Results 6,681-6,700 of 11,925 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Burial Grounds (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 431 together. I am very conscious of the pain experienced by families in relation to the deaths of children at former Mother and Baby Homes, including Bessborough, and the uncertainty surrounding some of their burial locations.  The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes concluded that it is likely that some of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Child Care (Placement of Children in Foster Care) Regulations, 1995 and the Child Care (Placement of Children with Relatives) Regulations, 1995, stipulates that the allowance payable to foster carers and relatives shall not be less than an amount specified by the Minister. The foster care allowance was last increased on January 1st 2009. Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine on February 24, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on meeting the immediate, temporary accommodation needs of those fleeing the conflict. My Department is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (5 Jul 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: International Protection (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm to the Deputy that the total number of persons employed in the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) currently stands at 56. IPAS is responsible for the accommodation of international protection applicants only.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Reviews (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has taken a number of actions in response to findings of formerly poor safeguarding policies and practice in the organisation referred to by the Deputy. These have included suspension of Departmental funding pending the appointment of a new Board, which is now in place, and the commissioning in 2018 of an...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are no PHD positions funded by my Department. The bodies under the aegis of my Department will respond to the deputy directly. 

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: AIM operates in tandem with the ECCE programme and as such, provision of AIM supports are directly linked with ECCE participation/hours of operation The ECCE programme is available to all children within the eligible age range. The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (5 Jul 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: International Protection (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is the Government’s intention that the accommodation centres operated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), which is part of my Department, will be independently monitored by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for compliance with the National Standards for accommodation offered to people in the protection process. These Standards...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently working with the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) to implement the commitment for HIQA to monitor International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres against National Standards adopted in 2019 and in effect since the beginning of 2021.  Planning is well advanced on this process.  My Department is currently engaging with HIQA on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Traveller Community (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware, funding is provided across a range of Government Departments to support and address the specific needs of the Traveller and Roma Communities and all of the relevant Departments have their own specific budgetary supports in place. In 2022, my own Department is providing just over €5.6m to provide core funding to a number of NGOs and to progress actions...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Practice Assurance and Service Monitoring (PASM) reports are an internal management tool employed by Tusla to support the provision of high quality services for children and families. The monitoring extends to a very broad cross section of Tusla activity. Over the last number of years quarterly meetings have taken place between the Quality & Regulation Directorate (formerly the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Beneficiaries of the Temporary International Protection Directive are not currently eligible for supports under the National Childcare Scheme. Their exclusion from the NCS is being rectified by way of an amendment to the Childcare Support Act 2018,  which is being brought as part of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which is currently before this House., and which...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Beneficiaries of the Temporary International Protection Directive are not currently eligible for supports under the National Childcare Scheme. Their exclusion NCS is being rectified by way of an amendment to the Childcare Support Act 2018, which is being brought as part of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which is currently before this House., and which I hope can...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Rights (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise the enormous impact that pregnancy loss has on expectant parents, and I wish to extend my sympathies to all parents who have suffered such a loss. As the Deputy may be aware, work to examine the needs of bereaved parents coping with pregnancy loss is being advanced at present. My Department is currently concluding the process of commissioning of a qualitative research study to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I would like to assure the Deputy that the health and wellbeing of all people who avail of accommodation provided by this Department is of the highest priority to myself and my officials. I cannot comment on the specifics of individual cases in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, 2018. However, I can inform you that the relevant teams...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Beneficiaries of the Temporary International Protection Directive are not currently eligible for supports under the National Childcare Scheme. Their exclusion from the NCS is being rectified by way of an amendment to the Childcare Support Act 2018, which is being brought as part of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which is currently before this House., and which I hope...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (5 Jul 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Beneficiaries of the Temporary International Protection Directive are not currently eligible for supports under the National Childcare Scheme.   Their exclusion from the NCS is being rectified by way of an amendment to the Childcare Support Act 2018,  which is being brought as part of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which is currently before this House.,...