children. My Department has provided guidance in respect of the eligibility criteria for parents and providers with regard to essential workers. For...