Results 5,601-5,620 of 11,700 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: At present, there are no funding calls for proposals open in my Department to fund Christmas lights. My Department has held calls for proposals under two integration funding streams: the Community Integration Fund and the National Integration Fund. The purpose of the Communities Integration Fund is to support communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: State Pensions (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware that eligibility in respect of the State Pension (Contributory) is an issue of genuine concern for foster carers. The Department of Social Protection has some measures available to recognise caring periods outside of paid employment in the calculation of a State Pension payment. Credit for Home Caring Periods may be awarded to a maximum of 20 years and foster carers are entitled to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In establishing the independent statutory Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in February 2015, the then Government sought to ensure an independent and thorough investigation of what happened to vulnerable women and children in these institutions during the period 1922 to 1998. Notably, the Commission was specifically tasked with investigating concerns related to systematic...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As of 6 November 2022, the position is as set out below. Regarding abbreviations, please note that BOTP refers to Beneficiaries of International Protection, or those fleeing the war in Ukraine. IP refers to applicants for International Protection. Breaffy Woods Hotel and Apartments Total BOTP Residents 453 288 Adults75% female25% male 165 Children ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Magdalen Laundries (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below sets out a breakdown of the applications to date to the Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Redress Scheme by country of residence, and the number of successful applications to the scheme by country of residence. - Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Redress Scheme Country of residence No....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Voluntary Sector (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth I value highly the work of the community and voluntary sector across the country that provide services to and on behalf of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I am conscious of the extremely positive impact these organisations have on improving outcomes for children, young people and families all over Ireland. I understand...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Services (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Information and tracing services under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 opened on 3 October 2022.  As of 14 November 2022, a total of 7,675 applications have been received by AAI and Tusla for information and tracing services under the Act. This initial surge of demand presents some challenges for the bodies in terms of processing the huge number of applications...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below sets out the number of adults and children remaining in International Protection Acommodation Service (IPAS) centres in each centre in County Wexford who have been granted leave to remain as of 10 November 2022: Wexford IPAS Centres 10/11/22 Adults with status Children with Status Total Rosslare Port Lodge 36 10...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Please see below information set out in tabular form on the number of adults and youths in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres as of 6 November 2022, as requested by the Deputy: Wexford IPAS Centres 06/11/22 Adults Children Rosslare Port Lodge 73 21 Court Town Hotel 84 0...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Extensive thought was given to how best to structure a fair and sensitive payment scheme for survivors. In terms of the payment approach, the Interdepartmental Group which developed proposals for the Scheme advocated for a general approach based on time spent rather than individualised assessments. This is because of the stakeholder views that any scheme should be kind and non-adversarial...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme which provides funding support to 121 FRCs across the country. The commissioning of FRCs is an operational matter for Tusla. Tusla's Area Managers engage in the commissioning process and participate in meetings and discussions with community and voluntary agencies. Tusla aims to utilise the total...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: All eligible children can fully avail of two years of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. The programme is available to all children who have turned 2 years and 8 months of age before August 31st as long they won’t turn 5 years and 6 months of age on or before June 30th of the programme year. The first point of eligiblity therefore falls on the opening of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority. Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. During 2021, my Department successfully secured €70m in the revised...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Data from Tusla show that the number of closures this year is broadly in line with other years, and reasons for closure (where provided) suggest considerable diversity in the reasons for closure. While some services have closed for financial or regulatory reasons, many have closed for other reasons (e.g. retirement of the owner/manager). Every year it is normal for some services to close...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (15 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Ukraine War (10 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Durkan. I take the Deputy's point on the importance of standards. We will always look to provide good standards of accommodation. We must realise, however, that temporary accommodation is temporary in nature and the standards will be different from permanent accommodation. We must also remember that people arriving here from Ukraine are fleeing sub-zero temperatures coming...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Ukraine War (10 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his question and points. As the House knows, my Department is providing accommodation for more than 62,000 people. Some 45,000 of those are displaced from Ukraine and almost 17,000 are international protection applicants. This compares with around 7,500 last year. To put it in context, this is equivalent to 1.3% of the State's population. Our pre-Covid annual total...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As I said in reply to Deputy Sherlock, research has been commissioned following the amendment tabled by Deputy Bacik's colleagues in the Seanad, particularly regarding leave for women who have suffered miscarriages, especially prior to 24 weeks. As the Deputy will be aware, women who are subject to a miscarriage are able to avail of maternity leave. That research is taking place in three...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Workplace Discrimination (10 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In response to the issues raised on the Employment Equality (Amendment) (Non-Disclosure Agreements) Bill 2021, my Department undertook research into the prevalence of the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of the nature covered by the Private Member's Bill. A report of this research was published in March of this year: 'The prevalence and use of Non-Disclosure...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Housing Provision (10 Nov 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Regarding the matter raised, I can advise the Deputy that multiple sources of offers of accommodation are considered. In line with this approach, full assessments are undertaken of the suitability of sites and structures offered. Discussions are ongoing about the potential use of the site to which the Deputy refers and the matter is still under consideration.