Results 3,081-3,100 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As at 22nd October 2023, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is providing accommodation to 24,765 people seeking refuge in Ireland, and since January 2022 have brought over 180 properties into use to ensure that all those who arrive in Ireland seeking shelter can be accommodated. The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) is responding to an offer of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: White Papers (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware, In February 2021 my Department published A White Paper to end Direct Provision and Establish a New International Protection Support Service. The White Paper contained three core themes – accommodation, integration and supports. Since January 2022 there has been a substantial increase in the number of new International Protection arrivals with more than...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Artificial Intelligence (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is currently in the process of upgrading its suite of standard office productivity tools to the latest version of these applications, which are based on the Microsoft 365 platform. This platform includes additional business intelligence, process automation, app development, and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 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: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 980, 982 and 983 together. With regard to funding, I have secured over €1 billion for Tusla for 2024 and this includes a year on year increase of at least €80m in general funding. In this context, my forthcoming Performance Statement to Tusla will outline the overall parameters of Tusla's financial resources in light of Budget 2024, and my...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have referred this matter to Tusla for direct response.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities or additional needs can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE Programme and reap the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) operates in tandem with the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme and as such, provision of AIM supports are directly linked with ECCE participation / hours of operation. AIM’s objective is to support the meaningful participation of children with disabilities in ECCE. ECCE is available to all children within the eligible age range....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: All Partner Services that had an active Core Funding Contract during the 2022/2023 Programme Year must provide validated Financial Returns. Core Funding payments to providers must run on a programme year, September-August, in line with the school year, the operation of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector, and the payments made to providers under the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Women's Collective Ireland (formerly known as the National Collective of Community based Women's Networks, NCCWN) consists of 17 women's groups located in various parts of the country and is involved broadly in activation and outreach for disadvantaged women. The group in question is part of this collective. Since 2020, my Department has provided funding of €6,680,000 to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Correspondence (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Regarding the correspondence referenced by the Deputy, it has been considered. There are currently over 25,000 persons in IPAS accommodation. Since the beginning of 2023 to date, over 9,500 people have arrived seeking International Protection, many of which have been accommodated by IPAS. Due to the significant increase, there is a requirement to continue with a blended approach of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Opening the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme as soon as possible is a priority for me and my Department. The underpinning legislation for the Scheme, signed into law in July this year, allows for the establishment of an Executive Office in my Department to administer the Scheme and the appointment of the Chief Deciding Officer to head up that office. It also allows for the making...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ministerial Staff (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm that statement of interests have been filed by my special advisors for 2020, 2021, and 2022. Returns in respect of 2023 may be filed before 31st January 2024. Year Statement of interests filed 2020 2 2021 2 2022 2 2023 May be submitted by 31/01/2024

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Maternity Leave (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with six months of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave, alongside other entitlements such as breastfeeding breaks which will be extended to two years following the birth of the child through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The annual LGBTI+ Community services Funding Call has two different funding streams available for applicant organisations, Scheme A and Scheme B. Applicants can apply for €25,000 to €100,000 through Scheme A or €5,000 to €10,000 through Scheme B. See below details of Scheme A for this year and the previous three years as requested. I should note that I have only...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In line with the government decision of the 28th October 2022, a Serviced Accommodation Contribution Policy came into operation, on a phased basis. The policy applies to certain serviced accommodation (for example hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and hostels) where self-catering options are not available. Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) are now required to make a contribution...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Advertising (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Below is a breakdown in tabular form for the advertising spend of my Department across national and local outlets for the three years 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Department does not collate information on behalf of agencies under its remit. Year National Local 2020 €17,582 €17,098 2021 ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is currently accommodating 24,765 people in over 200 accommodation centres throughout Ireland. Of these people, approximately 5,700 have been granted International Protection or a Leave to Remain. Under The European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, those who have had their application determined are no longer...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Any service forced to close due to the flooding may apply for the continuation of my Departments funding under force majeure as per the rules governing the early learning and care funded schemes. There are also special supports available from my Department where a service is experiencing financial difficulty or has concerns about their viability. These supports can be accessed through the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Official Engagements (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department received a request from the Israeli Embassy in June 2023 for relevant officers and/or agencies to participate in a Social Service International Relations Professional Network being established by the Israeli Ministry for Welfare & Social Affairs. This request is under consideration. Tusla’s International Social Services Team has interacted with Israeli...