Results 2,341-2,360 of 12,230 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy has requested the savings to the Exchequer through reducing the average fees using the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). It should be noted that the NCS reduces out of pocket costs, rather than reduces fees, at a cost of the Exchequer. My Department does not hold individualised fee data for parents as these are local agreements between parents and providers; instead a reduction...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Voluntary Sector (16 Apr 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 16th 2023, was for the appointment of a National Safeguarding officer to the St. John Ambulance Ireland organisation. The recommendations of the Shannon report are a matter for SJAI to implement and my...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Core Funding, which began in September 2022, is the new funding stream to start a partnership for the public good between the State and providers. Its primary purpose is to improve pay and conditions in the sector as a whole and improve affordability for parents as well as ensuring a stable income to providers. In 2022, €68.7m was initially secured for Core Funding. Following the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As announced as part of Budget 2024, from September 2024 the universal subsidy provided through the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) will be increased from €1.40 to €2.14 per child per hour. This change follows on from a previous increase to the NCS universal subsidy from €0.50 to €1.40. The upcoming increase to €2.14 will reduce out of pocket childcare costs...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Minister McGrath and his staff have engaged directly with myself and my staff a number of times in relation to this service. I am happy to engage with all Deputies in the constituency in relation to same. I have also received details of a capital funding requirement to reopen this service in September. As the funding required is not all directly linked to the provision of early learning...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department adheres to the protocol agreed with my colleague the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. When the terms of the protocol are met, my Department is free to consider proposals of accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) or International Protection (IPs) applicants . In circumstances where an offer of accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Contractual arrangements for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation centres are deemed confidential and commercially sensitive. In relation to service providers contracted by IPAS to provide accommodation services to International Protection (IP) applicants, the Department publishes reports on all payments over €20,000. These are published, once per...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme currently operates over 5 days per week, 38 weeks per year, similar to the primary school year. A comprehensive review of the ECCE programme has been recently completed by Stranmillis University. The review examined in detail the current operation of the programme and sought to identify possible enhancements, informed by extensive...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Community Development Projects (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Substantial investment 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; and Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. Significant...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I acknowledge that many early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services report staffing challenges in relation to recruitment and retention. In general, staffing pressures in the sector are caused not by insufficient supply of qualified personnel, but by high levels of staff turnover. Providers of ELC and SAC are private businesses. As the State does not employ staff...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was introduced in 2016 to ensure children with a disability could access and meaningfully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. In line with a commitment in First 5, an independent evaluation of AIM was undertaken by the University of Derby to inform an extension of AIM beyond the ECCE programme as well as any...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Monitoring and evaluation of early learning and childcare services in Ireland is currently conducted by the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate (EYI), which is the independent statutory regulator for the sector, and by the Department of Education Inspectorate, which conducts education-focused inspections of early learning and care (ELC) services. (The Department of Education Inspectorate does not...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding reaching more than €1.1 billion in 2024 – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. The majority of this funding is allocated through Together for Better - the funding model for early learning and childcare, which brings together four strands, the Early Childhood...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Substantial investment 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 Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. On 7 December last, I...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) does not currently collect contributions from International Protection Applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Regulatory and Poverty Impact Assessments (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Firstly, may I apologise for the delay in responding to PQ 499 dated September 2023. I am advised that, since the commencement of the 33rd Dáil and the date of your Parliamentary Question, my Department has prepared nine Bills. Seven of these involved a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). I have outlined these below: Number Bill Regulatory Impact ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (16 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I sincerely regret to hear of the difficulties faced by the applicant during this period. Officials in my Department have liaised with the Scheme Administrator, Pobal, on the applicant’s behalf and I understand that the applicant has since created an active claim which was confirmed on the 9th of April. The rules of the NCS stipulate that subsidies can only be paid once an...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (11 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In March 2023, St John Ambulance Ireland published a 'Response Document' in relation to implementing all of the recommendations contained in Dr. Shannon's Independent Review report into the handling of allegations of abuse by the organisation. Recommendation 2 of this report relates to Therapeutic Support for those who are victim survivors of this abuse. St John Ambulance Ireland has...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Programme (11 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to extending regulation and supports to all paid, non-relative childminders who work in their own homes. The National Action Plan sets out a phased approach to regulation with a preparatory phase followed by an extended transition period, to allow childminders lead-in time for any requirements. This supportive, phased process aims to...