Results 2,721-2,740 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ministerial Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm that I have two Garda Protection Officers assigned to me as a Government Minister. As these are employees of An Garda Síochána, the Deputy may request further information about their working arrangements from the Minister for Justice. Minister of State Anne Rabbitte has two civilian drivers assigned to her. Both drivers are contracted to work on average not less...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In February 2021 A White Paper to End Direct Provision and establish a new International Protection Service was published. The paper set out a new approach for accommodating applicants that seek International Protection in Ireland and contains three core themes – accommodation, integration and supports. Since January 2022, more than 27,000 people have come to Ireland seeking...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (30 Jan 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: Proposed Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: All residential care centres for children are subject to, and inspected against, the National Standards for Children's Residential Centres. HIQA are responsible for the inspection of centres operated directly by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), whereas, under Part VIII of the Child Care Act 1991, Tusla are currently responsible for inspecting non-statutory centres for children that are...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced in July 2022 to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) arriving in Ireland from Ukraine under the EU Temporary Protection Directive. The ARP is paid at the rate of €800 per month per property with a unique Eircode. The scheme is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Service Level Agreements (25 Jan 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 Fórsa administrative and management grade staff in the HSE (which commenced on 6 October, 2023), delays remain in receiving answers to parliamentary questions and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (25 Jan 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: Departmental Funding (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below shows the number of unique children by and across programmes that benefitted from my Department's funded schemes in the 2022 and 2023 calendar years, along with the number of unique children across the both years. Programme Unique children 2022 Unique children 2023 Total unique children – 2022 and 2023 CCSP Saver...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Core Funding is in operation since 15 September 2022 and has achieved very significant success in terms of the high levels of participation. With 95% participation of eligible services in year 1 and to date, 94% or over 4,300 providers have signed up for Core Funding Year 2, with applications still open. There are officially more services contracted for Core Funding year 2 than there were at...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am committed to the ongoing success of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) which continues to benefit increasing numbers of families across Ireland. Uptake of NCS subsidies has grown yearly with 182,776 children benefitting from the Scheme in 2023. This represents an increase of 48% on 2022. I envisage further growth in 2024. This growth is driven, in part, by recent changes...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (25 Jan 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 the Department launched the Early Learning and Childcare Data website,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible. Any change to the design features of the ECCE...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Care Services (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child Care Act 1991 is the primary piece of legislation providing for alternative care and child protection policy in Ireland. The Act is a wide-ranging piece of legislation, which, at its core, seeks to promote the welfare of children who may not be receiving adequate care and protection. Consequently, the Act sets out a detailed statutory framework, which includes but is not...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Proposed Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Following consideration of the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee, arising from the pre-legislative scrutiny process, I asked my officials to reconsider Head 11 and the role of the proposed Committee. On foot of this process, I have approved, in principle, a strengthened role for the Advisory Committee, and my officials are liaising with OPC in relation to our updated policy...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Heads and General Scheme of a Bill to amend the Child Care Act 1991 were published in April last year, and have gone through the pre-legislative scrutiny process. A considerable number of recommendations were received from the Joint Oireachtas Committee, and my Department has been giving consideration to both these recommendations and to feedback received from stakeholders. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Consular Services (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware my department is responsible for the provision of accommodation to persons in the International Protection process and I will provide a response in that regard. All other matters should be directed to Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. As part of the programme of work to deliver on commitments made in A White Paper to end Direct Provision and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of their contract with my Department, providers of accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection are required to submit a weekly register in relation to their contracted capacity. The registers provide occupancy and vacancy figures which are checked by a team in my Department to make sure the figures provided do not exceed the maximum capacity agreed with the provider in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: International Protection Accommodation Service The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) works at all times to ensure accommodation capacity is utilised in the most effective manner possible. Across IPAS’s 265 properties variances exist between maximum capacity and actual number international protection applicants in residence. The largest part of this differentials is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Census of Population (25 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is a matter for the CSO and Dept of Taoiseach.