Results 7,841-7,860 of 11,903 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: 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...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am taking it that the Deputy's question relates to the timeframe for the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022, a core aim of which is to provide for access to original birth certificates for adopted people and others. I published the Birth Information and Tracing Bill in January of this year. The Bill completed committee stage in the Dáil earlier this month and will now...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: There are currently no plans to introduce a scheme, similar to the scheme in Hungary, whereby grandparents are funded to provide early learning and childcare to grandchildren under age 3. My Department’s main funding schemes to directly support families with the cost of early learning and childcare are the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and the National Childcare Scheme...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My department does not have any contracts with Roadbridge.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the implementation of the White Paper I am very conscious of the importance of communicating clearly on the progress that we are making in implementing the new model of accommodation for International Protection applicants. Currently we are developing a communication strategy for the programme, which will include mechanisms through which Oireachtas members can be briefed on a...