Results 10,461-10,480 of 11,997 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I was appalled at the leaking of the report. It was wholly unacceptable and disrespectful to survivors. I secured Government agreement to a full investigation of this incident. The Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach is currently investigating the matter. As part of this process, he will examine the broader issue of unauthorised dissemination of documentation and other...

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: Family Resource Centres (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is responsible for the administration of the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. I have requested that Tusla respond directly to the Deputy with regard to the proposed application process raised by the Deputy. I am pleased to have secured significant additional funding for Tusla this year which, I believe, will help the Agency more fully achieve its...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise the important work carried out by advocacy services, such as EPIC, who work with children and young adults who are currently in care or who have experience of being in care. EPIC receives Government funding so that it can fulfil this important role. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is currently reviewing the Child Care Act 1991. The Child...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I have no plans at present to raise the age for which aftercare supports are made available to 26. Aftercare services are support services build on and support the work already undertaken by many including foster carers, social workers and residential workers in preparing young people for adulthood. Everyone has a role to play in preparing young people to reach their developmental...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Deputy, thank you for your question. As you highlighted, action 65 of the Ryan Report Implementation Plan states that ‘the HSE will, with their consent, conduct a longitudinal study to follow young people who leave care for 10 years, to map their transition to adulthood’. Following on from a scoping study done by Dr Carmel Devaney in 2013, a feasibility study on conducting...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Exemptions for the age requirements for the ECCE programme provided by my Department are considered with regard to three guiding principles: - the child will not reach 6 years of age before beginning primary education as per the Educational Welfare Act, 2000, - a specialist has recommended the additional time in ECCE; and - the child has not already availed of the full two years of ECCE....

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has not awarded any contracts for public relations advice and consultancy over €10,000 since January 2021. The Adoption Authority of Ireland, the National Disability Authority and Oberstown Children Detention Campus have confirmed likewise. I have referred the question to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the Ombudsman for Children's Office and the Irish Human...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Minister has not made contact, nor has had contact, from the United States administration.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Section 6 of the Adoptive Leave Act 1995 provides for an entitlement to 24 weeks of paid adoptive leave for an employed adopting mother or a sole male adopter, and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave. Under the current legislation, adoptive leave is not available to male same-sex couples who are adopting jointly. Addressing the access to adoptive leave and benefit by male same-sex...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The public health response to the current pandemic is set by the Department of Health, therefore the question is more appropriate for my colleague the Minister for Health. However I appreciate the widespread use of non-transparent face masks have presented additional difficulties for the deaf and hard of hearing community, and other communities, in being able to interact with others in their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Engagement with the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth (16 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the committee for the invitation to attend today’s meeting to discuss the report of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes and certain related matters. The committee provided a comprehensive list of topics for discussion during today’s engagement. I will endeavour to address some of these matters in my opening statement, but we have a lengthy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Engagement with the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth (16 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his comments. I recognised during the discussion on the database legislation that I had not reached out enough to survivor groups prior to that. Following the passage of the legislation I met approximately 50 survivors via phone calls, which is a substantial number, during November and December and I continue to meet them. In the context of the publication of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Engagement with the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth (16 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have attended two meetings with the collaborative forum. The minutes of the two meetings will be recorded and will be provided.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Engagement with the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth (16 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I will do my best to provide as clear an answer as possible. On a point of clarity, the interdepartmental group, IDG, is not related to the right to rectification. That is dealing with restorative recognition, the financial payments. As regards the immediate avenues for the individual who contacted the Deputy, the commission's archive will move over to my Department fully by 28 February,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Engagement with the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth (16 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Yes. Do I have time to answer now?