Results 2,961-2,980 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has a programme of multi-platform and continuous communications and engagement in place to provide media, stakeholders and the public with accurate detailed information, which is regularly reviewed. In addition, my Department established a Community Engagement Team to engage directly with elected representatives, relevant Local Authorities, local development companies, and other...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding for the first time reaching more than €1 billion in 2023 – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. The overwhelming majority of this funding is allocated through Together for Better, the new funding model, which currently comprises the ECCE programme including...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: It was a priority of mine to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in this year’s Budget in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers. As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is dealing with the unprecedented challenge of accommodating people fleeing war in Ukraine and those seeking the international protection in Ireland from countries across the world. We are legally obliged under international law to provide accommodation to those seeking protection. Given the increasing numbers of arrivals, my Department is accepting offers of suitable...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The design of the National Childcare Scheme is based on a policy paper published in October 2016 “on the Development of a new Single Affordable Childcare Scheme”. The policy approach was implemented through the Childcare Support Act 2018 and secondary legislation arising from that Act. The design of the National Childcare Scheme follows a number of key principles. One of these...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As the deputy is aware, statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla is responsible for the assessment and child safeguarding response for children referred to us under the provisions of Children First and the Children First Act 2015. This includes any concern about a child that...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments for early learning and childcare, including reforming the system to create one that brings together the best of community and private provision and the development of a new funding model for affordable, accessible, sustainable and high quality early learning and childcare. An Expert Group was established in September 2019 to...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I acknowledge that CARI offers an important and vital service to children who have experienced sexual abuse, and the support offered by the service to the parents of those children. I understand the vital role CARI play in providing therapy to those who have experienced sexual abuse and it is acknowledged how important this service is for children and their families through an extremely...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Growing Up in Ireland, the national longitudinal study of children established in 2006, is the flagship research project of my Department and represents a very significant investment by the State in high quality research and data on the lives of children, young people and their families. The study provides a unique national bank of data to inform and evaluate policy across Government and the...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: In 2019, HIQA began the process of developing the National Standards for Children’s Social Services. HIQA conducted an evidence review of international practice with regard to standards development. The countries and areas focussed on are predominantly English speaking and have common law legal systems, with one exception, Sweden. It should be noted that the evidence review does not...

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...