Results 10,321-10,340 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The review of the childcare operating model is ongoing. It was put in place with a view to undertaking initial work to allow us to make determinations as regards the child agency.

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can reply in more detail in writing.

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I take on board the Deputy's point about the AIM scheme. We have put additional funding into it this year because it has been successful, but there is a lack of joined-up thinking. We hope that the transfer of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and the area of disability issues to my Department will give us the opportunity to focus on children and consider disability throughout all...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Paul Murphy. I disagree with the Deputy's statement that we have not supported childcare workers during this period. The employment wage supplement scheme, EWSS, has been a very significant investment by the State in supporting the wages and the position of childcare professionals. The childcare profession is the only profession which had a sector-wide exemption, which I...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for his comments. I am aware that we always have more to do in this sector, particularly on the issue of pay. As regards reimbursements, for the period of 1 January to 5 February we did not have any legal requirements. We did not have a new contract in place with childcare providers and we could not compel reimbursements. During that period, we requested that...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are a range of questions there. I wish to reopen the ECCE scheme as quickly as we can. We continue to look at that and to make preparations for its reopening. It will be linked to the wider reopening of the primary education sector. On parental fees, in order to avail of the new funding model that we introduced from 5 February, services have to sign up to a new contract which...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The maintenance of staff and of childcare professionals in employment is an absolute key priority for me. I was aware in January that creeping numbers of staff were claiming the PUP. Therefore, one of the conditions we have put in place with the enhanced funding measures, which will come in from 5 February, is the maintenance of staff on the payroll. That was certainly a key demand of...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I apologise if I do not have a more detailed response for the Deputy. I thought the focus today was on Covid-19 and childcare. With regard to that issue, however, I am conscious of the responsibilities of my Department as regards general data protection regulation, GDPR, and the transfer of the archive to us. In the context of the deletion of these tapes, at the moment we are in the...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of that case. As the Deputy noted, the AIM funding does not apply to those children, although it is a very beneficial and useful scheme. There is a gap in the provision at the moment, but we recognise it and the Minister of State and I, at the higher level, will be conscious of addressing it. When the Minister of State's disability brief moves to my Department, we will have the...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Both I, in my Department, and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, who is still with the Department of Health, continue to advocate for all children in the context of the vaccine programme, but particularly for those who are most vulnerable. If there are particular constituents or others with conditions that the Deputy wishes to highlight, he might correspond with us and we will endeavour...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Like the Deputy, I recognise the online day of action taking place tomorrow marking last year's march and I also recognise the crucial issue of pay and resolving this in the sector. In every session of questions and answers, we have engaged on this matter and we are seeing progression, in that last time we were talking about a JLC preprocess. Now that is done and I am expecting the report....

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for her questions and her recognition of the sector. As she knows, the employee wage subsidy scheme is an all-of-economy support. We were successful in having it applied to the entire childcare sector and in having an exemption from the turnover requirements. It has been essential in supporting the sustainability of services. It is due to end at the end of March, at...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: We have put a very substantial amount of money into the sector to keep it sustainable, keep services open and match the considerable determination of providers and childcare professionals in this regard, both in the context of the continuation of the existing payment schemes and the additional money invested through the employment wage subsidy scheme We are examining what will happen in...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I acknowledge there is some confusion about that. I regret it if there was any confusion in the ether. Responsibility for the programme rests with the Department of Health and the HSE. Currently, early learning childcare staff and school-age childcare staff are in vaccination category 11. I have advocated with the HSE and the Department of Health that that prioritisation continues to be...

Covid-19 (Childcare): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I welcome the opportunity to make a statement and take questions relating to the early learning and childcare. Before I begin, it is appropriate to recognise that tomorrow is the anniversary of the huge march that took place on 5 February 2020, when a coalition of groups across the early learning and childcare sector took to the streets, seeking better pay, conditions and supports for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Local Authority Facilities (4 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: Refugee Status (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department provides accommodation and ancillary support services to persons who have applied for international protection where the applicant indicates that such accommodation and services are required.  Not every person who seeks international protection chooses to accept this offer, and some choose to live independently or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Carer's Leave (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Section 6 of the Carer's Leave Act 2001 provides that employees with at least one year's continuous service are entitled to take up to 104 weeks of carer's leave to enable them to provide full-time care and attention to a person who is in need of such care. There are no plans to amend the Carer's Leave Act at present. The scheduling of vaccinations for elderly persons is a matter for my...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 156 together. 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 117% increase in investment over the last number of years has led to a doubling in the number of children receiving free or subsidised early learning and care and school-age...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (4 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parents' Leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Under proposals approved by Government in December 2020, each parent will be given an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave, and the period in which it can be taken will be extended to the first two...