Results 1,401-1,420 of 11,729 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are a range of questions there. I wish to reopen the ECCE scheme as quickly as we can. We continue to look at that and to make preparations for its reopening. It will be linked to the wider reopening of the primary education sector. On parental fees, in order to avail of the new funding model that we introduced from 5 February, services have to sign up to a new contract which...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Paul Murphy. I disagree with the Deputy's statement that we have not supported childcare workers during this period. The employment wage supplement scheme, EWSS, has been a very significant investment by the State in supporting the wages and the position of childcare professionals. The childcare profession is the only profession which had a sector-wide exemption, which I...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for his comments. I am aware that we always have more to do in this sector, particularly on the issue of pay. As regards reimbursements, for the period of 1 January to 5 February we did not have any legal requirements. We did not have a new contract in place with childcare providers and we could not compel reimbursements. During that period, we requested that...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The review of the childcare operating model is ongoing. It was put in place with a view to undertaking initial work to allow us to make determinations as regards the child agency.

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can reply in more detail in writing.

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I take on board the Deputy's point about the AIM scheme. We have put additional funding into it this year because it has been successful, but there is a lack of joined-up thinking. We hope that the transfer of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and the area of disability issues to my Department will give us the opportunity to focus on children and consider disability throughout all...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. On the issue of the allocation to Meath and Louth Education and Training Board I will correspond in writing to him and give the rationale behind it. We secured a €5 million increase in funding for the youth services sector, which is the biggest increase in the past decade so it was very substantial. I will always be looking to put more money into that sector but...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Local Authority Facilities (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Every year since 2013 the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has provided Local Authorities with the opportunity to apply for funding to support new and existing play and recreation facilities for children and young people the Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. One of the consistent criteria under this scheme is that the playground must be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Status (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department provides accommodation and ancillary support services to persons who have applied for international protection where the applicant indicates that such accommodation and services are required.  Not every person who seeks international protection chooses to accept this offer, and some choose to live independently or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Carer's Leave (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Section 6 of the Carer's Leave Act 2001 provides that employees with at least one year's continuous service are entitled to take up to 104 weeks of carer's leave to enable them to provide full-time care and attention to a person who is in need of such care. There are no plans to amend the Carer's Leave Act at present. The scheduling of vaccinations for elderly persons is a matter for my...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 156 together. A key policy objective of my Department is to improve affordability, accessibility and quality of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). A 117% increase in investment over the last number of years has led to a doubling in the number of children receiving free or subsidised early learning and care and school-age...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: 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 which it can be taken will be extended to the first two...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 introduced a significant extension to the existing parental leave entitlements, raising the age of the child for whom parental leave may be taken from eight years to twelve. It also extended the parental leave entitlement by 8 weeks, on a phased basis. The last of these increases came into effect on 1 September 2020 and parents are now entitled to 26...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The management of payment of invoices is an operational issue for Tusla and it is not appropriate for me as Minister to intervene in these matters. I have referred the information provided by the Deputy to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and have requested that Tusla respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: In responding to the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation, the Government approved the development of a Strategic Action Plan encompassing a suite of 22 specific measures.  The Action Plan centres on a number of distinct themes including: access to personal information; archiving and databases; education and research; memorialisation; dignified burial, and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Sustainable Development Goals (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently compiling the information requested by the Deputy and a response will be issued directly as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Sustainable Development Goals (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently compiling the information requested by the Deputy and a response will be issued directly as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Migrant Integration (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144, 153 and 154 together. The Government remains committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive society in Ireland, with its suite of equality strategies under my Department’s remit acting as the main vehicle for change. Since 2017, the Migrant Integration Strategy (MIS) has been the central policy framework adopted by Government to promote...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145, 151 and 152 together. Significant advances have been made in recent years to address inequality in Irish society, with the Government’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and equal society re-affirmed through the Programme for Government commitments to achieve social solidarity, equality of opportunity and economic equity for all. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you deputy for your question. You raise a most serious issue. I can advise the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has continued to provide essential frontline services to children and families throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.  Tusla’s work has focused on ensuring continuity of critical supports and services to vulnerable families  whilst...