Results 3,761-3,780 of 11,893 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (4 Jul 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is focused on providing short term accommodation to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. A high volume of people have sought short-term temporary accommodation to date. Where contracts with accommodation providers are ending, our Department undertakes to offer alternative accommodation for those beneficiaries of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Priorities (4 Jul 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. To note this Department has significantly...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (4 Jul 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: All public bodies have responsibility under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of their employees, customers, service users and everyone affected by their policies and plans. The public sector duty assessment and implementation for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (4 Jul 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy will be aware that Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge from the invasion of Ukraine. To date, approximately 86,000 people have been recognised as Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs), of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (4 Jul 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: OECD data from 2018, before the introduction of the NCS in late 2019, showed that early learning and childcare costs in Ireland, relative to household income, were the highest in the EU for couples on low incomes and third highest for lone parents on low incomes, with couples paying on average 26.5 per cent and lone parents paying 25.2 per cent, compared to the EU averages of 9.6 per cent and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (4 Jul 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: First 5, the whole-of-government strategy to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families recognises the potential for the use of school facilities for before and after-school early learning childcare. Data captured through the Annual Early Years Sector Profile in Spring 2022 revealed that approximately 15% of early learning and childcare services are located on school...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (4 Jul 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for child protection and welfare services. The Children First Act 2015 provides for a number of key child protection measures, including raising awareness of child abuse and neglect, providing for mandated reporting of child protection concerns and improving child protection arrangements in organisations...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Priorities (4 Jul 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: Youth Services (4 Jul 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department and I engage with the youth sector in a number of ways to ensure that youth supports are distributed appropriately throughout the country. My Department provides funding to Education and Training Boards (ETB) to support youth services in their area. My officials hold quarterly meetings with ETBI (the representative body for the ETBs) and these meetings assist my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (4 Jul 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: Constitutional Amendments (4 Jul 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 539 and 542 together. On 8 March 2023, the Taoiseach and I announced that a referendum will be held in November 2023 to amend the Constitution as recommended by the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and the Special Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality. An Inter-Departmental Committee, involving all Government Departments and chaired by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Consultations (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is preparing a response and will contact the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The new policy framework is expected to be published in the middle of this year. Last year, my department published a Blueprint of the Policy Framework for Children and Young People (0-24) 2023-2028, setting out our plans for this framework, which adopts a children’s rights approach, informed by the UN Convention on the Rights of Child (UNCRC), envisioning an Ireland in which the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can advise the Deputy that since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on meeting the immediate, temporary accommodation needs of those fleeing the conflict. My Department is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here. To date, more...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can inform the Deputy that my Department is not aware of the event described in respect of the details supplied. Perhaps the Deputy might write to me with more specific information and I will look into this matter further.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I greatly appreciate the positive contribution of the ABC Programme to improved outcomes for children and families, and its wider influence on the planning, evaluation and delivery of services. I am aware of requests from the ABC Managers Forum for a meeting to discuss funding matters. As an independent state agency, Tusla is responsible for the management and oversight of exchequer funding...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla has a statutory obligation to notify An Garda Síochana of all incidences of suspected child sexual exploitation, including those relating to children in the care of the State. An Garda Síochana lead the investigation into these notifications. Consequently, Tusla liaises closely with Gardaí, and also has an assigned Principal Social worker based with Garda National...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: This working group was set up as a joint action by the Department and Tusla following publication of Dr. Shannon’s review of St. John Ambulance Ireland in March 2023. This working group is not specifically about child sexual exploitation as it relates to issues within organisations and institutions regarding governance and safeguarding and any potential grooming of children by members...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The findings of the recent UCD study are alarming. In the first instance, my Department has requested a detailed report from Tusla in relation to the findings of the research, including the number of notifications to An Garda Siochana regarding suspected Child Sexual Exploitation of children in residential care and in particular of young girls in residential care. HIQA is authorised, under...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (29 Jun 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.