Results 961-980 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Budget 2025 (19 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have received the submission referenced by the Deputy, and it is being reviewed within my Department. Budget 2025 is currently being considered by Government in the context of the annual estimates process. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage. However, from 2020 to Budget 2024, current Exchequer funding for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (19 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (19 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (19 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Up to now, services availing of Core Funding have not been allowed to raise their fees above what was charged to parents on 30 September 2021 (or at the point of first signing up for Core Funding if the service did not exist on 30 September 2021). The fee freeze will remain in place for the majority of these services for year 3 of Core Funding, though services whose fees have been frozen...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (19 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ballymore Community Childcare’s application has been received by my Department and is currently under assessment as part of the Fee Increase Assessment process. My Department is currently working through a large volume of applications and will endeavour to issue follow-up communications to all applicant services as soon as possible, it is expected that decision letters will issue next week.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defective Building Materials (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department works with Pobal and local childcare committees to offer case management supports to services in difficulty. Through this process, services may also access sustainability funding following an assessment of need. One strand of this funding can support a service with the cost of relocation. Pobal and Donegal County Childcare Committee are in communication with Ardara Community...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defective Building Materials (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Until this year, the sole capital funding coming from my Department for early years services was for the building of new services or extensions to existing services. My Department and I, as Minister, have recognised that when a service requires major work - I am not talking about fire safety doors - there is a need for a fund to support community services. The situation outlined by Deputy...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defective Building Materials (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My understanding in the case of north Cork is that there is engagement between Pobal and the childcare committee on a resolution. In terms of the services Deputy Doherty raised, I will inquire with my Department on the engagement with the childcare committee. It is important to recognise the need to have flexibility and that has been recognised in the terms of the use of our capital...

Childcare: Motion [Private Members] (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Yes, I got a selfie with your mother-in-law.

Childcare: Motion [Private Members] (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "welcomes that: — the present Government has implemented the most significant reform agenda to early learning and childcare in the history of the State; — total Government investment in early learning and childcare has almost doubled since 2020, rising to €1.1...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (18 Sep 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: Child and Family Agency (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The individual case raised by the Deputy has been referred to Tusla for the attention of the appropriate staff. I am aware that eligibility for the State Pension (Contributory) is an area of genuine concern for foster carers. Last year, my Government colleague, the Minister for Social Protection oversaw the implementation of a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system as...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Artificial Intelligence (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is guided by the Interim Guidelines for Use of AI in the Public Service published by the Public Service Transformation Delivery Unit in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and by the National Cyber Security Centre on ICT policy and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Artificial Intelligence (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise that officials in this Department, or any agency under its auspices, are not authorised to use Artificial Intelligence software in the preparation of responses to Parliamentary Questions, or in responses to any correspondence from outside the organisation. This is in line with advice from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) released in June 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 596, 597, 598 and 599 together. My Department is committed to supporting all those seeking international protection (IP) in Ireland and work is ongoing across the country to bring available accommodation into use to support our residents. As part of a whole of Government approach, the Department's International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS)...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare (which includes school aged childcare) is a key Government priority. Considerable investment has taken place in recent years to improve the resourcing, quality and availability of early learning and childcare. In September 2022, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare (ELC). This new...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the issues facing Northside Community Enterprises, 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 undersupply and of high need, so the ambition of Northside Community Enterprises to reopen this Centre, with an extended offer of full time, full year places for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Please see below the number of children with an ECCE registration in Cork City for programme calls 2020/2021 and 2023/2024. Please note there was a change of boundaries that resulted in 47 services with children registered for ECCE 2020/21 changing from Cork County to Cork City. For that reason, the numbers below are based on the boundaries at the time and the number based on the current...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (18 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are currently running an online survey as part of the public consultation to inform the successor strategy to the National Strategy for Women and Girls. IPSOS B&A have been contracted to carry out the consultation for the Department and have helped design the online survey, which seeks to gather opinions and...