Results 21-40 of 331 for carers speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: State Pensions (8 Feb 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware that eligibility for the State Pension (Contributory) is an area of genuine concern for foster carers. The Deputy may be aware that the Department of Social Protection has some measures available to recognise caring periods outside of paid employment in the calculation of a State Pension payment. Credit for Home Caring Periods may be awarded to a maximum of 20 years and foster...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...and the economy. My Department’s Estimate contains provision of €1.011 billion for Tusla, which is broadly in line with the 2023 Supplementary allocation, which was significantly increased during 2023. This funding will allow Tusla to improve support for foster carers through an increase in the weekly foster care allowance rate for the first time since 2009. This year, the...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: .... As I said, it will grow by €75 and €73 per week for under-12s and over-12s, respectively, by the end of this year. This will make a meaningful difference in terms of supporting all foster carers, especially those who are directly fostering through Tusla. This change comes on top of other more practical supports we are looking at, particularly in terms of the provision of...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...the unintended consequences, particularly when we are dealing with the Constitution, dealing with a document that paints in those very broad brushstrokes. Yesterday, I spoke to the issue of carers and a concern raised by some that we were not explicitly recognising carers within the context. I will come back to that later when I speak about why we chose the word "care". As I said...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...onus of "strive". It will not deliver every single improvement on the first day and everyone recognises that. However it is that clear progressive goal of improving the supports for care and for carers. It is important to say it is a myriad of care. We focus, rightfully, on the issue of disability but care is care for children, for those with a disability and for the elderly. There...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Process (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. The Act also includes provisions to transpose Article 9 of the EU Work Life Balance Directive and provide for a right to request flexible working for parents and carers. Many of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mental Health Services (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...of the needs of the family. In circumstances whereby a child engaged with adult mental health services, I am advised that Tusla would be supportive of information being shared with parents/carers by the HSE professionals about family and parenting supports services within their area, but would not recommend automatic referral. Under Supporting Parents: A National Model of Parenting Support...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...role that both women and men play in all spheres of public and private life. The amendment proposed is not just symbolic. It will have real legal significance. It will be significant for people like Tracy Carroll, who I met last week when launching the Family Carers Ireland campaign for a “Yes” vote. Tracy said: Caring for both my children is a labour of love, but it's...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...rights of others, particularly the rights and autonomy of people with a disability. It is very important to say that the word "care" has been used here. A lot of people have been saying we are elevating carers over others. The word "carer" is not stated in the new Article 42B. The word "care" is used. That has been chosen very deliberately to make it clear that we are committed to...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In terms of locating the obligation within the family, the approach was adopted because of the particularly onerous and ongoing nature of the care that is provided by so many family carers and the absolute level of support that gives the State. The role of the Meals on Wheels volunteer is, of course, vital in society but I am not sure we can equate that laudable value of a voluntary role...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ..., it is a recognition that the achievement of the obligation is progressive. It will not be, nor does anyone believe it will be, solved immediately. The obligation of the State to support family carers, if this amendment is made, will be in our Constitution. It is a progressive obligation recognising the degrees of support need to increase. However, fundamentally, that is a legal...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As I will continue to argue, it is far more robust than Article 41.2 which has achieved absolutely nothing for mothers or anybody else in our society. On the use of the words "care" and "carers", this was done very deliberately because there are two or more people in any care-based relationship. Using the word "care" reflects the view of many disability advocates who had expressed...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...of the family must step back from full-time work or from the workplace altogether. There are supports in place to help families manage the care needs of their loved ones, including family leave for parents and carer's leave. These have been extended during the period of this Government but, undoubtedly, we need to do more. This Government needs to do more and, importantly, future...

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...in real detail, the important constitutional changes we are making. Like other Deputies, I welcome the groups represented in the Gallery today. The National Women's Council is here, as are Family Carers Ireland and One Family, and those three organisations are all advocating two yes votes on 8 March. I assure Deputy Bríd Smith that the three Government parties will vigorously...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...support for childcare. The minimum subsidy under the Scheme is now worth up to €3,276 per annum for families availing of a full-time place in a Tusla-registered early learning and childcare service. - Allowances for carers continue to increase. From January 2024, there will be a €12 increase in weekly social welfare payments, with the maximum rate of the Carer's Allowance...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Pension Provisions (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: It was a priority of mine to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in Budget 2024 in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers. The Foster Care Allowance rates are being increased on a phased basis. The first increase was payable from 1st January 2024, with a further increase to be payable from 1st November 2024. As and from 1st January 2024,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (17 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla has advised that Tusla is responsible for ensuring that foster carers are vetted in accordance with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 and 2016. The Tusla Central Vetting Bureau facilitates Garda Vetting for foster carer applications to Tusla Fostering Services. Garda vetting is completed as part of the foster care assessment by the fostering social...

An Bille up an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...full potential. The work of people who provide care in the wider community is also hugely important to Irish society. Paid care workers and care enterprises provide important supports to unpaid carers. However, it would present a significant anomaly to identify and enshrine the rights of one cohort of workers and potentially their private sector employers and private commercial...

An Bille up an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: ...and agreed broadly with the recommendations of the 1996 review group. The second report of the Convention on the Constitution, which carried out its work between 2012 and 2014, also recommended to amend Article 41.2 to be gender-neutral and to include carers. The Task Force on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Second Report of the Convention on the Constitution was...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: ...of the pension is important. In the national framework I referred to earlier, Young Ireland, action 41.2 commits the Department of Social Protection to consider the credits available to foster carers for periods of time spent caring, with a view to supporting eligibility for the State pension, and also refers to including foster carers in the proposed changes to the attributable...