Results 2,761-2,780 of 11,892 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: The funding the Deputy is referring to relates to a grant agreement between the organisation and the Irish Refugee Protection Programme which expired in December 2021. In relation to Building Block grants, 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...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1335 and 1355 together. I thank the Deputy for her question. This information will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: Quality assurance of early learning and care (ELC) settings currently includes inspections carried out by both the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate and the Department of Education Inspectorate, while inspection of school-age childcare (SAC) settings is undertaken by the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate. The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate is the independent statutory regulator for the early...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: Early learning and childcare providers are required to submit a ‘Weekly Return’ under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) in order to be included in that week’s payment run. These weekly returns can be made from the last day (Sunday) of the reporting week and must be completed no later than 23:59 on the following Tuesday on the Early Years Hive, which is the payment...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (17 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: Childcare Services (17 Jan 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 makes a significant additional contribution to services’ income, allowing them to better absorb increased costs including energy costs. In...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1340 and 1413 together. My Department does not publicly detail the locations of accommodation centres in the interest of the privacy and security of residents and providers. For the same reason, my Department also does not publicly detail the occupancy, contracted capacity and location of each centre. I can inform the Deputy that, at the end of 2023, there...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question. The information requested is being collated and a response will be provided to the Deputy in the coming days.
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: My Department shares personal data with the Department of Education in a number of situations. Since the introduction of the GDPR, it is the policy of my Department that in instances of sharing personal data that appropriate governance arrangements are in place including data sharing agreements. The personal data sets shared by my Department with the Department of Education are varied in...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Pension Provisions (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: It was a priority of mine to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in Budget 2024 in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers. The Foster Care Allowance rates are being increased on a phased basis. The first increase was payable from 1st January 2024, with a further increase to be payable from 1st November 2024. As and from 1st January 2024,...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland is now accommodating over 101,000 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 over 26,000 IPAs currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation. The Government is committed to supporting all those seeking refuge in...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: I take it the Deputy is referring to the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. This 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 was signed into law last July. A comprehensive body of work has been...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: 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 was signed into law last July. A comprehensive body of work has been underway to develop the substantial...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Correspondence (17 Jan 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. At my request, officials from my Department have engaged with the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum (ELCSF) on issues raised by providers on these financial reporting requirements under...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (17 Jan 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: Child and Family Agency (17 Jan 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: Child and Family Agency (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Research and Development (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has not commissioned any research through the North-South Ministerial Council, Shared Island Initiative or through other all-island arrangements
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: My Department funds City/County Childcare Committees (CCC) to support and assist families with childcare matters at a local level. This involves assisting parents to:search for childcare for the first time and those thinking of switching to a different providerensure they are fully informed regarding service provision and quality of provisionto understand their childcare choicesto ask the...
- Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (17 Jan 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: As this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.