Results 2,941-2,960 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The mother and baby institutions payment scheme will provide financial payments to an estimated 34,000 people, some 19,000 of whom will also benefit from an enhanced medical card or health support payment. The benefits are in recognition of experiences while resident in mother and baby and county home institutions. The overall cost of the payment scheme is €800 million. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will take Deputy Bruton's points first. Having listened to the sector, we have made significant changes to the document he showed there. He is right. Remember the sector is very wide and the nature of providers is very different. We cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach but that is how we need to understand what is the cost base of that small service down the road operated out of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: We have discussed this before. In October 2022, the Government made an order under the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to direct an intervention at the site of the former mother and baby institution in Tuam. The Government order specifies that the functions of the director of authorised intervention in Tuam include carrying out an identification programme to seek to establish familial links....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The legislation sets out who can give DNA at the moment. Obviously legislation can be changed. If there is a clear scientific basis that we will be able to identify with at least a similar degree of precision, I have no stated objection against making that change. If something specific has changed in the past 12 months, I am happy to look at it. I am not sure if the Deputy has something...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recently established an administrative scheme to allow for the collection of samples on a purely voluntary basis from elderly and vulnerable people in advance of the start of the statutory identification programme. Any person can contact the office of the director of authorised intervention for details. We thought that was important, recognising the age of some of the people involved,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Providers that had an active core funding contract during the 2022-23 programme year must provide validated financial returns as per their core funding partner service funding agreement. Having heard the concerns Deputy Funchion spoke to there, officials in my Department have, in recent weeks, engaged constructively with key stakeholders on this requirement. Four meetings have taken...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: We heard the issues that have been raised by Deputies and following the committee hearings that were held. I heard them myself in my constituency and around the country when meeting childcare providers. We have moved significantly. I am not going to say the agreement from groups was 100%, but we have moved significantly to address many of the key concerns that were raised. It is important...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Is the Deputy talking about residential care?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will come back to the Deputy with the exact figures. My recollection is that on an annual basis, we are looking at about €17,000 per year for foster care. The figure for residential care is over €100,000. This is without talking about the value for the child, but in terms of pure value for money foster care is of much more benefit to the State. It is, of course, for the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I disagree with the Deputy. The State very much values the work that is being done in terms of foster care families across the country and the importance of supporting that. I have worked to support that in terms of the significant increase in the allowance I outlined earlier. I met Movement for Change in Foster Care and the Irish Foster Care Association, IFCA, in the past number of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings about the failings of the State and religious bodies, which together ran mother and baby and county home institutions. The Government believes that all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to the legacy of these institutions. In May, the Government approved my proposal to appoint...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise the frustration about not much being said publicly about this. However, as the Deputy alluded to, it is a negotiation process and any negotiation process where little bits of information slip out during the process is one that parties will not engage with. I am not providing a blow-by-blow account because it is the best way to get a resolution, although I recognise that leads to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for highlighting that point. No legal advice is required and no former resident needs to hire a solicitor to access the scheme. Certain companies are advertising it. It is not necessary. When the scheme opens, there will be an extensive public information campaign. We will let people know when it is open and how to apply. Assistance and advice will be available for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Children in Care (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy asked this question in the context of the Young Ireland: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People strategy that was recently published. It was launched by my Department on 21 November this year. This new policy framework covers the period 2023 to 2028 and envisages an Ireland which fully respects the rights of children and young people. Young Ireland was...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I published the Heads and General Scheme of a Bill to amend the Child Care Act 1991, in April of this year, following a comprehensive review of that legislation. While Review found that the Act has served children well, and there is much that is worth retaining, our thinking as regards child welfare and protection landscape has evolved since 1991. We have a better understanding of...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Both my Department and Tusla are deeply cognisant of the increased risk of child trafficking and sexual exploitation of vulnerable children and young people, whether relating to children and young people in care or those in the wider community. Of particular concern is the increased instance of separated children seeking asylum who enter into the care of the State and subsequently cannot...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am committed to supporting the broader Government action to combat child poverty. My Department is taking a series of actions in this regard. Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels, a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. In 2024, my Department’s funding for the early learning and childcare sector will be €1.109...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Since early 2022, Ireland has provided accommodation to over 99,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection applicants. This includes over 73,000 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) from Ukraine who requested State supported accommodation and over 25,000 International Protection applicants currently in IPAS accommodation. Prior to the war in Ukraine, there...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (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: 1. Building Blocks - Improvement Grant; 2. Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and 3. Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. ...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability and affordability of high quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority as demonstrated by the record levels of investment by the State, which will exceed €1.1bn in 2024. The combination of recent enhancements to the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the new public management measures through Core Funding that requires services to maintain a fee...