Results 2,241-2,260 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his engagement, the Drogheda Deputies for theirs and all the Louth Deputies on this. There was communication with them and with the local authority. Absolutely, however, we need to make sure we have the supports in place for a significant number of vulnerable people in family groups who will be using the D Hotel as their accommodation. Our Department will work, for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, which will open to applications within this quarter, provides for financial payments and health supports for eligible persons. The legislation that underpins the Scheme provides that a person who spent at least 180 days as a mother or child in a Mother and Baby or County Home Institution, as listed in Schedule 1 of the Act, is eligible for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Fórsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Referendum Campaigns (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Two Referendums are planned to take place on 8 March 2024. In line with the McKennaand McCrystalprinciples on the use of public funds in a referendum, all papers in the relation to the work of the Interdepartmental Group are precluded from publication until after the referendum votes have taken place. Two Referendum Bills have passed all Stages in the Houses of the Oireachtas which will, if...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (20 Feb 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 (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In relation to proposed locations for International Applicants (IP) or Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP), without an eircode for specific locations my Department is unable to provide any information. For example the title of locations may be referred to by different names within the local community where it is situated. With reference to large scale sites, there may be multiple...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (20 Feb 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 (20 Feb 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: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help parents meet the cost of childcare. It is available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years who are attending any participating Tusla registered childcare service, including any Tusla registered childminder. The success of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) in meeting families needs is evidenced...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The figures supplied by the scheme administrator Pobal in the table below show the total number of unique children that are enrolled in an ECCE service, also availing of an NCS subsidy for the programme year 2022/23 and for 2023/24 to date. Programme Year 2022-23 39,555 Programme Year 2023-24 44,636

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Sponsorship arrangement available under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) makes special provision for vulnerable children. The NCS Sponsorship arrangement allows designated bodies to refer children to the Scheme where childcare is needed on child welfare, protection, family support or other specified grounds. Where a referral is made by a Sponsor body, the family will automatically...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help parents meet the cost of childcare. It is available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years who are attending any participating Tusla registered childcare service, including any Tusla registered childminder. The success of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) in meeting families needs is evidenced...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department received reports on withdrawn services on the 15thFebruary from the scheme administrator, and as of this date my Department is not aware of any services withdrawing from Core Funding in the Dublin South West constituency to increase their fees. Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.1 billion in 2023 for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding for the first time reaching more than €1 billion in 2023 for early learning and childcare – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. Core Funding is in operation since 15 September 2022 and has achieved very significant success in terms of the high levels of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you deputy for your correspondence in relation to the ECCE programme. Exemptions to the upper age limit in the ECCE programme are only granted in a very limited number of circumstances and an exemption has already been granted for the named children for the current programme year. There is no provision for granting a second overage exemption. In deciding on applications for exemptions...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: €69 million has been allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars:Building Blocks - Improvement Grant;Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; andBuilding Blocks - Innovation Grant.Some €45 million has...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides universal, free preschool to children in the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers. In a limited number of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (20 Feb 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: International Protection (20 Feb 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: Departmental Communications (20 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland is currently accommodating more than 101,000 people seeking safety and shelter, between people fleeing war in Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. Under the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (SI 230 of 2018), the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is legally required to provide accommodation to IP applicants who seek...