Results 821-840 of 11,855 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this relates to information held by Tusla, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for the attention of the relevant area, and for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) works closely with the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána (AGS) to support the removal of those with deportation orders from the State. In addition, all contracted IPAS accommodation centre management and staff are made fully aware by IPAS officials and Department staff of their obligations to cooperate with the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Projects (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department and Tusla continue to take the issue of potential Child Sexual Abuse very seriously and are committed to promoting safe and high quality practice in all areas of Care, including working with An Garda Síochána (AGS) as required. My Department and Tusla continue to undertake actions in this regard. On the 22nd of June 2023, the UCD Sexual Exploitation Research...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: On foot of Government approval to conduct an overall review of entitlements for those within the International Protection (IP) system, my Department has been asked by Government to explore options for adults in receipt of income, that are living in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation, to make an income-based contribution to accommodation costs. The overall...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536, 537 and 538 together. My Department provides Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) with temporary emergency accommodation upon their request on their arrival in Ireland. This supports BOTPs to make longer term independent arrangements if they decide to remain in Ireland. As this is a temporary support, there is an onus on my Department to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy. This supports them to make longer term independent arrangements if they decide to remain in Ireland for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The introduction of Core Funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding. Core Funding has increased by 15% to €331 million for the third programme year which began in September 2024. This increase will facilitate...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table shows the numbers of staff by grade in the Communications Unit in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth from 2019 to 2024. Figures are end of year for 2019 to 2023 and end of August for 2024. Grade 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Temp Clerical Officer 1 Clerical...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Advertising (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: For the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the frequency and duration of the publicity, marketing or advertising campaigns conducted to date in 2024, as well as the purpose and cost of these campaigns; the cost of these campaigns; and the agencies that conducted these campaigns, is listed below. The costs for the UNCRC campaign is an informed estimate until...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 544, 545 and 546 together. The Government is committed to supporting all those seeking IP in Ireland and work is ongoing across the country to bring available accommodation into use to support our residents. This is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing war and persecution in their home...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the issues facing Northside Community Enterprises (NCE) and of the funding that they require to support the re-opening of the Before 5 Family Centre in Churchfield, Co. Cork. The Before 5 Family Centre is in an area of under supply and of high need, so the ambition of NCE to reopen this Centre, with an extended offer of full time, full year places for children under three as...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In Budget 2025, I have secured €8.4m for the International Protection Child Payment. Once introduced, the Child Payment will be a weekly payment of €32.31 to be paid in respect of each eligible child. The Child Payment is a key component of this budget’s focus on tackling child poverty in line with this Government’s ambition to eradicate child poverty. The Child...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Correspondence (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is available to all children within the eligible age range. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the 1st of September start date. The minimum eligibility age for the ECCE programme was revised in September 2018 when it was reduced from 3 years...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I secured an increase of 6% in the provision for Traveller and Roma initiatives in the recent Budget, which will bring total spending to €6.5 million in 2025 for my Department. This increased allocation will be used to deliver relevant actions under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II (NTRIS II) Action Plan 2024 - 2026, including...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Core Funding Partner Services may create a new Service Type and agree that the fee for any new Service Type will be calculated as not more than a proportion of the closest equivalent fee extant on September 30th 2021 which, all other things being equal, would apply to the eligible child. The proportion of the fee cannot exceed the relative proportion of the Service Type. Where a Partner...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Official Engagements (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the formation of the Government, I have not attended any international events or engagements at which members of the media were also in attendance as part of the Government delegation. My Department has not arranged any international visits which included members of the media as part of the delegation in that time.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government is committed to supporting all those seeking international protection in Ireland, and to continuing to provide shelter and support to people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Ireland currently provides accommodation to 32,000 people applying for international protection and has welcomed over 109,000 people from Ukraine since 2022. International protection At the moment, there are...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In relation to the provision of access to temporary accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs), my Department has procured a broad range of accommodation types, including hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs, hostels, self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings. My Department has been made aware of some instances where it became apparent that the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In relation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, in the circumstance where my Department is made aware of cases where a current or potential service provider is not the outright owner of the property where Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) are residing, or has not obtained permission from the owner before entering a contract with my Department, the case is reviewed by a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (15 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Further to my response to the Deputy’s previous question on this matter, I secured funding of €3.1m (current funding) in Budget 2025 to support my department’s remit for the participation of children and young people. This funding will enable my department to implement, inter alia, the ambitious Participation of Children and Young People in Decision-making Action Plan...