Results 4,601-4,620 of 11,893 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senator for his question and his earlier comments. I appreciate them, as will officials across my Department. Some of the measures I have set out are directly within the remit of my Department and some within those of other Departments. Going into budget 2024 negotiations, I have identified a key priority as being to increase the weekly foster care allowance. The Senator knows...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: By providing the once-off payments, I wanted there to be a recognition in this regard, not just someone saying it but a tangible recognition of at least one additional payment. As the Senator will be aware, we made once-off payments in several social welfare schemes as part of the budgetary package. That was something I was able to secure in working closely with Tusla. Similarly, changes...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Sherlock. I was very clear around the budget in particular when I met with both organisations individually but also when I spoke at the Irish Foster Care Association, IFCA, conference, which was a large gathering of foster parents. I recognised that there was real disappointment that there was not an increase to the weekly rate and that rests with me, as Minister. I was not...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As far as I know the rates are Civil Service rates but there is a high threshold for allowing a person actually to claim. That is why a person can do quite a lot of travelling and not actually be able to claim anything. It is abotu looking at where that is and recognising regional variations and so forth. As I said, I am sorry I cannot get into it in more detail today but we just received...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently considering the EPIC publication, looking in particular at children with a disability in the care system. It was a valuable contribution, as the contributions from EPIC usually are. We recognise the importance of making additional provision for children with a disability who are in the care system, particularly those in the fostering system. I spoke earlier to...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I agree with the Deputy on the importance of recognition and agree that that recognition can take many forms and that different foster carers prioritise different elements of it according to their particular situation. For some it may be the immediate payment; for some it may be the issue of pensions in the longer term; for some it may be the institutional supports Tusla provides; and for...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Deputy Creed is absolutely right not only on the volume of cases that social workers have to see but also on the complexity of the cases they need to address. One case can now take much longer than it may have done in the past due to its complex nature, as well as the complex needs of a young person a social worker may be dealing with. Tusla has been innovative regarding the recruitment...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I had a useful meeting with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, in the context of the recommendation in the Report of the Commission on Pensions about care and the recognition of unpaid care. There is a strong recommendation there. My Department and I, as Minister, are advocating that foster care would be part of that consideration. We had a good engagement with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys,...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: We do not have those figures but we can find them and will come back to the Deputy in writing on that issue.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is important in light of the fact that the number of foster carers has decreased. We want to arrest that decrease and preferably look at bringing the numbers up again. That is why I have taken a multi-strand approach to the allowance, to the once-off payment, to mileage, to the pension contribution, and to my engagement with Tusla about some of those organisational elements. We are...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: We will look to see if Tusla has specific qualitative data on that. The Deputy is right that such information would be useful. On independent advocacy for parents, we are doing a pilot with the Children's Rights Alliance so that would be useful. I am sure most Deputies have spoken to parents whose children are in the care system and they know the trauma and upset they suffer. Having-----

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Foster Care Issues: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The committee can continue to ask me about that in our engagements. On the recruitment of minority foster carers, there is some good news. The Traveller programme, which was kicking off when I came into this role, was funded through the Dormant Accounts Fund and that is being mainstreamed. It has proven to be successful in getting parents in the Travelling community to act as foster carers...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm that I secured funding in the amount of €450,000 for the Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation 2023. Local Authorities were invited to make applications from February 2nd , 2023, with the application window closing on March 10th 2023. Local Authorities were invited to nominate a project for funding up to €18,000. The funding can be used to refurbish an...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (28 Mar 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 78,000 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: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) is not aware of any of the companies listed who won contracts from procurement competitions run by this Department since 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Official Travel (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the Government's St Patrick's Day Programme I travelled to India, visiting Mumbai and New Delhi. My programme started on the 15th March after arriving in Mumbai, and ended on the 18th March, departing New Delhi on the 19th. I was accompanied by the following: - Lisa Hughes, Private Secretary - Tom Sheppard, Special Adviser The total cost of accommodation and internal flight...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (28 Mar 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: International Protection (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 500 and 527 to 530, inclusive, together. 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 78,000 people arriving in Ireland, including...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (28 Mar 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: While all offers of accommodation received continue to be appraised, my Department is working with the Office of Public Works (OPW) to develop a proposal to use a state owned property in Shannon (Unit 153 Shannon Free Zone) for IPAS accommodation. This engagement is ongoing. My officials have advised OPW that it is satisfied with the proposed layout for the centre. The OPW has now moved into...