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Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputies for their questions today. I particularly thank my officials for joining me and for all the work that went into preparing the Revised Estimates.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: In 2019, the European Commission announced the creation of a European Child Guarantee with a view to ensuring that every child in Europe at risk of poverty or social exclusion has access to the most basic of rights like healthcare and education. The Child Guarantee, adopted by the Council of the European Union in June 2021, aims to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Over 72,000 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Of those, more than 53,000 have been referred to my Department seeking accommodation. Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Media (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department does not collate this information. It is available publicly by referencing the social media accounts in question.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand the frustration expressed by the person concerned in the email to which the Deputy refers. I am aware that considerable efforts have been made by the relevant local authority to avail of his generous offer of pledged accommodation for Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection. My Department has also brought this recent correspondence to the attention of the Irish Red...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department continues on an ongoing basis to assess and review all accommodation offers received  as to their suitability to meet the needs of beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. As part of this process, my Department reviews suitable accommodation where individual properties can provide a minimum of 15 bed spaces in line with standard space requirements. Properties cannot be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date. There is no discretion on eligible starting dates however it is possible, if a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has engaged over 700 properties to provide accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection.  In line with the Department’s commitment to substantially clear the backlog at the end of 2022, my Department temporarily re-assigned staff from other parts of the Department to the payments team in December, doubling the size of the payments unit. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Wards of Court (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is a matter for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Justice, as the court services are under his remit.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Services (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 is not applicable in this circumstance, and standard data protection law applies. The Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 enables a person who was adopted, nursed out or boarded out, subject to an illegal birth registration, or who resided in a mother and baby home or county home institution as a child, or their Next of Kin to apply for their...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the beginning of 2022, Ireland and many other European countries are experiencing a significant increase of new arrivals seeking international protection (IP). The State has a legal and moral obligation to assess the claims of those who seek refuge and to provide accommodation and supports in line with the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (SI 230 of 2018). Last year, over...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, therefore I have referred this question to Tusla to follow up directly with the Deputy. The interpretation and operation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and responses to Subject Access Requests (SAR), are the responsibility of each independent Government body. My Department cannot intercede in Tusla's decision...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Accommodation Recognition Payment Scheme is due to end on 31 March 2023. However, it may be extended by Order by me as the Minister as set out in the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022. The EU has extended the protection to Ukrainians fleeing the war to the end of March 2024. Accordingly, I propose to extend the ARP scheme to the end of March 2024. I have written to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: 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 Minister Roderic O'Gorman T.D., Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, published A White Paper to end Direct...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Deputy, there are currently 581 international protection applicants being accommodated in the 7 IPAS locations in Kildare, 97 of whom are children.  This number represents 3% of the total number of people in IPAS accommodation nationwide.  On 24 January 2023, Minister Joe O'Brien T.D. launched the €50 million Community Recognition Fund which is a major initiative to support...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Communities integration Fund 2023 will be launched in the coming weeks. A total of €500,000 is available to local community based organisations to carry out integration projects in their local area. Organisations eligible to apply include local community groups, sports clubs, faith-based groups, arts groups, cultural organisations, and schools. Applicant organisations must operate...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Flexible Work Practices (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together. The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 was included in the Government Legislative Programme for Autumn 2022 as priority legislation for drafting and publication in that session. The Bill has since passed all stages in Dáil Éireann and is currently before the Seanad at Committee Stage. The Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government includes specific commitments that the Government will develop and implement a new Migrant Integration Strategy and a new National Strategy for Women and Girls, in addition to reviewing the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy and ensuring that the successor strategy has a stronger outcomes focused approach. While initially due to conclude in 2020, and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (8 Feb 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has published a list of qualifications that meet both regulatory and contractual requirements for working in early learning and care services. The list includes qualifications at levels 7 and 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications that meet the contractual requirements for graduate premium payments in Core Funding. Individuals who have relevant qualifications that are not...