Results 61-80 of 7,554 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Guardians Ad Litem (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: This question has been transferred to TUSLA who will reply to the Dpeuty directly over the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The D Hotel has been offered to the International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) and contracted to provide accommodation to International Protection (IP) applicants under the emergency appraisal process, with a capacity of 500 beds. It is functioning as a dispersal centre for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) with families in residence for a short period of time...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department funds private early learning and care service providers to provide the ECCE programme at a standard rate of €69 per week per child attending the ECCE programme. With the addition of the Core Funding Scheme in 2022, services providing ECCE who are also signed up to Core Funding receive a minimum of €79.20 per child per week in capitation. This figure can rise to a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are currently over 29,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole (of whom nearly 7,000 are children) compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. Together with Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection displaced by the war in Ukraine, this means that Ireland is now accommodating over 100,000 people in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The requirement to have adequate security forms part of the contract to accommodate International Protection (IP) applicants. The Department requires that centres are adequately staffed for the running of the centre and that there is a 24/7 staff presence. The particular security needs of each centre are assessed by each provider and agreed with the Department prior to the opening of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm to the Deputy that I issued a response to this enquiry on 7 May. The introduction of Core Funding in September 2022 brought with it a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €210.8m of brand new funding for the sector in its first year of operation. Its primary purpose is to improve pay and conditions in the sector as a whole and improve affordability...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The data requested by the Deputy is not available. In relation to service providers contracted by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to provide accommodation and related services to International Protection (IP) applicants, the Department publishes reports on all payments over €20,000. These are published, once per quarter, on gov.ie ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department of Integration appraises properties for temporary emergency accommodation based on the criteria outlined in the current International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) proposal form. The proposals criteria are drawn from various sources such as the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) National Standards , the Department of Housing, Local Government and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: On the 27th March 2024 Government agreed a new Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy (CAS) for the accommodation of International Protection applicants. This strategy seeks to address the current accommodation shortfall, while reforming the system over the longer term to ensure the State will always be able to meet its international commitments. The strategy focuses on the delivery of large...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), which provide support and assist families and early learning and childcare providers with early learning, and childcare matters. The network of 30 City/County Childcare Committees across the country are in a position to match children and families to services operating with vacant places and engage proactively with services to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 517 and 518 together. The accommodation provider to which the Deputy refers has decided to cease accommodating Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) and has asked that all of the BOTPs in residence be moved to alternative accommodation. My Department's standard commercial accommodation contract provides that either party to the contract can terminate...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise that pay in the sector remains low and does not reflect the importance of the work early years educators and school age childcare practitioners do and I am committed to supporting further improvements. As the State does not employ staff in ELC and SAC services, neither I nor my Department can set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sector. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: To be eligible for Core Funding for the 2023/2024 programme year, it is necessary for all Partner Services to agree to the Core Funding Fee Management terms and conditions as laid out in the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement, and the fee management guidelines. These terms and conditions require services not to increase the fees charged to parents above what was charged on 30...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The introduction of a new equality ground, based on disadvantaged socio-economic status, is being considered as part of my Department's wider review of the Equal Status Acts 2000 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998 (the Equality Acts). This follows a Programme for Government commitment to examine the introduction of such a ground. It is intended that legislative proposals arising from the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. My Department monitors early learning and childcare capacity on an ongoing basis, with a particular focus on responding to the unmet early learning and childcare needs of families. My Department funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), which provide support and assist families and early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Temple Spa Accommodation Centre is located 9km east of Moate, located on a small local road so a bus stop for Bus Eireann services would not be an option as there would be no passing buses on this type of road. To facilitate transport for International Protection (IP) applicants’ residing at the Temple Spa Accommodation Centre, there is a shuttle service contracted seven days a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Voluntary Sector (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy may be aware, officials from my Department met with the Commissioner and Interim Chair of the Board of SJAI on 4 January 2024 in relation to implementation of the recommendations made by Dr. Shannon in his Independent Review. During this meeting SJAI made the Department aware of the need for financial support in order to fund the post of the Safeguarding Lead which is one of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. My Department monitors early learning and childcare capacity on an ongoing basis, with a particular focus on responding to the unmet early learning and childcare needs of families. My Department funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), which provide support and assist families and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Rights (14 May 2024)

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