Results 9,641-9,660 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department administers an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) service providers are invited to apply for capital funding. As the Deputy is aware in 2021 I allocated funding under the capital programme to assist services complete any outstanding fire safety works required to obtain a Fire Safety Certificate. In January...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: A key policy objective of my Department is to improve affordability, accessibility and quality of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). A 141% increase in investment over the last number of years has led to a doubling in the number of children receiving free or subsidised ELC and SAC. It has also supported the sector to increase the number of places available. The...

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

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

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand the Deputy's question to relate to the obligations placed on public bodies within the meaning of that term under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, and in particular under section 42 of the Act which established the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty. I have no plans at present to prescribe additional organisations financed wholly or partly out of...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 941, 942, 943 and 944 together. The funding schemes referred to are accessible through two primary mechanisms. Local Authority representatives on the Local Authority Play and Recreation Network (LAPRN) will oversee capital funds for Play And Recreation and Play Day funding (my Department can provide contact details of the LAPRN if required). The Playing...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As requested by the deputy, the expenditure incurred by staff in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, under the heading of travel and subsistence from 1 January 2020 to 31st May 2021 are broken down by year below: 2020: €102,000 (from 1 January 2020 - 31 December 2020) 2021: €18,000 (from 1 January 2021 - 31 May 2021) Please note that in line...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Public Spending Code, published by the Department of Expenditure and Reform, provides guidance for evaluation methodologies used across the civil service, including Value for Money and Policy Reviews. The Value for Money and Policy Review initiative (referred to as ‘Value for Money Reviews’ in the Code) is a systematic process of evaluation conducted by government...