Results 10,481-10,500 of 11,948 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Supply of, and demand for, early learning and care and school-age childcare places is currently monitored annually through the Early Years Sector Profile report. This survey is conducted by Pobal on behalf of the Department. Data from the 2018/2019 programme year, indicates that existing childcare provision, in general, meets current needs nationwide in terms of capacity whilst...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children First Guidelines (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Children First Act 2015, which was fully commenced in December 2017, provides for a number of key child protection measures, including raising awareness of child abuse and neglect, providing for reporting and management of child protection concerns and improving child protection arrangements in organisations providing services to children. The Act operates side-by-side with the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: An independent evaluation of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) commenced in December 2020 and will be undertaken during 2021. The evaluation is being carried out by a consortium led by the University of Derby. The Evaluation will involve a range of methods to gather data. As part of the Evaluation, surveys of both parents and service providers will be undertaken. In addition, both...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: In line with emerging best practice to support the integration and independence of children with a disability, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) does not fund Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). Rather, Level 7 of AIM provides financial support to the pre-school provider, which is used either to reduce the adult-to-child ratio in the pre-school room or to buy in additional assistance to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was launched in 2016 to enable the inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. An evaluation of AIM began in December 2020. The evaluation is expected to: - Provide a detailed understanding of AIM, having regard to the vision, current approach, governance, coverage and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A number of significant projects are currently being undertaken in my Department with the aim of improving pay and conditions for staff in the early learning and care sector and to improve affordability of childcare for parents. With regard to the issue of pay and conditions for the workforce, my Department is currently working with SIPTU and IBEC to consider proposals for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A range of State supports are available to early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services during the period 1 February to 5 March, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), continuation of DCEDIY funding schemes (ECCE, AIM, NCS, and legacy schemes), and a Sustainability Fund. Services may also charge fees to parents whose children are attending, which at this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Tusla ABC Programme within Prevention Partnership and Family Support, is an area based Prevention and Early Intervention initiative which is delivered in 12 areas of significant socio-economic disadvantage across the country. Strategic discussions continue to take place across the Tusla ABC programme with key stakeholders to explore what potential aspects of the ABC model could be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to ending the Direct Provision system and replacing it with a new International Protection accommodation policy, centred on a not-for-profit approach. The Government has also committed to the development of a White Paper which will set out how this new system will be structured and the steps to achieving it. As part of the consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (11 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The issues raised in the attached correspondence are being given consideration by my Department. I am already on the record of this House in responding to many of the matters raised in the context of the Government response to the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. With regard to the specific concerns relating to the records of the independent...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Anti-Racism Measures (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I assumed responsibility for policy on anti-racism when the functions transferred to me from the Minister for Justice last October. The Anti-Racism Committee, chaired by Professor Caroline Fennell, is working on identifying the nature and prevalence of racism in Ireland and on the actions required by State and non-State actors to address racism. Its remit includes identifying ways in which...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 531, 543, 547, 548, 565, 570 to 572, inclusive, 574 and 575 together. I thank the Deputies for raising the important concerns of survivors in relation to the audio recordings made by the Commission's Confidential Committee. This specific module was created alongside the inquisitorial process to facilitate those with lived experiences of these institutions to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The provision of health services to international protection applicants is mainstreamed in Ireland. Accordingly the administration of MMR and Hepatatis B vaccinations in the State is a matter for the HSE and the Department of Health as advised by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee. My Department has no role in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to ending the Direct Provision system and replacing it with a new International Protection accommodation policy, centred on a not-for-profit approach. The Government has also committed to the development of a White Paper which will set out how this new system will be structured and the steps to achieving it. My Department is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Costs (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Government decided on 6 January that, in order to reduce movement in the population, the ECCE programme would not resume until 1 February. It has now been agreed that the programme will remain suspended during extended restrictions up to 5 March. Other Early Learning and Childcare and School-Age Childcare services (ELC/SAC services) can remain open on a restricted basis, to offer services to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Costs (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Government decided on 6 January that, in order to reduce movement in the population, the ECCE programme would not resume until 1 February. It has now been agreed that the programme will remain suspended during extended restrictions up to 5 March. Other Early Learning and Childcare and School-Age Childcare services (ELC/SAC services) can remain open on a restricted basis, to offer services to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Garda Vetting (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Garda vetting in Ireland is governed by the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016, which falls under the remit of the Minister for Justice. The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 provide a legislative basis for the mandatory vetting of persons who wish to undertake certain work or activities relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 537 and 569 together. I am aware of the incident in the accommodation centre as referred to by the Deputies which I understand has now ended. The IPAS worked closely with the accommodation centre staff, relevant state agencies and other service providers with regard to the resident’s needs and situation for the duration of the incident. Such...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Workers Register (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Workers Recruitment (10 Feb 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.