Results 7,841-7,860 of 11,907 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Senator's last point is extremely valid. The work must be in tandem. A decision was made by the Oireachtas to convene this committee. If I just come in, slap down a document and say here is the wording, that would be very disrespectful to the work with which this committee is engaged. The Senator is correct; this has been glacially slow but much work has been taking place. The problem...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Senator knows, I originally proposed to bring paid domestic violence leave as a separate piece of legislation. As we were working through, we decided it would be more useful to incorporate it into the work-life balance directive Bill, which completes two final pieces of the work-life balance directive, that is, medical leave for carers and flexible working. We are also putting the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: That point is important, particularly in the discussion on the recommendations of Article 40.1 about what we elevate to a constitutional level. At the risk of slipping back into law lecturer mode again, the right to equal treatment between men and women under EU law was always within the treaties as a fundamental right while nearly all other fundamental rights were not included in them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Senator will be aware of the work being done through the Barnahus model, which is being operated in Galway initially. The hope is to roll it out to other parts of the country and bring together all of the services around children who have been the victims of sexual violence. Instead of having to go to Garda stations, hospitals and so on, it would all be done in a single setting. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I know Deputy Cronin has always spoken of the position of women in the social revolution. The two big social revolutions that have taken place in my lifetime are marriage equality and the repeal of the eighth amendment, and the role of women was key in both, both for the national campaigns and on the ground at people's doors, as I know from my own constituency. I cite those two because they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I agree that guidelines are important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I would need a clearer understanding of the committee's view on the way forward. Deputy Cronin has clearly illustrated her own view, which I accept. I would also have to engage with Government partners. It is easy for me to make a commitment, but I do not make them unless I know I can deliver on them. I would prefer to have an understanding of the committee's views and the wider views...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am open to informal engagement with the committee and with you, Chairman, on your interim recommendations on the constitutional point. That would be very useful. Regarding the mechanism for delivery of the narrowing and, it is to be hoped, eventual removal of the gender pay gap, the implementation of the legislation will be important in making clear what the issues are, what companies...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: First, the Deputy is correct that there is a need for an element of teasing it out. I am open to engaging either publicly or in private session, and I can make that commitment for officials in my Department. I cannot make a commitment for the Office of the Attorney General. It might be useful for the committee to write to that office and see if such a facility, in private session, would be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I want to acknowledge that the mechanisms for the delivery of new refuge spaces is not working fast enough. Everybody recognises that. The review undertaken by Tusla is the clearest evidence of that. That review looked at two main metrics, namely population space per number of people in a particular area and access to refuge space by distance, in terms of a half hour journey. That showed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I cannot give a timeframe for the full 60 places but I understand that by the end of this year, 2022, the work in Louth, Laois and Dublin should be completed. I can double check that and come back on it. The focus of that report was on refuge space. Everyone accepts that more refuge space is needed. We also need to look at other housing options such as safe homes which are also very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have always acknowledged the work that Deputy O'Reilly has done on this issue. We looked very closely at the Bill she put forward. We do not believe that the avenue indicated there around using the Organisation of Work Time Act is the right way to go. We are looking to create separate leave in the way that we have parental leave and maternity leave. We are looking to create a separate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The principle of pay for DSGBV leave is agreed across parties. On the legal advice I received the route being proposed of adding this to other types of leave is preferable. There are other leaves that are not dealt with in the Organisation of Work Time Act but are dealt with separately as distinct pieces of leave. We believe that is the right way to go.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (24 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: We have commissioned a piece of work on the specific issue of miscarriage leave. I know Deputy Carroll MacNeill has brought forward Private Member's legislation in that area, and I know it is also one of the issues covered in the Deputy's Bill. We have put out a tender for research to be undertaken, recognising the specific sensitivities around that area. We have ethics approval for that....

Seanad: Humanitarian Support for Ukrainian Refugees: Statements (23 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators for inviting me here today to talk about my Department's response to the continuing crisis in Ukraine. Like the Senators, I am gravely concerned by the ongoing situation. I am sure they will all join me in condemning in the strongest possible terms the illegal actions of Russia, whose military strategy at this stage appears to be one designed to cause the maximum...

Seanad: Humanitarian Support for Ukrainian Refugees: Statements (23 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank all Senators for their contributions. The generosity expressed in this room is reciprocated all over the country. I know it is appreciated. I know that from Ukrainians who just turned up at my Department in the early days of the crisis because that is where they were directed to. I had a chance to meet and have a brief conversation with them and I also met Ukrainians in my...

Seanad: Humanitarian Support for Ukrainian Refugees: Statements (23 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: That is a very specific question and I do not have the answer for the Senator today. I can follow-up with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Fleming, if that is all right.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (23 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded directly in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (23 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ensuring improved quality, affordability and sustainability of Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) services is a key priority for Government. My Department has undertaken detailed analysis of providers' operating costs and has in-depth understanding of the cost breakdown and cost drivers of ELC and SAC delivery. As part of Budget 2022, I was pleased to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (23 Mar 2022)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, Child and Family Agency, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply. I would like to inform the Deputy that upon enactment, the provisions of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 will greatly improve waiting times for information and tracing services. The Bill was published in...