Results 5,321-5,340 of 11,892 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here from Ukraine. To date, more than 70,000 people have arrived in Ireland and in excess of 51,000 of those have been referred to this Department seeking accommodation from the State.  The wider situation regarding accommodation remains extremely challenging. Ireland...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 963 and 975 together. 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...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Significant investment is being made by my Department to address affordability for parents through the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). As the Deputy is aware, I announced additional funding of €121m as part of Budget 2023 for the NCS, which has been allocated to reduce average parental co-payments for early learning and childcare. From 2 January 2023, all families accessing...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The wider situation regarding accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection remains extremely challenging. My Department is now accommodating approximately 70,000 people, including both those fleeing war in Ukraine and International Protection applicants, compared to 7,500 in 2021. Managing available beds occasionally necessitates moves, in order to ensure accommodation is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Commissions of Inquiry (18 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: Recommendation 17 of the report by the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection was that a State inqu iry into illegal adoptions (broadly defined) should be established on a non-statutory basis. The question of creating an effective non-statutory inquiry is a sensitive, complex and challenging one. The Special Rapporteur acknowledges this and, in particular, notes the challenges associated...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Recommendation 16 of the report by the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection is that provision should be made to cover legal costs associated with a declaration of parentage of persons affected by illegal birth registrations. Through the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022, the Government has introduced new mechanisms to formally recognise the lived identity of those affected by illegal...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Capital Expenditure Programme (18 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department was allocated €70m in the National Development Plan allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars: Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, Building Blocks - Capacity Grant and a Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. My Department has allocated €9m for The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant for Early...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise the importance of delivering the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme for survivors. The legislation for the Scheme was published in October 2022 and passed Committee Stage in Dáil on 15th November 2022. I hope to bring the Bill to Report Stage in the Dáil in the coming weeks. The operational elements, which includes the establishment of an Executive Office to...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The accommodation of international protection applicants (IPAs) is a demand-led process with applicants arriving in the country and seeking accommodation spontaneously. In 2022, over 15,000 IPAs arrived in Ireland, making it by far the highest yearly arrival figure to date. For context, the average arrival figure for IP applicants for the 3 year period from (2017 to 2019) was 3,500. As at...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised by my officials that the invoice referred to is being given priority for processing with a view to making payment as soon as possible.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Supporting parents in bringing the cost of Early Learning & Care and School-Aged Childcare is a core ambition of the Government and of mine as Minister. To that end, the Deputy will be aware that, owing to the significant investment made available by the Government for providers over two successive Budgets, from this month the cost of childcare has fallen for thousands of parents...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the review of the Equality Acts (Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015), a public consultation process was launched in July 2021, to examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality. The review includes Programme for Government commitments to consider the introduction of a socio-economic...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 976 and 985 together. I recognise the importance of delivering the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme for survivors. The legislation for the Scheme was published in October 2022 and passed Committee Stage in Dáil on 15th November 2022. I hope to bring the Bill to Report Stage in the Dáil in the coming weeks. The operational...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for the costs associated with the provision of accommodation and ancillary services for international protection applicants in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS). The expenditure of my Department primarily relates to the running of the National Reception Centre at Balseskin;...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to opening the National Childcare Scheme to childminders at the earliest possible opportunity, though it will be necessary first to develop and introduce childminder-specific regulations, and to give childminders adequate time and support to meet regulatory requirements. The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As of 10 January 2023, the number of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) who have been accommodated by my Department is 53,702. The information requested in regard to educational centres has been extracted from our systems and outlined in tabular form below. BOTP Accommodation Schools FLAGMOUNT SCHOOL HALL (WOMEN AND CHILDREN U12) ...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Issues relating to discrimination with regard to education are currently encompassed in the equality legislation. As part of the current ongoing review of the Equality Acts (Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015), a public consultation process was launched in July 2021, to examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Irish Language (18 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Little Baby Bundle pilot will include resources in Irish, and children's books to encourage parents to speak Irish with their children, or, to encourage parents without Irish to perhaps explore the language for the first time together with their baby. Our advisory group, drawn from experts across many disciplines, have advised my Department to limit the number of booklets and...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised by my officials that payment issued to the Co Laois provider mentioned on 6 January 2023. In relation to the Co Kilkenny provider, my officials assure me that every effort is being made to ensure that payment issues in the coming week.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (18 Jan 2023)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised by my officials that a series of payments are being processed for this provider and that every effort is being made to ensure that these issue from next week.