Results 2,341-2,360 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (7 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland is currently accommodating over 75,000 persons fleeing the conflict in Ukraine who have sought temporary protection from the State, both directly and through schemes such as offer a home or pledged accommodation. Intensive efforts are being undertaken daily by Department officials to source emergency accommodation. However, procuring enough bed space to support those that require such...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (7 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland is now accommodating over 100,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes almost 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and almost 27,000 IP applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation. IPAS releases weekly statistics in relation to international...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early learning and childcare providers offer a crucial service, however it must be noted that they are private entities. As such, it is a matter for each provider to decide whether they enter into any contractual arrangement with my Department – including Core Funding. It is important to note that 94% of services, over 4,300 services, have signed up to Core Funding and applications...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Services (7 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Providers that had an active Core Funding Contract during the 2022/2023 Programme Year must provide validated Financial Returns as per their Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement. Following constructive engagement with members and nominees of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum (ELCSF), including Childhood Services Ireland (CSI), Childminding Ireland, Early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disabilities Assessments (7 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 be aware that due to the ongoing industrial action by FORSA administrative and management grade staff in the HSE (which commenced on 6 October, 2023), delays remain in receiving answers to parliamentary questions and ministerial...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can inform the Deputy that my Department has received further correspondence from this childcare facility stating that they have issued further correspondence to all concerned parents, informing them that any plans in relation to the introduction of food costings are currently on hold and to refrain from making any payments at this point in time. Pobal and the local CCC are engaging with...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme is designed to provide payments and other benefits to people who spent time in one or more of the Mother and Baby or County Home Institutions, that were identified by the Commission of Investigation as having a main function of providing sheltered and supervised ante and post-natal facilities to single mothers and their children. The list of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it. To date, over 100,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile (AEYSP) provides a detailed overview of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector in Ireland, including the numbers of children in receipt of state subsidies, information on ELC and SAC fees, staff wages, qualifications and turnover. In December 2023, my Department launched the Early Learning and Childcare Data website,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for her question. The information will be provided to the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 347 together. My Department established a dedicated team in May 2023 to improve the processes around contracted vacancy identification and to provide a more structured approach to the validation and distribution of vacancies for use by operational teams. The team monitor a dedicated inbox, examining each weekly register submitted by accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.1 billion in 2024 for early learning and childcare – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. Core Funding improves:affordability for parents by instituting a fee freeze in participating Partner Services;access by expanding the capacity being offered by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together. Last May Government approved my proposal to appoint Ms Sheila Nunan to act on my behalf as Independent Negotiator in leading negotiations with religious organisations, which had a historical involvement with Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. This is with a view to securing a financial contribution towards the cost of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (1 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 and 353 together. The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be the largest scheme of its type in the history of the State with an anticipated 34,000 people eligible for its benefits. Given its scale and significance the Scheme has been placed on a statutory footing and enabling legislation - the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (1 Feb 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.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (31 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have asked to meet Helping Irish Hosts to engage with and hear from its representatives directly. I welcome the huge support it has provided. A substantial proportion of Ukrainians living in Ireland are living in homes around the country and it has been a valuable support to the Government. I would be supportive of looking at the model used there in other areas, perhaps the Irish refugee...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Housing Provision (31 Jan 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 up to 2,800 Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection at several sites across Ireland. While these rapid build units will...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (31 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising what is clearly an extremely tragic situation. I have requested my officials to make direct contact with the Deputy's office to seek further information which will allow them query this specific tragic case. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, are responsible for the assessment and child safeguarding response for children referred to them under the...