Results 2,021-2,040 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (6 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have asked the bodies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to you on this matter in relation to staff of their own organisations. I and my officials are committed at all times to the proper use of public funds, and my Department sanctions such packages in line with the relevant circulars and guidelines. To answer your...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (6 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I confirm that exit packages were not sanctioned for staff other than payments to Ministerial staff. Such arrangements would be in accordance with central guidance from DPER.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (6 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: With respect to integration and funding, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a new local integration model has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the City and County Management Authority (CCMA) and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). The model centres on a new national network of four-person Local Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (6 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Inspections of IPAS accommodation is an operational matter for Tusla and as such I have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy. Outlined below is measures in place within IPAS to ensure Centre compliance with requirements of Children First legislation and national guidance. When an accommodation centre is opened, a designated member of the International...

Supporting People with Disabilities and Carers: Motion [Private Members] (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank all the Deputies for their contributions on the large-scale reforms we all recognise are needed in the areas of disability and care. I also thank them for speaking to the individual constituents and the extremely difficult individual cases that all of us as constituency TDs face daily, and our knowledge that the entire system needs to do so much more for people with a disability. ...

International Women's Day: Statements (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputies for their contributions to our statements on International Women's Day. This is the fourth time I have had the opportunity to deliver the speech on behalf of the Government and to listen to Deputies. During those four years there has been criticism that not enough has been done. There is always more for every government to do. There is more for this Government to do...

International Women's Day: Statements (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I begin by welcoming all present to the Chamber and wishing everyone, especially my female colleagues, a happy International Women's Day. As Minister with responsibility for gender equality, International Women's Day is significant. It is a reminder of my Department's mission of working towards a fair, equal and inclusive society where rights are respected and all people can reach their...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: From 2020 to Budget 2024, Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.8 million to €77.95 million, a 26% increase overall. My Department has not been allocated any capital funding for youth services in 2024. The funding made available for capital investment in youth services under the National Development Plan for the period 2021- 2023 was...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Service Executive (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the State’s humanitarian response to the Ukrainian crisis, the Government has developed a rapid build housing programme to provide accommodation for families fleeing the war in Ukraine. The programme aims to provide short-term accommodation to up to 2,800 Ukrainians at several sites across Ireland. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is leading the development of this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland is now accommodating over 100,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes over 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and over 27,000 IP applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation. This is a nationwide urgent situation and centres have been opened...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Maternity Leave (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Minister for Health leads on the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 which includes provisions in relation to surrogacy and policy on parentage is a matter for the Minister for Justice. Entitlements to family leaves will be considered in the context of legislative proposals in the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022. I would like to bring to the attention of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) requires all residents and staff in Accommodation Centres to be treated with respect. To this end, IPAS has produced a Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Policy and House Rules and Procedures for Reception and Accommodation Centres, which outline the procedures followed by IPAS following any allegations of misconduct. IPAS...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, €9 million was been allocated in 2023 for energy upgrades and retrofit projects. This scheme is now closed and all grant recipients are contractually obliged to have completed works and submitted expenditure returns by 31st December 2023. Pobal has advised that they are in correspondence with the service in question with the latest...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Asylum Seekers (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days. The Deputy may wish to be aware that the Community Engagement Team has been established within my Department which stands ready to respond to queries of this nature, and they may be contacted directly at community@equality.gov.ie

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Asylum Seekers (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to supporting all those seeking refuge in Ireland. The State has a legal obligation to assess the claims of those who seek International Protection (IP), and in that time, to provide accommodation and supports in line with the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (SI 230 of 2018), to those that require it. The International Protection Accommodation Service...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Voluntary Sector (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The issues identified by Dr Shannon, and the recommendations made by him in his Independent review report into the Handling of past complaints of Abuse by the organisation, remain of the highest importance to the Department. Departmental officials have continued to liaise with the organisation regarding the implementation of all the recommendations contained in Dr. Shannon's report

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Voluntary Sector (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: A key recommendation of Justice Dr Geoffrey Shannon’s Independent review report on the handling of past complaints of abuse in St John Ambulance, which was published on March 16 2023, was the appointment of a National Safeguarding officer by the St. John Ambulance Ireland organisation. Three separate progress reports or ‘response documents’ have been published by the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla is the independent statutory regulator for the sector and is wholly responsible for the registration of all early learning and care and school age childcare services. As this is a matter for the regulator, I cannot intervene in specific cases. It is a legal requirement under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 for those proposing to open an early years...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will open for applications on 20 March, eight months after the passage of its underpinning legislation. A dedicated webpage is now live at www.gov.ie/paymentscheme, which contains information on how people will be able to apply to the Payment Scheme, and what information applicants will need. Once the Scheme opens, the Payment Scheme Office...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (5 Mar 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has statutory responsibility for the operation of special care in Ireland, and for the provision of special care beds. Tusla have advised that the total combined capacity of Special Care Units is 26, and that at present the current maximum occupancy in these Units is 13, due primarily to challenges in staffing beds. Tusla have further advised that, at this...