Results 8,801-8,820 of 11,729 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I acknowledge that many early learning and childcare services are reporting staffing and recruitment difficulties, with increased pressures as a result of Covid-19. My Department is actively monitoring the issue and has sought data and evidence-based proposals from sectoral representatives. The primary data-source for the sector is the Annual Early Years Sector Profile. In the most recent...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There has been a significant expansion in the provision of family leaves in recent years, with the introduction of paid parent's leave through the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 and its extension to five weeks this year with the Family Leaves and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021; as well as extensions to unpaid parental leave through the Parental Leave Amendment Act 2019 to 26 weeks per...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Paternity Leave (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 (as amended), an employee who is a relevant parent in relation to a child is entitled to 2 weeks paid paternity leave to be taken in the first 6 months after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. A relevant parent in relation to a child means a person, other than the mother, who is the father of the child, the partner (spouse, civil...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: First 5 was published in November 2018. The strategy focuses on the period of early childhood and takes a joined-up, cross-government approach to supporting babies, young children and their families during their early years. The Implementation Plan, published in May 2019, covers the first phase of the ten year plan and identifies key milestones for each action across 2019, 2020 and 2021....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Unemployment (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The issue of employment is a key consideration for both myself and my Government colleagues. Indeed, in the past few weeks I attended a round table discussion convened by the Tanaiste involving Ministers and officials from relevant Departments and the youth sector to consider this issue. I issued a joint press release on 24 September detailing this meeting which may be of interest to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Asylum Seekers (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Generally, three cohorts of children can be involved with the international protection process, those in the company of their parents or guardian, children who arrive unaccompanied by a guardian (separated children) to ports of entry and unaccompanied child refugees who come to Ireland under specific relocation projects under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). The processing of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is investing €638 million this year in the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare sector. State investment in ELC and SAC has increased by an unprecedented 141% since 2015. This funding has significantly extended the number of places available in the sector and the numbers of children benefiting from free or subsidised services. Government has committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy may be aware that my officials and I have met with Youth Work Ireland in relation to their business plan for the reinvigoration of the voluntary clubs network. We had an in-depth discussion on the implications of the report and the issue is under review by officials in the context of our consideration of the Estimates for 2022. As the Deputy will be aware, I provided an increase of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 303 together. The Deputy refers to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that Tusla reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am very conscious of the need for significant improvement in pay and working conditions for practitioners in early learning and childcare services. The level of pay they receive does not reflect the value of the work they do for children, for families and for the wider society and economy. The State is not the employer and therefore cannot determine wages in the sector. However, I am...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy will be aware that my Department's responsibilities include a range of policy and service activity, direct and indirect, for children and young people, adults, families and communities and have a diverse range of cross-cutting impacts on other policy areas. My Department's expenditure is focussed on cross-cutting children’s initiatives including child welfare and protection,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I must advise the Deputy that it is not appropriate for me to comment on action taken or pending in respect of individual and/or particularly sensitive child protection matters or child care proceedings. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for child protection and welfare services. If I, or my officials, become aware of a situation in which a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for child protection and welfare services. Tusla has a dedicated Quality Assurance Team which produces monthly, quarterly and annual reports in respect of Tusla's functions, including detailed reporting on child safety and protection services. The reports are published on Tusla's website and are scrutinised by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 310, 315 and 319 together. While I have responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of the equality legislation, the role of monitoring the prevalence of discrimination and prejudice in Irish society is undertaken by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) which is Ireland’s national human rights and equality institution and is an...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am taking it that the Deputy's question may relate to women and children who need to avail of refuge accommodation in the context of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, and to children who may require secure accommodation in various circumstances, including those in the care of the State and/or by orders of Courts. These are operational matters for Tusla, the Child and Family...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have received a number of pre-Budget submissions from a range of disability representative organisations. These covered a wide range of issues including financial supports, access to services and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Submissions received have been noted and reviewed by my officials. My own bid for funding has been informed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have no immediate plans to carry out a review of disability services, in light of the present status of disability functions as shared between my Department and the Department of Health. The Department of Health is leading on improving the provision of services to people with disabilities through, for example, the Disability Capacity Review and Progressing Disability Services for Children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My officials and I maintain close contact with 30 national youth organisations which it funds under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. Formal meetings are held with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments or challenges in the youth sector. Although this schedule was impacted by Covid-19, meetings resumed in July of this year. This provides a forum for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (7 Oct 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy may be aware that DCEDIY provides funding to all 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) around the country to support youth services in their area and that each ETB has a Youth Officer. Youth Officers provide an important support role to my Department in the co-ordination and administration of youth services at local level. My officials hold quarterly meetings with them and these...