Results 6,801-6,820 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The key conditions to be associated with Core Funding were outlined in the report of the Expert Group, Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare. This was published on 7th December 2021 and states that providers who sign up to Core Funding should be required to: - Follow the fee management system - in 2022/23 this will be a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Residential Institutions (29 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 to 128, inclusive, together. 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: Ukraine War (29 Jun 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...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: A number of these amendments are similar to some brought forward on Committee and Report Stages in the Dáil and, unfortunately, I am not in a position to accept them. Amendments Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 7 to 9, inclusive, seek to alter the definition of “principal burial land” and the conditions for making a Government order to allow for interventions in cases where inappropriate...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will speak to why we believe we should not remove the word "manifestly" from the Bill and, as such, are not in a position to accept these amendments. This Bill is designed to create a lawful basis for forensic excavation, recovery, analysis and identification of human remains at institutional sites where manifestly inappropriate burials have taken place.When the abhorrent situation at Tuam...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators for their proposals. I am not in a position to support these amendments. Replacing "may" with "shall", as proposed by amendments Nos. 5 and 6 would, as Senator Seery Kearney said, remove the discretion of the Government and constrain its ability to make Government decisions on proposals which are brought to Cabinet. It would not be appropriate to compel the Government...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There has been a good deal of debate on this particular provision and it has changed. What we are dealing with in this provision is where there is a burial on private residential land. We are thinking of a situation where perhaps an institution sold off land to an estate and now there is potential intervention on that land. Under the original heads of the Bill I brought forward, the Bill...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am not in a position to support these amendments. The criteria set out are all-important factors that need to be considered in deciding whether or not to make an order. If an investigation by An Garda Síochána or a coronial inquiry is taking place, an intervention under this Bill could potentially interfere with the investigation or inquiry. This is precisely why the...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will first make the general point that the very purpose of this legislation is to stop the burial of the truth and to actually allow for interventions in Tuam and potentially in other sites. That is what we are all seeking to achieve here. Because we are dealing with different sites, I am not in the position to accept these amendments. It is vital to recognise that excavation may not be...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Obviously, it would be site specific, unless there was a strong view among relatives that their desire for the site was not to see an investigation, an intervention or an excavation. As we know, what is proposed here is significant in terms of excavation, exhumation and identification. If there was a strong view there, that would be a substantive reason. We have to look at this on a...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am not in a position to support these amendments. The provisions they seek to remove are necessary to aid the clear interpretation of the criteria that define a manifestly inappropriate burial. Amendment No. 21 seeks to remove the phrase "at the time of such burial" from subsection 8(1)(b) of the legislation. As I explained in the Dáil, it is important that an assessment of burials...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am not in a position to accept these two amendments because I believe what the Senator seeks is already covered in the Bill in both circumstances. I will set out the reason I believe that is the case. Amendment No. 31 proposes that the circumstances and causes of death are considered in post-recovery analysis and that these are noted in the director's report to the Government. This is...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I do not believe that these amendments are necessary. In response to the pre-legislative scrutiny, PLS, report I made provision for final arrangements. The amendments are to do with the final arrangements for the burial of remains following identification and recovery. In response to the PLS process I provided that final arrangements will be made in line with the wishes of family members....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In December 2021, Government adopted the 25 recommendations contained in an Expert Group report, Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). The new funding model will support the delivery of ELC and SAC for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families. To achieve this, there...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are six bodies under the aegis of my Department with State Boards. They are the Adoption Authority of Ireland, Gaisce (the President’s Award), the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), Oberstown Children Detention Campus, the National Disability Authority and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. The current membership on each board is listed in the document attached. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Flexible Work Practices (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department currently employs 537 staff. Currently staff are required to work in the office a minimum of 2 days per week. My Department conducted an eWorking pilot before the pandemic and a small number of staff participated in the pilot.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is aware of the 70/30 Campaign initiated by a UK wide network of individuals, organisations and elected representatives working together to reduce child abuse, neglect and other adverse childhood experiences by at least 70% by the year 2030. The 70/30 Campaign target as referenced by the Deputy is believed achievable with the appropriate policies, actions and funding supports. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to end the practice of conversion therapy, an objective I strongly support. In addition, the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018 – 2021 contains a commitment to prohibit the promotion or practice of conversion therapy by health professionals in Ireland, and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019 - 2022 commits to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Discrimination on specified grounds, including sexual orientation and gender, is prohibited by law in the field of employment under the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2021 and in the supply of and access to goods and services under the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2018. Complaints regarding breaches of equality legislation may be pursued before the Workplace Relations Commission, which...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (28 Jun 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: In December 2021, Government adopted the 25 recommendations contained in an Expert Group report, Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). The new funding model will support the delivery of ELC and SAC for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families. To achieve this,...