Results 401-420 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (6 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised that my Department has no current offer for accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) or International Protection applicants (IPs) at the property to which the Deputy refers. I am further advised that while this property was appraised in the past by the Technical Working group set up for purpose of prioritising buildings to be refurbished for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (6 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help reduce the cost of early learning and childcare for parents. A component of the Scheme is a Sponsorship referral which makes special provision for vulnerable children. The NCS Sponsorship arrangement allows designated bodies to refer children to the Scheme where childcare is needed on child welfare, protection, family...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Capital Expenditure Programme (6 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: This information is not immediately available. 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: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, funded by my Department, provides universal, free pre-school to children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. In a limited number of circumstances, it is possible to apply for an exemption to the upper age limit of 5 years 6 months where a child has special/additional needs. An exemption has...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. 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: Departmental Budgets (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The support my department provides for the development of new play and recreation facilities for children and young people is through the annual Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. Established in 2013, this grant scheme operates through and with Local Authorities. The scheme also funds the refurbishment of existing play and recreation facilities and the incorporation of natural play...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Budgets (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since 2021, funding of €450,000 per year has been made available to Local Authorities through the Capital Grant scheme for Play and Recreation. I anticipate that Capital Grant funding for this purpose will be available again in 2025, and that a call for applications will issue in January. Applications must be made through the relevant Local Authority Play and Recreation...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Budgets (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department provides grant funding for National Play Day. This is provided to Local Authorities to allow them to create and host play and recreational opportunities for children and young people in their communities. The 2024 National Play Day took place on a series of days, between July 13th and 21st 2024. The aim of National Play Day is to promote play opportunities for children all...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced in July 2022 to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) arriving in Ireland from Ukraine. The payment rate under this scheme is €800 per month per property with a unique Eircode, irrespective of whether the property is vacant or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Properties (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Rights of the Child (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In September 2024 my Department launched a public awareness campaign on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The campaign ‘Rights Here’ was rolled out across radio, digital and social media with the aim to increase public awareness of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The campaign was guided by the text of Article 42 of the convention which notes that...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The introduction of Core Funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding. Core Funding has increased by 15% to €331 million for the third programme year which began in September 2024. This increase will...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (5 Nov 2024)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In relation to capital funding, I wish to inform the Deputy that neither my Department nor Tusla have capital funding to develop the capital infrastructure of Family Resource Centres (FRC), including purchasing sites for the development of new centres. Tusla does not have a dedicated budget for capital or building works for third party organisations. The Family Resource Centre...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 893 and 906 together. My colleagues in HR have advised me that there was 17 civil servants on career break from my Department at the end of August 2023 and 16 at the end of August 2024. At end of August in 2023 and 2024 there was 1 person on career break of more than 5 years and none over 6 years. Vacancies at the end of August 2023 and 2024 are shown by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme is designed to provide payments and medical supports to people who spent time in one or more of the Mother and Baby or County Home Institutions, that were identified by the Commission of Investigation as having a main function of providing sheltered and supervised ante and post-natal facilities to single mothers and their children. The 44...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the State’s humanitarian response to the Ukrainian crisis, the Government developed a Rapid Build Programme to provide accommodation for families fleeing the war in Ukraine. The programme aims to provide emergency temporary accommodation to up to 2,800 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) at several sites across Ireland. While rapid build units will initially be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: EU Directives (5 Nov 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: While Ireland, along with a number of EU countries, was unable to meet the original date for transposition of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) Directive, the EAA has now been transposed into Irish law via S.I. No. 636/2023 – European Union (Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services) Regulations 2023. These Regulations were singed into law on the 15th December 2023 by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (5 Nov 2024)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (5 Nov 2024)

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