Results 10,461-10,480 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My department monitors emerging research on the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people in Ireland, as well as internationally. In addition, my department has both commissioned and directly undertaken a range of research activities relating to the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people. Details of these research activities are as follows: - * Published by the ESRI in July...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission’s Terms of Reference require it to establish the extent of compliance with relevant regulatory and ethical standards of the time of systemic vaccine trials found to have been conducted on children in one or more of the homes. In its Final Report, the Commission has identified a total of seven vaccine trials which took place in the institutions under investigation in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The media have an important public service to perform in covering an issue as detailed and important as the Commission's Report. At 8:00am on the morning of Tuesday 12th, some members of the media were provided with electronic access to a copy of the report to facilitate detailed coverage, under very strict embargo. This practice provides that a detailed, sensitive and informed public...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Sixth Interim Report was published in full on 12 January. It is available on my Department's website. This is in line with the commitment I gave last year to publish the Sixth Interim Report in tandem with the Final Report. The Sixth Interim Report, when originally prepared, contained a technical report related to one chapter of the final conclusions of the report. The then Attorney...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes has conducted an extensive five-year long investigation into Mother and Baby institutions, including the burial practices at each of the institutions in its Terms of Reference. In the case of Bessborough, the Commission reported that it was unable to locate the burial place of most of the children, some 859 persons, who died there....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have separately written to An Bord Pleanála and Cork City Council to encourage them to consider the interim and final reports of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, and the views expressed by former residents of this institution, when deciding on the planning applications for development at the site of the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home. I am open...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 265 together. The Commission has made clear recommendations in relation to redress on the basis of its extensive 5-year investigation. Notably, the Commission identifies three specific groups for whom it recommends redress might be considered. The Government has made a very significant and early commitment to accept these recommendations and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A printed copy of the Final Report of the Commission is available to any survivor who wishes to have one. The Report was made available in digital format in the first instance so as to immediately make it available to the widest possible audience. This is particularly important having regard to the sheer size of the report and the challenges which arise in disseminating hard copies, due...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters was established in February 2015 to provide a full account of what happened to vulnerable women and children in these institutions during the period 1922 to 1998. Its terms of reference are attached to the Government Order establishing the Commission (Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2015). The Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. My Department is engaged with HIQA about undertaking the role of monitoring the services provided to those accommodated in our centres against National Standards that were published in 2019. The National Standards meet the requirements of the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive (Directive 2013/33/EU) which we voluntarily opted...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Asylum Seekers (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A new vulnerability assessment process is currently being piloted by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department. The purpose of these assessments is to determine if, by virtue of a particular category of vulnerability, an applicant is deemed to have special reception needs, what those needs are and what actions are required to address those needs. As part of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Between 11 and 31 January, access to early learning and childcare services is restricted to the children of essential workers and vulnerable children. In addition, the resumption of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school programme has been delayed. During this period, my Department is continuing to provide funding under its schemes (ECCE, NCS, CCSP and TEC) as long as early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid parent’s 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 parent's leave, and the period in which it can be taken will be extended to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ministerial Correspondence (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising these matters with me. As I am sure he will understand there are a number of issues in the correspondence which will require consideration. I will examine these matters with my officials and revert directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Domestic Violence Refuges Provision (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice. Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (21 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare services are typically either privately owned or operated by community organisations. Service providers are contracted by my Department to provide services at a subsidised rate to parents and are free to set their own policies regarding the charging of fees. The current agreements between the Department and providers do not deal with the...

Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (Resumed) (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am sharing time with the Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Troy. Last week, the report of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes was published. Following this, the Taoiseach, on behalf of the Government, offered our apology and asked for forgiveness for the failings of the Irish State, failings that repeated over decades and which had the most horrendous...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358, 374 and 382 together. A printed copy of the Final Report of the Commission will be made available to any survivor who wishes to have one. The Report was made available in digital format in the first instance so as to immediately make it available to the widest possible audience. This is particularly important having regard to the sheer size of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 363 together. It is a matter of deep regret that details of the Commission's Final Report were leaked ahead of its publication. I contacted survivors immediately on learning of the coverage in a Sunday newspaper and the matter is now under investigation. I understand why many survivors are feeling hurt and let down that any element of the Report...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (20 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I met with my predecessor in July, shortly after I was appointed. We discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to the remit of the Department, and the additional functions transferring to it. The topics we discussed included the Adoption (Information and Tracing) legislation, and the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes.