Results 4,221-4,240 of 11,700 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The main route through which parents are subsidised for their early learning and childcare costs is the National Childcare Scheme. The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the National Childcare Scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered providers are eligible to participate in the Scheme. The limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered childcare...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: A public consultation on the review of the Regulations governing early learning and care took place between March and October 2022. This review primarily focused on enforcement powers of the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate, the independent statutory regulator for the sector. However, my Department also took the opportunity to undertake a wider but limited examination of lessons learned from...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Process (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Today (18th April 2023) the Government has approved the General Scheme of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2022. The Child Care Act 1991 is the primary piece of legislation regulating child care and child protection policy in Ireland. It is a wide-ranging piece of legislation, which, at its core, seeks to promote the welfare of children who may not be receiving adequate care and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Flexible Work Practices (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy may be aware that Part 2 of the Work Life Balance Act 2023, which was signed into law by the President on 4th April last, includes provisions to transpose Article 9 of the EU Work Life Balance Directive, which provides for a right to request flexible working for parents and carers. The provisions of the Act will be commenced as early as possible. Certain provisions will...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (18 Apr 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, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge following the invasion of Ukraine, with over 79,000 people arriving in Ireland, including 58,000 who have sought accommodation from this Department. Overseeing...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department can confirm that it has not been offered the property in question as a potential location for the accommodation of international protection applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services Staff (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: With the transfer of responsibility for the provision of disability services to my Department, I would like to acknowledge the important role of Section 39 organisations and employees in the health sector. Although the Deputy’s question relates specifically to employees of Section 39 agencies who provide disability services to the community, this reply necessarily draws attention...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is one officer assigned to the Permanent Representation in Brussels acting as the attaché for my Department. Their main role is to service the relevant working groups, support effective Ministerial engagement at EU Meetings, provide effective briefing to the Department and to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders. My Department had no attaché on 23 June 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise the enormous impact that pregnancy loss has on expectant parents, and I wish to extend my sympathies to all parents who have suffered such a loss. As the Deputy may be aware, work to examine the needs of bereaved parents coping with pregnancy loss is being advanced at present. My Department has commissioned a qualitative research study to examine the workplace experiences of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (18 Apr 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, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge following the invasion of Ukraine, with over 80,000 people arriving in Ireland, including 59,000 who have sought accommodation from this Department. Overseeing provision...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Deputy, thank you for your correspondence. While an application for international protection is being examined by the International Protection Office, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) provides accommodation and related services to international protection applicants (IPAs) who wish to accept the offer of accommodation from the Irish State. This offering includes food...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Detention Centres (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The number of young people within Oberstown Children Detention Campus that were offered temporary release for Christmas in 2020 is Nil, Christmas in 2021 is Nil and Christmas in 2022 is Nil.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and my Department is according this issue very high priority. I am advised by my officials that this invoice for this provider is being processed as priority, with payment expected to issue in the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and my Department is according this issue very high priority. I am advised by my officials that the invoice referred to by the Deputy has been discharged in full recently. The delay in payment was...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 15th September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers. Together for Better brings together three major programmes, the Early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Apr 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, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge from the invasion of Ukraine, including 79,000 people, of which over 58,000 have sought accommodation. Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Deputy, The process to make Daily Expenses Payments to IPAs at Citywest Convention Centre commenced on 1 March 2023 with the first payments received on Monday 6 March. This intensive process continued on site for a number of weeks resulting in approximately 600 people benefitting from the new process. Applications continue to be received and are processed offsite at Asylum Seekers Unit in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am committed to tackling disadvantage through high quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible. In line with a commitment in First 5, and informed by recommendations in Partnership for the Public Good, officials in my Department are currently developing a tailored policy response in order to progress the development of a new strand of funding - Tackling...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government made a commitment in the Programme for Government to end the current system of accommodation for International Protection applicants and replace it with a new model that is based on a not for profit approach. As part of this process I published A White Paper to end Direct Provision and to Establish a new International Protection Support Service on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked the HSE to respond directly to you on this matter.