Results 9,261-9,280 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department allocates funding of €250,000 to parent and toddler groups annually. The table below sets out the funding allocation by County/City Childcare Committee (CCC) to parent and toddler groups in 2020. The 2021 application process is due to commence shortly and funding of €250,000 will be allocated to successful groups later in this year. CCC 2020...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Care Services (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Minister is aware of the Voluntary Care in Ireland study quoted by the Deputy, which was partially funded by his Department. As the Deputy may be aware, in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures – The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020, the government committed to ‘review and reform as necessary, the Child Care Act 1991’. The Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment as responsibility for disability services has not yet transferred to my Department. These matters are more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond to you directly on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you for your question. My department and the agencies under it's remit are continuously looking to improve services and facilities available to children, especially vulnerable children. For 2021, I increased the allocation to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to a total of €878m, an increase of €61m over 2020 (€817m). The additional resources will allow Tusla to:...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you for raising such an important matter. The onus falls to all of us to report concerns that a child may have been, is being, or is at risk of being abused or neglected. Tusla has developed a comprehensive referral system through which organisations, the public and mandated people can share their concerns for a child potentially at risk of neglect or abuse. In 2020 there were in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 397 and 405 together. I can advise that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has continued to provide essential services to children and families throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Tusla’s work has focused on ensuring continuity of critical supports and services to vulnerable children and families whilst balancing this need with public health...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Young people have been severely affected by the restrictions to protect public health during this pandemic. This has been borne out by multiple research reports including “How's Your Head?”, a national consultation commissioned by my Department. In recognition of the vital role played by youth work in providing support to young people, funding levels have been maintained...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department maintains close contact with the national youth organisations funded under the Youth Service Grant Scheme and I, and officials from my Department, meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments in the youth sector. Although this schedule has been impacted by Covid-19, my officials and I have maintained engagements with the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Immigration Support Services (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 400 and 402 together. The Government is committed to the development and nurturing of an all-inclusive society in Ireland. We are in the process of implementing a number of key strategies which are helping to promote inclusion and diversity across Irish society. The Migrant Integration Strategy 2017 – 2020 is one such strategy and, in response to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I want to assure the Deputy of my commitment to young people and their families, including those who are vulnerable, marginalised or disadvantaged. In July 2020, my Department launched UBU Your Place Your Spacewhich allocates targeted youth funding of €41.8 million to youth services. UBU funded youth services provide out-of-school supports to marginalised, disadvantaged or vulnerable...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Significant advances have been made in recent years to address inequality in Irish society, with the Government’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and equal society re-affirmed through the Programme for Government commitments to achieve social solidarity, equality of opportunity and economic equity for all. The suite of national equality strategies, overseen and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you for your question about the numbers of children in care. Due to the impact of the cyber attack on Tusla, the Child and Family Agency's, systems I am happy to provide the latest figures available to the Department. Tusla's role is to offer care and protection for children in circumstances where their parents have not been able to provide the care that a child needs. Tusla has a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal free two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The total number of children registered for ECCE in the 2020/21 programme year was 102,422. For the ECCE 2021/22 programme year my Department estimates a slight decrease in enrolments, as a result of changing demographics and a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is required under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013 to support and promote the welfare and protection of children; to support and encourage the effective functioning of families and to provide services relating to the psychological welfare of children and their families. Tusla funds the Health Services Executive to supply psychology services on its...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (6 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below confirms the number of children who resided in IPAS (International Protection Accommodation Service) accommodation centres between the years 2018 to 2020. Unfortunately, there are no statistics available for 2017. As the Deputy will be aware, I have now published a “White Paper to End Direct Provision and to establish a new International Protection Support...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators. I have spoken in this and the Lower House about my commitment to getting this legislation passed and the mechanisms put in place to support it, including regulations and the website, so we can see delivery of this vital information. As Senator Bacik acknowledged, responsibility for this legislation was transferred to my Department in October last year and it was not...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I see, understand and recognise the important role of the trade union movement in bringing this legislation to this position where it soon will pass through this House and soon will be sent to the President for signature. I have engaged extensively with trade unions on this and other legislation since I took office. I place real value on that ongoing dialogue with the trade union movement,...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Senator said, the proposed amendment to section 2 would reduce the reporting exemption from employers with more than 50 employees to employers with more than 20 employees and remove the incremental aspect of the roll-out. We spoke at some length on Committee Stage about the gestation of this Bill and the degree of engagement which took place between previous Ministers, employer...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I would not entirely agree with Senator Bacik on the lack of detail in the Bill, particularly when we look at section 20A(1)(a) and 20A(1)(b) and the various criteria. There are eight criteria. Section 20A(4) contains more details on how the regulations will be shaped. I would not entirely agree with the Senator. We have put in quite a significant amount of detail in terms of what will be...