Results 1,601-1,620 of 11,729 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 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. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (24 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The statutory Commission of Investigation is independent in the conduct of its inquiries and as such I had no role in, or knowledge of, the particulars of its approach to its investigation or how it managed the audio recording from the Confidential Committee module. I note that the final report states that witnesses were asked for permission to record their evidence on the clear understanding...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (24 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 641 and 642 together. I have engaged in numerous correspondences with both the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, in relation to the audio recordings used by the Commission. I will consider the Deputy's request in the hope to assist in furthering public understanding of this issue.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Autism Support Services (24 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is not a matter which has previously been brought to my attention. I am not in a position to comment on this matter as the provision of autism assistance dogs does not come within the remit of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (24 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware that there have been many individuals who gave evidence to the Commission of Investigation, and who appeared before the Confidential Committee to tell their stories, who are now seeking access to these records. As the Deputy is aware, the Commission of Investigation is independent in the conduct of its investigation. Requests of this nature must be made directly to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (24 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for bringing this matter to my attention, and wish to apologise for the inconvenience. I have referred the matter to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, seeking clarification on why the requested response has not issued, and instructing that a reply issue to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (24 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently engaged with HIQA with regard to undertaking the role of monitoring the services provided to those accommodated in our centres against National Standards that were published in 2019. The National Standards meet the requirements of the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive (Directive 2013/33/EU) which we voluntarily opted into in June 2018. It is hoped that...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The minutes of the meetings of the Collaborative Forum are published on my Department's website. The facilitator to the Collaborative Forum has been requested to prepare minutes of the two most recent meetings and these will be agreed with participants in the first instance. Normal practice for minute taking, as agreed by the membership of the Forum at one of its first meetings, has been...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland has committed to accepting 50 individuals, comprising family units, and 14 additional unaccompanied minors from Greece. Following discussions with Greek authorities the arrival of refugees identified for resettlement in Ireland is currently being arranged, subject to necessary checks and following public health guidelines. My officials continue to engage with the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As announced by An Taoiseach on 23 February 2021, ECCE services will reopen for all participating children on 8 March 2021, without any eligibility requirement related to whether their parents are essential workers.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195, 196 and 200 together. I have engaged intensively with the Commission to resolve the understandable concerns of survivors in relation to the audio recordings made by the Confidential Committee. The Commission notified me on Monday 22 February that it had retrieved the backup tapes containing the audio recordings from the Confidential Committee from its...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware, the statutory Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes is independent of Government in the conduct of its investigations. This independence, which is provided for in law, is a fundamental principle in the establishment of an inquiry under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004. These questions raised by the Deputy are procedural matters for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the incident in the accommodation centre referred to by the Deputy which I understand has now ended. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department worked closely with the accommodation centre staff, relevant state agencies and other service providers with regard to the resident’s needs and situation for the duration of the incident. Such...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: European Council Meetings (25 Feb 2021)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this is an operational matter for Tusla, I am referring this matter to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 203 together. I wish to inform 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: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department does not own or manage preschool services. My Department does, however, provide funding to mainstream pre-school services, including through the universal, free, two-year Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme and the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM). AIM is a programme of supports to enable children with a disability to access and meaningfully participate in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Feb 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 and this was later extended to 5 March.  Other Early Learning and Childcare and School-Age Childcare services (ELC/SAC services) have remained open on a restricted basis, to offer services to the children of essential workers and to vulnerable children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below lists the number and value of procurement contracts for Covid-19 related spending in 2020 and 2021 that took place via negotiated procedure without prior publication by the Department ; Number of contracts Value of contracts € (ex VAT) 14 7,546,610 * One contract has an estimated value of below €25,000 (this is not...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below lists the procurement contracts for Covid-19 related spending in 2020 and 2021 that took place via negotiated procedure without prior publication by the Department by goods and service type :