Results 5,781-5,800 of 11,700 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 499 and 504 together. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the Temporary Protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis. The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the Temporary Protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis. The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There have been significant advances in the provision of family leaves in recent years. Parental leave is one of a range of measures supporting parents to reconcile family and working life. Under the Parental Leave Act 1998 (as amended), an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Affordable, accessible, high-quality and sustainable early learning and childcare is a key priority for Government. On 15th September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model will support delivery of ELC and SAC for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families. Together for Better...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the Temporary Protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis. The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Matters in respect of Child Benefit entitlements are solely the remit of the Department of Social Protection. I am aware however that foster parents are required to wait 6 months after a foster child is placed in their care, before they are entitled to claim Child Benefit. Further, I am also conscious that this issue was raised by foster carers during the consultation process that preceded...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The CEO of Tusla and I met in the aftermath of the budget, and discussed the issue of supports to foster carers. I recognise that foster carers, like many others, are experiencing cost of living pressures and both myself and Tusla want to respond to this in a positive and meaningful way. Following this engagement it has been agreed that a single additional once-off cost of living payment...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (25 Oct 2022)

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. Myself and the CEO of Tusla...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the Temporary Protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis. The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As of the week ending 21st October 2022, there are 143 staff assigned to units in the Ukraine Response Division. This includes 50 staff internally reassigned from within my Department, Ukrainian Temporary Clerical Officers that were recruited and staff on secondment or temporary assignment from other departments/bodies.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Reviews (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: While the Deputy is aware that I cannot provide an interpretation of legislation, and while the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth has no explicit policy or legislative responsibility over service animals, both I and my colleague and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, T.D, are committed to advancing...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (25 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the work undertaken by the Interdepartmental Group on the development of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, it was estimated that approximately 19,500 mothers spent time in a Mother and Baby or County Home Institution, with just under 15,000 of these mothers spending less than six months there. In the case of people who spent time as institutions as children, it was...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (20 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Following the formation of the present Government, responsibility for the administration of the Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Scheme, which was established in 2013, was transferred to my Department from the Department of Justice. However, the database used for the recording of information on applications and awards made under the scheme remains under the control of the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (20 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you Deputy for raising this matter. I have personally met with a number of Family Resource Centres over recent months to discuss their concerns. This area of work is a significant priority for me, and for this Government. The Government greatly appreciates the work of family resource centres and the work of all the community and voluntary bodies funded by Tusla, the Child and Family...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: DNA Database (20 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Institutional Burials Act 2022, which came into effect on 15 July last, provides the underlying legislative basis for an intervention, whereby the remains of those who died and were buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner, may be recovered and re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way. It also provides for the identification of remains and their return to family members, where...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Last month, I was pleased to announce a €10m Capital Grant for the Early Learning and Childcare Sector. The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant is part of a wider Building Blocks Capital Programme for Early Learning and Childcare under the National Development Plan. Grants will range from €35,000 to €75,000 across two separate strands: Green Energy and Retrofit. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (20 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Last month, I was pleased to announce a €10m Capital Grant for the Early Learning and Childcare Sector. The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant is part of a wider Building Blocks Capital Programme for Early Learning and Childcare under the National Development Plan. Grants will range from €35,000 to €75,000 across two separate strands: Green Energy and Retrofit....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (20 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In answering this question, it is important to note that the Scheme is one element of a comprehensive package of support measures agreed by the Government to respond to the priority needs of survivors and former residents as part of the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. Following intense deliberations on what are very complex...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (20 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government does not wish to disregard or diminish any person’s experience and recognises that there are people who suffered stigma, trauma and abuse in other institutions and outside of institutions who will not qualify for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. The Commission found that the named Mother and Baby Homes were ‘unquestionably the main such homes...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Oct 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Services with Early Learning and Care (ELC) graduate Lead Educators/Managers will receive an additional allocation through the ELC Graduate and Manager Premiums where they apply. In order for a service to be allocated an ELC Graduate Premium, the Lead Educator in an ELC room and/or the Manager of an ELC or a combined ELC and School Age Childcare (SAC) service and must hold an appropriate...