Results 2,661-2,680 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Some €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.Under the Building...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland is currently accommodating approximately 100,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes nearly 74,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and 26,000 International Protection applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation. Unfortunately, despite the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Firstly, I would like to state that foster care remains a key pillar of the alternative care system, with 90% of children in care residing in foster care. This figure compares favourably internationally and underscores the commitment among foster carers to providing safe, stable accommodation to some of the most vulnerable children and young people in the State. I can inform the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Growing Up in Ireland study is uniquely placed in being able to capture contemporary information from participants on how they experienced the Covid-19 pandemic. A special Covid-19 survey was issued to two Growing Up in Ireland cohorts in December 2020. The special Covid-19 survey collected information on the experiences of children and young people during the pandemic at key stages...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Constitutional Amendments (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government has published two Referendum Bills: - The Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023; and - The Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023 These Bills give effect to the Government's proposals for referendums to: - amend Article 41 of the Constitution to provide for a wider concept of Family; and - delete Article 41.2 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: At my request, officials from my Department have, in recent weeks, engaged with the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum (ELCSF) on issues raised by providers on the financial reporting requirements under Core Funding. To date, four meetings have taken place on the 7th, 20th and 27th November and again on 1st December, involving members and nominees from Childhood Services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings in relation to the failings of the State and religious bodies, who together ran Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Government believes all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to the legacy of these institutions. In May the Government approved my proposal to appoint...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, as part of the Whole of Government response my Department has worked extensively to support approximately 101,800 people who have sought temporary protection in Ireland in fleeing the war in Ukraine, over 80% of whom have sought State supported accommodation....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: At my request, officials from my Department have, in recent weeks, engaged with the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum (ELCSF) on issues raised by providers on the financial reporting requirements under Core Funding. To date, four meetings have taken place on the 7th, 20th and 27th November and again on 1st December, involving members and nominees from Childhood Services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla is cognisant of the challenges the current housing crisis poses for the families they work with in communities across the country, and young people who receive services or are in aftercare. Given the multiple and complex needs which often underpin homelessness, Tusla recognises homelessness as not just a housing issue but an issue that affects how Tusla practitioners and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Across the State there are hundreds of youth-focused community projects in which many thousands of young people meet every week to make friends, develop their skills, contribute to their community and realise their potential. My Departments supports many of these groups through a number of funding schemes, with a total budget of €77.95 million for 2024. These groups vary greatly in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: At my request, officials from my Department have, in recent weeks, engaged with the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum (ELCSF) on issues raised by providers on the financial reporting requirements under Core Funding. To date, four meetings have taken place on the 7th, 20th and 27th November and again on 1st December, involving members and nominees from Childhood Services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Dec 2023)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is a subsidy provided to help parents to meet the cost of childcare and allow children to access Early Learning and School Age Childcare. It is not clear what potential anomaly would give rise to the situation described. The rate of subsidy for families availing of the NCS depends on a number of factors including the level of family income, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 131 and 134 together. My Department is currently accommodating approximately 100,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes nearly 74,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and 26,000 IP applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS)...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, as part of the Whole of Government response my Department has worked extensively to support over 101,700 people who have sought temporary protection in Ireland in fleeing the war in Ukraine, over 73,300 of whom have sought State supported accommodation. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla is the independent statutory regulator for early years services, including both early learning and care (ELC) and school-age (SAC) services, and is responsible for maintaining the register of services under the Child Care Act 1991. It is a legal requirement for a service proposing to operate to submit an application to Tusla under section 58D(2) of the Child Care Act 1991, at least 3...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla has a dedicated social work team that supports unaccompanied minors seeking international protection, referred to as the Team for Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP). Over the past 20 years the SCSIP Team has developed expertise through Ireland’s participation in International Refugee Protection Programmes and by caring for separated children seeking...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is making a significant investment in youth services in 2024, building on the increases in recent years and securing the achievements into the future. The full package of current funding for youth services and programmes in my Department is €77.95 million, an increase of €5 million, or 6.8%, on the 2023 budget. €74.45m is being provided for youth services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is making a significant investment in youth services in 2024, building on the increases in recent years and securing the achievements into the future. From 2020 to Budget 2024, current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.789 million to €77.95 million, a 26% increase overall. My Department provides universal funding on an annual...