Results 1,361-1,380 of 11,729 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: In order to reduce movement in the population, the ECCE programme has been suspended until 5 March.  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.  Essential workers are those that work in the list of essential...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that I am very keen to resume the resettlement of Syrian refugees from Lebanon as soon as that is possible, and with due regard for Covid-19 restrictions in Ireland and the Lebanon. The Irish selection mission to Beirut in March last year was interrupted due to Covid-19. I am happy to inform the Deputy that late last year we welcomed 234 Syrian refugees to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was established in 2015 response to significant concerns around a specific type of institution, namely mother and baby homes. The investigation was framed to provide a clear emphasis on the experiences of women and children who spent time in these institutions. Initially the public focus was very narrow and related to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is not a matter which has previously been brought to my attention as the training and pairing of guide dogs is not a matter which falls within the remit of my Department. I would suggest that the Deputy contact the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind in relation to this matter.  The HSE may also be able to provide assistance with information as to the potential impact of the current...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Feb 2021)

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 and runs from September to June each year, aligned with the primary school calendar. A decision was taken by Government in January...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Force majeure permission will not be granted where a service decides to close due to Covid-19 concerns and where there is no direction to close by public health. This is to ensure that the children of essential workers and vulnerable children continue to receive Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) during this period. Public Health guidance continues to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Years Sector (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 484 and 485 together. Baby Boxes for newborns are to be piloted under First 5 A Whole-of -Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028. Piloting Baby Boxes is just one initiative which is part of a wide ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five including supports for parents...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have 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: Parental Leave (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 and 490 together. The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parents' Leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Under proposals approved by Government in December 2020, each parent will be given an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave, and the period in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy refers to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla and asked that a direct reply issue to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand the distress which development proposals associated with the Bessborough site have caused for those most centrally connected to this issue. I share their concerns in relation to the risks associated with this development. For these reasons, I made submissions to An Bord Pleanála and Cork City Council to encourage them to consider the interim and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Dormant Accounts Fund (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is responsible for the administration of the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme that involved the allocation of approx. €18m in 2020 towards the core costs of 121 existing FRCs. I can inform the Deputy that my Department and Tusla have secured €0.62m in Dormant Accounts Funding for 2021 to support for the Family Resource...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Years Sector (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Following the Government announcement on 26 January of the extension of the current Level 5 restrictions to 5 March, I have announced new funding measures to support the Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare (ELC and SAC) sector up to 5 March. The pre-school (ECCE) programme will continue to be suspended during these extended restrictions....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Following the Government announcement on 26 January of the extension of the current Level 5 restrictions to 5 March, I announced  new funding  measures to support the Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare (ELC and SAC) sector up to 5 March. The pre-school (ECCE) programme will continue to be suspended during these extended restrictions. Other...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The statutory obligation on the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was to submit its Final Report to me as the specified Minister under its establishment Order. The Commission was not in a position to provide copies of its Report to individuals. However, a printed hard copy of the Final Report of the Commission is being made available to any...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to assure the Deputy that the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in my Department continues to work towards achieving the 2019 Government pledge to welcome up to 2,900 refugees between 2020 and 2023. Unfortunately, Covid-19 and its related restrictions has interrupted the resettlement of refugees across the globe.  The Irish Refugee Protection Programme conducted a selection...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Workers Recruitment (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the petition urging the Government to end the current system of Direct Provision for accommodation and other services to international protection applicants who require such supports. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to ending the Direct Provision system and replacing it with a new International Protection accommodation policy, centred on a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Data (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 498, 499, 500 and 502 together. The scoping exercise to which the Deputy refers was commenced by my predecessor following Tusla’s discovery of evidence of illegal birth registrations in the files of the defunct St. Patrick’s Guild Adoption Society between the years 1946 and 1969. While it had long been suspected that illegal birth...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (3 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: On Tuesday 26 January, Government made the decision to extend the suspension of the ECCE programme and to continue to restrict access to other early learning and childcare services to the children of essential workers and to vulnerable children. It is currently planned for these arrangements to be in place until 5 March, with the timeframe remaining subject to review in the context of the...