Results 721-740 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I really enjoyed my trip to the Waterford Childcare Centre and the beautiful poster I received from the children and staff there with the handprints on it has pride of place in my office. We will have the opportunity in the general election to really tease out issue of the degree of State involvement in the provision of childcare because I recognise parental choice is really important...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Parental Leave (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. There have been significant developments in the entitlements to family leaves and working family payments in recent years. The Government committed in the programme for Government to supporting parents, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their baby during the first year. Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Parental Leave (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: This type of leave has always been seen as leave pertaining to the parent rather than to the child, as the Deputy described it. That is not to say additional types of leave could not be introduced looking specifically at the needs of one-parent families. This leave is designed to recognise a situation where there is a one-parent family as the result of maybe a relationship breakdown, and it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is one other piece of context worth noting and that is the war in Ukraine. Since February 2022, in addition to the work we had been doing to deal with the needs of international protection applicants, my Department has had to deal with the needs of up to 100,000 Ukrainians and a very significant increase in the number of international applications. This is just for context which I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: To respond to Deputy Connolly, the process is to provide a core of 13,000 State-owned beds between now and the end of 2028. That is what is set out in the comprehensive accommodation policy and that will be done through building on State land and purchasing sites. That will bring us to that capacity. I have set out the work we are doing on State land. Part of that State land is the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The introduction of core funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector. A sum of €259 million in funding was paid directly into services in year one of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding. This funding, which increased by 11% to €287 million in year two, increased again by 15% in year three to €331 million. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: On the latter point, what I always say is that if a family resource centre is in difficulty, the staff should talk to their local Tusla point of contact. Tusla sees the family resource centres as very much the front line of its public engagement and we want to support them. There is no specific hardship fund but Tusla will usually work to find a solution for family resource centre, if...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his engagement with me on this issue. Other Deputies and Ministers in the constituency have been on to me as well. My Department made a decision to end its contract for accommodation of Ukrainians in this particular property in accordance with contractual terms. My officials have been in direct contact with this provider and have advised that the provider is free to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I advise each of those families to contact the Ukrainian unit in my Department and indicate that they wish to stay in this location and will look to have a private arrangement with the provider and we will note that. Nobody will be forcibly moved if that is the approach they wish to take. If they wish to take up the offer of alternative accommodation with my Department, they can still do...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: We are not looking to impose a looming deadline if these families are looking to make a private arrangement in this location. I hope I have addressed this location but we can step back. We contracted a significant volume of accommodation around the country to meet the emergency needs of Ukrainians. Approximately 67,000 Ukrainians lived in State-owned accommodation at one stage. This has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Absolutely. I am trying to get the balance right between the lived experience referred to by the Deputy-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Over the past six months, my Department has been focused on progressing the new accommodation strategy I announced in March 2024 with the prioritisation of particular elements of its multistrand approach. Extensive engagement has taken place to identify and negotiate the use of State-owned sites, initially for emergency and tented accommodation and then for longer term solutions. To...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Living in primarily urban constituencies, the Deputy and I have to recognise capacity challenges are everywhere. Deputies Kerrane and Sherlock have highlighted them. All over the country there are capacity challenges. Part of it is that, because we have made it more affordable, more parents are taking it up with both parents going to work and they want their kids to enjoy the benefit of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is right that we need to pay proper wages and that is why I announced that allocation yesterday for pay. That will only flow to providers if there is an agreement to increase pay. We need to go further; I do not think that is the end of the pay discussion by any means. Deputy Murnane O'Connor's point on the need for a place is similar to what Deputy Farrell spoke about and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am a strong supporter of the work of family resource centres. In recent weeks, I have visited the centre in my own community in Mountview, as well as centres in Waterford, Kilkenny, Limerick and Clare, and have seen the amazing work they do. I am pleased to say that in the budget announced yesterday I secured an additional €800,000 for the family resource centre programme. That...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy has flagged the needs of Youghal with me on a number of occasions. Our Department, working with Tusla, will set out an application process based on metrics. It will look at the need in a particular area, the demographics that are served and detailed CSO-type information. From my constituency and other areas, I know the significant benefits family resource centres can bring to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is and, I think, will always remain a key place for the community model in the delivery of early-years services, and the social enterprise model is part of that. We have spent much of the morning discussing the issue of capacity. As to where there are shortages of capacity, I come to the following view now, at the end of four years in this role. We recognise that sometimes a private...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In response to Deputy Kerrane, I am absolutely happy to look at that proposal. She might make sure it gets to me herself. I cannot commit here and now to making the payment but I will definitely look at it. In response to Deputy Sherlock, I do not think I have been very cautious. I have set out, from my party's point of view, a view of a step towards legislating for ECCE as a legal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for informing me of my role; I appreciate his advice.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Enterprise Sector (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy has taken Deputy Kerrane's time now. I will reply to his question.