Results 61-80 of 2,204 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Roderic O'Gorman
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: They are not available for the use of international protection-----
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: ------applicants.
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: On the basis that they are within the refurbishment programme, they are only available to beneficiaries of temporary protection.
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: That is true.
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy and the other local TDs for their ongoing engagement on this matter. Ireland is now accommodating more than 100,000 people, between those fleeing the war in Ukraine and international protection applicants. Our accommodation system is under real pressure now. With all the limited accommodation capacity in the International Protection Accommodation Services, IPAS, system...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of the Child (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. In January of last year. I led a delegation to the a hearing of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. The committee welcomed the progress Ireland has made to respect children’s rights, including the Children First Act 2015 and other legislative and policy measures. That Act operates side-by-side with the non-statutory obligations provided for in...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of the Child (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: That is very much central to the child care (amendment) Bill 2023, which has undergone PLS. Deputy Funchion is present; her committee reviewed it. There is an extensive set of recommendations. One of the key elements is a recognition that for probably some of the children who are most vulnerable, the solution to their situation does not just rest with Tusla. It may rest with CAMHS also or...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy should hold on. We are providing those basics that he mentioned to more than 100,000 people.
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: My Department was providing-----
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: My Department was providing accommodation to 7,500 thousand people in December 2021 and is now providing accommodation to more than 100,000 people. No other Department has ever had to meet such an enormous humanitarian challenge in such a tight period. I have always accepted in this House that the response has not been perfect and there are elements we could do better. If we had known...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. We have in place an efficient system for the processing of Ukrainians arriving here seeking temporary protection.
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: The system for Ukrainians has worked extremely well and that is why we have been able to welcome-----
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: -----more than 100,000 Ukrainians and allow them integrate into communities all over the country. Regarding IP the system was not fit for purpose. It was a system in which people were spending from six to eight years trying to get their application processed. That is why the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has made major changes. She has doubled the number of staff in the international...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: We have tightened up those rules and we will continue to examine the system to-----
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: -----make sure they are robust for the numbers of those seeking international protection now.
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96, 121 and 141 together. As of 23 February, the State is providing accommodation to more than 27,400 international protection, IP, arrivals. In tandem with this, approximately 104,000 Ukrainian nationals have been granted temporary protection orders with more than 70% residing in accommodation provided by the State. In short, the State is under extreme...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: Is Deputy Farrell all right?
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: They include granting of driving licences to international protection applicants and allowing them to open bank accounts. They are very simple things but they are also very important. Obviously, reducing the period within which someone can apply for work to six months is a very important step. In terms of supports, we have done a significant amount of work with the counselling in...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: Last week, I was pleased to announce an €18 million capital grant scheme for the early learning and childcare sector. The building blocks capacity expansion grant scheme is part of the wider building blocks capital programme for this sector under the national development plan. The scheme will provide capital grants for early learning and childcare services to expand their existing...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Feb 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: It is slightly separate to core funding. When you apply you have to state if your weekly fee for full time or part time are above the figures I cited. If they are, you are ineligible to apply. We estimate that approximately 3% of services have weekly fees above those numbers. It is a small number. It is a balance. We want to increase capacity. However, if we are increasing capacity in...