Results 9,381-9,400 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (16 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The issue raised by the Deputy is a matter for Tusla - the Children and Family Agency and the question has been forwarded to them for direct response to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (16 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that this is an operational matter for Tusla and my officials have asked the Agency to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: While the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is an initiative of my Department, a Scheme Administrator has been engaged to manage the operation of the Scheme on my Department’s behalf. Pobal acts in this capacity as Scheme Administrator, and it is their role to follow up on individual cases. We would ask that Parents using the NCS be advised to direct queries in relation to applications...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (16 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Former residents of Mother and Baby Homes can make a Subject Access Request (SAR) to my Department for access to their record. My Department is cognisant of its obligations as a data controller when responding to SARs and is responding on a case by case basis to individuals within the timeframes required by the GDPR. GDPR provides that the one month period for SARs may be extended by a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (16 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy will be aware that, as part of its response to the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes (and Certain Related Matters), the Government committed to establishing a Restorative Recognition Scheme for survivors of Mother and Baby and County Home institutions. This scheme will include a restorative recognition payment and a form of enhanced medical...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence (16 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue, with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. Capital funding for approved housing bodies, including services that provide refuge accommodation, is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (16 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department developed a National Action Plan for Childminding which was published in April 2021. The Action Plan aims to improve access, through childminding, to high quality and affordable childcare. The Action Plan sets out a pathway over the next 8 years towards regulation, support and subsidies for all paid, non-relative childminders. The Action Plan will involve change and will bring...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Regarding alternative care and the wider care system, as the Deputy knows, there has been a long-running review of the Child Care Act 1991. We hope to make proposals for a significant amendment of that legislation in the near future. I look forward to working with Deputy Costello and other Members on the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. There is a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I want to express my appreciation to Deputy Costello. The Deputy posed this Topical Issue matter a while ago and he facilitated me by moving it to today. I thank the Deputy for that. The issue the Deputy has brought to our attention is a very important one. There are approximately 6,000 children in care in the State. Of those, a very large proportion, 93%, are in foster care and a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to examine the introduction of a new ground of discrimination, based on socioeconomic disadvantaged status to the Employment Equality and Equal Status Acts. In addition, a broader review of the Equality Acts is also planned shortly. I hope to undertake a public consultation on potentially amending the Equality Acts to include a socioeconomic...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Meetings (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability is aware of the outstanding commitment to meet with the Deputy and the residents of the service. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Minister had to postpone a meeting scheduled for April 15th, 2021 and sent her apologies for same at the time. The Minister is working to find a suitable time and date for this meeting and will contact...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Communications (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can inform the Deputy of the following engagement by my Department with the company referred to. As part of the monitoring, review and evaluation of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS), section 26 of the Childcare Support Act 2018 requires that a formal review of the NCS takes place. The fundamental purpose of the review is to provide key data and information to support the future...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The service as referred to by the Deputy was established in May 2020 as an additional support for International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) residents. IPAS understands that not everybody feels comfortable contacting the Department directly. The provision of this non-IPAS managed helpline, takes cognisance of that and is a specific measure to alleviate that concern. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Cybersecurity Policy (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: ICT services are provided to my Department by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). The provision of ICT security is part of that service. My ICT Staff engage closely with the OGCIO on the issue of cyber security, who in turn engage with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure best practice is followed as it relates to all aspects of cyber security. For...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 provides for the recognition of cohabiting partners and for protections for them. It established a redress scheme for long-term opposite-sex and same-sex cohabiting couples who are not married or registered in a civil partnership. The redress scheme may be activated at the end of a relationship, whether by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are no plans at present to raise the age for which foster care allowance are paid available up to age 23. There are a number of aftercare supports already in place for young adults transitioning from state care to independent living. Aftercare services are support services build on and support the work already undertaken by many including foster carers, social workers and residential...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of the Summer of Play initiative I announced recently a provision of €6 million in funding is being made to support outdoor play. One strand of this funding the Playing Outside Grant for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Aged Childcare (SAC) services will provide €5.5 million in funding for services. The objective of this grant is to support services to enhance...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Details of allocations by county can be found in the table below and also at this link This scheme, introduced in 2013, provides capital funding to support the development of new recreation facilities for children and young people, and for the refurbishment of existing play and recreation facilities and incorporation of natural play elements. The scheme is operated via Local Authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (15 Jun 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. The recent cyber attack on the Department of Health has rendered them unable to access their IT systems.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (15 Jun 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am not aware of the detail of the recommendation from the organisation referred to by the Deputy, and therefore am not in a position to comment, however I would be happy to examine any such proposal coming forward in this area in conjunction with my colleague the Minister for Health.