Results 1,701-1,720 of 11,729 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Authority of Ireland (10 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am interpreting the reference in the Deputy's question to the “Adoption Authority” to mean the “Adoption Board” as the Adoption Authority was established in 2010 and the Adoption Board preceded it. The correspondence referred to is not in files held by my Department, as responsibility for adoption matters previously rested with the Department of Health....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (10 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DGSBV). I have requested Tusla to respond to the Deputy directly on the information sought.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (10 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware I have now published the White Paper on ending the 'Direct Provision' system of accommodation and support services. The White Paper sets out a new Government policy to establish a new International Protection Support Service which I envision will be fully operational by December 2024. Currently there are 31 centres that can offer independent living with 12 of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (10 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of its response to the findings and recommendations of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters, the Government has committed to establishing an ex-gratia Restorative Recognition Scheme. An Interdepartmental Group (IDG) has been set up to develop detailed proposals. The IDG has held two meetings to date and will...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (10 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal free 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Maternity Leave (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Maternity Protection Acts 1994-2004 provide for up to 26 weeks paid maternity leave, and a further 16 weeks unpaid leave. Where a child is born prematurely, additional weeks may be available. There is a provision within the Maternity Protection Acts to allow for the termination of additional unpaid maternity leave in the event of sickness of the mother. If a mother becomes ill while on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 6 July 2018, the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 230 of 2018) transposed the recast EU Reception Conditions Directive into domestic law. It laid down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection and has brought us into line with the norms and standards for reception conditions for international protection applicants across the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 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. In December 2020, the Government approved the drafting of a Parents' Leave Bill to provide an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave to each...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Years Sector (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is committed to supporting ELC and SAC services operating through the medium of Irish. The Department’s ELC and SAC funded programmes are available to all services. In this regard, there are currently 267 services identified as naíonraí with Pobal and these services received over €94m in funding since 2014 from my Department in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Years Sector (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is committed to supporting ELC and SAC services operating through the medium of Irish. Officials have engaged in numerous strategies whose aim is to encourage the development of the Irish language in the early learning and care (ELC) and school age childcare (SAC) sector. Collaboration between my Department and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Years Sector (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early learning and Childcare (ELC) services are private businesses, and determine themselves the medium through which they provide their service. My Department provides funding to ELC providers through various funding programmes to subsidise the cost of ELC, and this is available to both Irish and English medium services. There are currently 267 services that identify as naíonraí...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Years Sector (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department strives to support and facilitate early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services operating through the medium of Irish, both inside and outside the Gaeltacht. The Department encourages all ELC and SAC services to engage in continuing professional development (CPD) on an ongoing basis to ensure quality of provision and to meet regulatory requirements....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Years Sector (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: In 2017, my Department introduced Programme Support Payments (PSP) to recognise the additional time required of early learning and childcare (ELC) providers to complete the administrative work associated with DCEDIY funding programmes. The payment also recognises the time required to perform activities outside of contact time with children, such as preparing materials for sessions and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 to 154, inclusive, together. The Terms of Reference for the Commission were developed in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, and agreed by the then Government in 2015. The draft Government Order to establish the Commission was also approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas at that time. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Registration of Births (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: In 2018, Tusla the Child and Family Agency alerted the Department to concerns of cases of illegal birth registration in the St Patrick Guild files. 126 cases were subsequently confirmed as illegal birth registrations, and the process of informing the individuals concerned commenced. The number of confirmed cases from those files has now increased to 151. While there have been suspicions...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence Policy (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 to 158, inclusive, together. Since its formation, the Government has made clear that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a key priority. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to investigate the provision of paid leave and social protection provision to victims of domestic violence with a view to establishing a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence Policy (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is my understanding that the Deputy's question is referencing my response to Parliamentary Question 606 of 24 February 2021. While my Department continues to play a central role on issues pertaining to the audit to which the Deputy refers, the audit was not commissioned by my Department and was therefore not included in the table provided as part of my reply of 24 February 2021. My...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The 2021 capital funding grant closed for applications on 02 March 2021. The 2021 capital funding programme focused on ensuring fire safety in early learning and care childcare services around the country. The 2021 Capital grant funds were voted are part of the 2021 budget and can only be used for expenditure incurred in 2021. It is not possible to use these funds to compensate early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence Policy (11 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice. Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government sets...

Seanad: Family Leave Bill 2021: Second Stage (12 Mar 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to address the Seanad on Second Stage of the Family Leave Bill 2021. This Bill will help fulfil a number of commitments in the programme for Government, including extending paid parental leave and providing adoptive leave for male same-sex adoptive couples. The Family Leave Bill 2021 has three elements. The first is to amend the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 to extend...