Results 4,401-4,420 of 11,893 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (20 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (SI 230 of 2018), the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is legally required to provide accommodation to international protection applicants who seek it while their claim for international protection is being determined by the International Protection Office which falls under the aegis of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Consultations (20 Apr 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: Emergency Accommodation (20 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 80,000 people, of which over 59,000 have sought accommodation. Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Care Services (20 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance, which is a payment to meet the needs 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 allowance is not considered as means for social welfare purposes, and is not subject to tax. The foster care allowance is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (20 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. With regard to the service provider mentioned in the details supplied, my officials are engaging with the provider regarding these invoices...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Second Stage (19 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Today, I am bringing the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022 before this House. This Bill, when enacted, will allow the Government to deliver a statutory scheme that will provide financial payments and a form of enhanced medical card to thousands of mother and baby and county home institution survivors. I look forward to working with Senators to discuss the Bill further...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Second Stage (19 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators for their detailed engagement with the debate and discussion today. I thank those who have joined us to listen both in the Chamber and online. We all recognise that this scheme is awaited by survivors. It is critical that we get the legislative framework in place as soon as possible. Any scheme brought forward by a Government cannot meet all expectations. I recognise...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (19 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 80,000 people, of which over 59,000 have sought State-funded accommodation.  Overseeing provision of accommodation on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Passport Services (19 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The issue of passport application fees falls within the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs. In relation to children in foster care requiring passports, Section 18(4) of the Child Care Act 1991 states that “Any consent given by Tusla in accordance with this section shall be sufficient authority for the carrying out of a medical or psychiatric examination or assessment. The...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The programme for Government sets out an objective to ratify the optional protocol and it is something the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and I are working to achieve. A key step towards that was achieved by the passing of the Assisted Decision-making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022. All the various elements of that are going to be commenced next week, including the operationalisation...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Apr 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy McDonald. The Government agrees with the importance of ratifying the optional protocol and it is set out in the programme for Government. An important step towards achieving that was the passage earlier this year of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022. That Act will be enacted later this month and the various processes that flow from that enactment...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware that Forensic Science Ireland is acquiring new technology which can be used to support an identification programme in the context of an intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam under the Institutional Burials Act. Last October the Government made an Order to direct an intervention at the site. The making of the Order followed on from...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) on 20 March 2018. The UNCRPD Optional Protocol creates important additional mechanisms through which Ireland's implementation of the UNCRPD can be monitored and evaluated. That is why I fully support ratification and why it is a clear commitment in the Programme for Government. The timeline...

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...