Results 10,721-10,740 of 11,951 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have had spoken with Minister Donnelly on a number of occasions since the full level five restrictions were put in place on the 30th December on this specific issue. The provision of suitable childcare for the children of frontline healthcare workers, particularly for those with new childcare needs as a result of the closure of schools, is a significant concern for the Government. My...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Expert guidance on the operation of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HPSC last year and is available at . The advice from the national public health experts is that no change is required to the Infection Prevention and Control guidance for settings providing ELC/SAC during the pandemic....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently finalising it's Statement of Strategy, 2021-2023, for publication. The Strategy will detail the current and planned priorities of my Department in that period. The Department continues to have wide responsibility for policy, legislation and services in respect of children and young people. In addition, a number of new functions have transferred to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: A decision was taken by Government on 6 January that the ECCE programme would be postponed until 1 February in order to reduce movement in the population to reduce the spread of Covid. My Department acknowledges that it would be very difficult for providers and practitioners to make up the four weeks they will be closed, and does not expect them to...

Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The publication of the report into the mother and baby homes marks another moment of truth for our State and for our people. Its publication is an occasion to acknowledge the profound wrong visited upon the Irish women and their children who were placed in these institutions and too often left with only grief as a companion. It is an occasion to acknowledge, as the Government, the role the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The area of disability services is a priority area for this Government. The HSE provides a range of assisted living services, including Personal Assistant (PA) services to support individuals to live independent lives. Significant resources have been invested by the health sector in disability services, and the Government has ensured that an additional €100 million is being provided...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Refugee Resettlement Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established in 2015 to deliver upon Government commitments to bring to Ireland refugees located in Lebanon and Jordan who had been forced to flee their homes due to the war in Syria. The Deputy will note that persons granted permission to travel to Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Humanitarian Admission Programme (IHAP) make...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Human Rights (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to end the practice of conversion therapy and work is due to commence on the necessary preliminary measures shortly. The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 commits to ensuring that the practice of conversion therapy in Ireland is investigated and followed up with appropriate counter measures. In support of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Maternity Leave (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Maternity Protection Acts provide for up to 26 weeks paid maternity leave, and a further 16 weeks unpaid leave. Where a child is born prematurely, additional weeks may be available. There have been a number of developments in terms of leave for working parents in recent years, notably, in 2019, the extension of parental leave up to 26 weeks for a child under 12 years and the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 604 and 629 together. Officials of my Department are currently reviewing the Workplace Relations Commission's consideration of the pay rates of the managers of the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs). The CCCs are one of the key support mechanisms of my Department, and I want to acknowledge the important role they play in providing vital...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department issued detailed guidance to all early learning and care and school age childcare services on Friday 8 January regarding the provision of services for children of essential workers and for vulnerable children during Level 5 Restrictions until 1 February 2021. All early learning and care and school age childcare services, with the exception of services which provide the ECCE...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Data (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ensuring that women can fully participate in the workplace is central to developing a gender equal society. Addressing barriers to this forms part of Government policy on gender equality and requires a range of policy solutions. We know that the burden of childcare in working families falls predominantly on women, and can be a barrier to their full participation in the workforce. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Essential workers who work from home can avail of childcare services under the current level 5 restrictions. There was previously an ambiguity in information from the two separate sources provided but this has now been rectified. As per the updated information on gov.ie "childcare services are open for vulnerable children and children of essential workers. Essential workers who are eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: Funding for the provision of targeted youth services is administered on behalf of my Department by the Education and Training Boards, which allocate funding via applications to the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. This scheme is aimed at young people between the ages of 10 and 24 who are, or are at risk of becoming, disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable. Targeted annual youth funding of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: National Childcare Scheme (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Childcare Scheme provides financial support to help parents to meet the cost of childcare and to support better outcomes for children. The schemes objectives are to promote (i) a reduction in child poverty, (ii) positive child development outcomes, (iii) labour market activation and (iv) improved quality. The NCS is designed to be highly inclusive and to meet the needs of those...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Community Childcare Subvention Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department does not have information on the number of children attending school aged childcare as childcare providers are not required to provide data on the number of children who attend early learning and care or school aged childcare on a private fee paying basis. My Department does have data on the number of children attending services based on age who are receiving subsidies...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: National Childcare Scheme (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 611 to 613, inclusive, together. Sponsorship arrangements within the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and under the legacy schemes play an important role in making additional supports available for families with complex and challenging needs that Early Learning and Care can help to address. My Department has undertaken a series of measures to raise awareness...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) was expediently launched on 15 April 2020 as a unique sector specific response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. This scheme was in addition to the Revenue led Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS)  made available to other sectors. The TWSCS supported approximately 3,855 or 85% of early learning and childcare services and ensured...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I recognise the importance of ensuring former residents’ mental health is prioritised and supported. In preparing for the publication of the final report of the Commission on Mother and Baby Homes, I have highlighted the counselling supports available to those who may feel they need additional support. The National Counselling Service is a specialist service with 20 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 616 to 618, inclusive, together. Responsibility for the recording of the number of people who test positive for COVID-19 lies with the Department of Health. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) does not confirm positive test results of any person. With regard to medical information such as who should be tested and when and the release of...