Results 10,181-10,200 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I understand the anger of survivors regarding the deletion of tapes. For a long time, they have felt that their voices have not been heard and this action is compounding that anger and frustration. I am aware of recent calls for the timeframe of the commission to be extended to enable it to deal with concerns relating to the audio...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Integration Fund (NIF) is a key element of the Migrant Integration Strategy and was developed to help facilitate the effective integration of migrants, or persons of migrant origin, into communities all over Ireland on an equal basis with those of Irish heritage. Its primary objective is to ensure that barriers to full participation in Irish society are identified and addressed...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Every year since 2013 the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has provided Local Authorities with the opportunity to apply for funding to support new and existing play and recreation facilities for children and young people the Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. One of the consistent criteria under this scheme is that the playground must be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Data (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand that Here2Help closed its operations on 30 June 2020 and proposes to transfer its adoption related files to the Adoption Authority of Ireland. The Authority and Here2Help are currently in the process of finalising the suite of files to be transferred. Once this transfer of files happens, the Authority will need to integrate relevant records and consider how best it can...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Following the receipt of representations on this issue, I asked Tusla for an update on services provided by the organisation named by the Deputy. Tusla has advised me that there is ongoing engagement between Tusla and the organisation named by the Deputy about service and funding arrangements for 2021. All organisations in the sector have also been invited to submit proposals to address...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Joint Labour Committees (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can inform the Deputy that contact details for the various grant funding schemes provided by my Department and the National Disability Authority are set out in the below table. The question has also been referred to Tusla and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission for those bodies' direct reply to the Deputy. My Department's other agencies do not operate grand funding schemes.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Joint Labour Committees (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to “support the establishment of a Joint Labour Committee in the childcare sector and the drawing up of an Employment Regulation Order, which would determine minimum rates of pay for childcare workers, as well as terms and conditions of employment”. To progress this commitment, in December 2020, working in partnership with...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for bringing this matter to my attention, and wish to apologise for the inconvenience. I have referred the matter to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, seeking clarification on why the requested response has not issued, and instructing that a reply issue to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Data (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I know the absolute importance of access to birth certs and early life information for adoptees. Addressing this issue is a key part of the Government’s Action Plan in response to the Commission’s Report. It is a priority for myself, the Attorney and the Taoiseach. My Department and I are engaging intensively with the Attorney General to find a solution to the issue of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation will stand dissolved in law on 28th February 2021 and is due to submit its archive of records to my Department by that date. Former residents of Mother and Baby Homes will be able to make a Subject Access Request (SAR) to the Department under the GDPR for access to their record. My Department is working intensively to ensure that it...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (18 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since taking office at the end of last June, I have engaged in three formal meetings with the Commission of Investigation. The dates of these meeting were as follows: - 27th July 2020 - 15th October 2020 - 13th November 2020 I have also corresponded with the Commission over this period in the context of the legislation enacted in October 2020 to protect its records; in relation to the receipt...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The new international protection accommodation centre in Port Road, Letterkenny is now almost ready to open. The opening is subject to an inspection to be carried out by the International Protection Procurement Service (IPSS) of my Department, to ensure all requirements as per the tendering process have been met. My officials in IPAS have engaged with all relevant state agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Payment Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The new accommodation centre in Letterkenny for International Protection applicants was procured through a tendering competition that was conducted through the Government’s Procurement Portal www.etenders.gov.ie. The specifications for this tender included the provision of food and household items through a points system by way of an on-site foodhall whereby residents can obtain the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: All early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) service providers are obliged to comply with the relevant Regulations. Services are required to operate within regulatory minimum adult-child ratios as set out in the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Consultations (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The matter referred to by the Deputy is first and foremast an internal matter for the organisation involved. Notwithstanding this, my officials and I engage regularly with the organisation on a range of matters related to governance issues. I met with representatives of the senior management team and the Board on Thursday last (4th February) to discuss governance matters in the organisation....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Programmes (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DGSBV). As the Deputy's question references an operational matter for Tusla, I have requested that Tusla responds to you directly on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Confidential Committee module, and the manner in which it was incorporated into the Commission’s terms of reference, recognised the fundamental importance of the Commission being able to ground its investigations in the lived experiences of those who spent time in these institutions. Given the sensitivity of these deeply personal issues, it was accepted that a bespoke approach was...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and runs from September to June each year, aligned with the primary school calendar. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Adoption Data (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I understand that Here2Help closed its operations on 30 June 2020 and proposes to transfer its adoption related files to the Adoption Authority of Ireland. The Authority and Here2Help are currently in the process of finalising the suite of files to be transferred. Once this transfer of files happens, the Authority can provide an information and tracing service for persons whose records were...