Results 3,381-3,400 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 84 together. I acknowledged the publication of the special report by the Ombudsman for Children, and remain committed to the provision of appropriate accommodation to all International Protection Applicants (IPAs) in Ireland in line with our legal obligations. Recommendation 1: IPAS to cease the use of commercial hotels and plan for accommodation...

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

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: Childcare Services (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised that the service referred to by the Deputy was sent a communication on the 27th October from Pobal. Pobal are now working to bring this issue to a close.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Information and Tracing services established under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 opened for applications just over a year ago, on the 3rd of October 2022. As of the 31st of October 2023, the Child and Family Agency, Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland have received 10,691 applications for information, and have progressed 8,385 (or 78%) to completion. They have...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (7 Nov 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, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has worked extensively to accommodate over 99,000 arrivals fleeing the war in Ukraine, over 80% have sought accommodation from this Department. It is estimated that some 104,000 persons...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Nov 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The following payments can be retained when the recipient relocates permanently outside the State subject to continuing to satisfy all of the relevant scheme qualifying conditions. Guardians Contributory paymentState Pension ContributoryDisablement Benefit or Death Benefit (under the Occupational injury Benefit Scheme)Widows/Widowers or Surviving Civil Partners Contributory PensionInvalidity...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you for highlighting this organisation. You may be interested to know, the organisation received funding under section 56 of €371,000 in 2022 and €375,000 in 2021. As they are a section 56 organisation they are in line to benefit from the recent successful WRC talks. The Agreement reached proposes increases in pay related funding phased over a number of phases:3%...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to ensuring that workplaces consider the reality of employees’ lives and recognises that menopause is a key health issue for women. The work of the Women’s Health Taskforce, which was convened in September 2019 by the Minister for Health, has been very important in driving progress in this area. The need for more awareness within the workplace of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Nov 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. Budget 2024 allocated an additional €37.4m to Core Funding. This increase on the 2023 allocation will support continued implementation of the scheme for the...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance, which is a payment in respect of the child in their care. The foster care allowance is currently €325 per week for a child under 12 years of age and €352 per week for a child aged 12 years and over. The foster care allowance is a payment in respect of each child and young person in care. It is paid in respect of the child and...

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...