Results 1,061-1,080 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: While I try to be helpful at all times in the parliamentary process, the Deputy will be aware that I cannot be involved in individual cases and cannot comment on same. The legislation underpinning the Payment Scheme - the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023 - specifically provides for the explicit independence of the Chief Deciding Officer in administering the application...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is progressing works for the accommodation centre, for people applying for International Protection, at Thornton Hall. Works began at the site on 14 August 2024 and the Department hopes to begin accommodating an initial 40 people on site this month. Phase 2 will accommodate approximately 440 people. The Department hopes...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Currently, there are over 32,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole. Details by county of the numbers of people applying for International Protection who are being accommodated by the Department, is provided on a weekly basis on the gov.ie website. You'll find this information in its most up to date form at this link:...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Priorities (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The ongoing review of the Equality Acts is examining the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality. In July 2021, my Department undertook a public consultation process as part of this review. A report summarising the key issues raised in the public consultation was published last year and can be accessed here:...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.1 billion in 2024 – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. The majority of Core Funding is distributed based on a service's capacity - the opening hours, opening weeks and the age group of children for whom services are provided as well as number of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Welfare Payments (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As of 2 September 2024, the minimum rate for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) has increased from €1.40 to €2.14. The increase was introduced as part of Budget 2024 measures and means that parents will receive a higher subsidy rate towards their childcare fees. With this new rate, the maximum level of hourly support according to age for the lowest level of income is detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Reviews (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The forthcoming review of the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme will encompass all 16 ETBs and will consider, inter alia, how to address the situation of ETBs in receipt of lower annual funding allocations, including Laois and Offaly ETB. A total of over €800,000 is being allocated to Laois Offaly ETB this year to support the provision of youth services in the area with over...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is available to all children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible. The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months was chosen based on national experience and a review...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The goal of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare. AIM encompasses a range of both universal and targeted supports for early learning and care settings. Universal supports are designed to create a more inclusive...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 19 September 2023, plans to develop an Action Plan for Administrative and Regulatory Simplification for the Early Learning and Childcare Sector were announced, supported by a Working Group comprising representatives from the Department, Pobal and the City / County Childcare Committees. This initiative is being informed by an Advisory Group comprising providers, educator/practitioner and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to extending regulation and supports to all paid, non-relative childminders who work in their own homes. The National Action Plan sets out a phased approach to regulation with a preparatory phase followed by an extended transition period, to allow childminders lead-in time for any requirements. This supportive, phased process aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Fees list for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 programme years are available to view by parents on the NCS website under the Childcare Search function (www.ncs.gov.ie/en/childcare-search/). Historical fees lists for each service will be added to this website in the coming weeks to give parents the ability to check previous years fees where there is a concern. In the meantime, parents can contact...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Magic Roundabout, registered as Beautiful Minds Crèche & Montessori Ltd. received €177,579.70 in year 1 of Core Funding and, as of June 2024, the service had a contract value of €188,820.82 for year 2 of the scheme. Services coming into contract for year 3 of the scheme will benefit from further increases in Core Funding owing to the 15% increase in the total...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I wish to remind the Deputy that there is no need to obtain legal support or advice to submit an application to the Payment Scheme. The application process is designed to be very straightforward and there is no requirement on the applicant to provide proof of harm or institutional records. The Payment Scheme Office will undertake records searches based on the information provided on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1558 and 1559 together. I wish to inform the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the FRC Programme, which supports 121 FRCs throughout the country. My Department allocates core funding for the FRC Programme through Tusla, which has advised my Department that the current level of funding is to sustain existing services operating in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1560 to 1562, inclusive, together. Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government. My Department has in place a range of supports and funding schemes to support the delivery of early learning and childcare places but services are independently owned and operated, either by community not-for-profit or by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My department provides support for the development of new play and recreation facilities for children and young people through the annual Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. Established in 2013, this grant scheme operates through and with Local Authorities. The scheme also funds the refurbishment of existing play and recreation facilities and the incorporation of natural play...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Budget 2025 is currently being considered by Government in the context of the annual estimates process. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage. I am aware, of course, of the pre-budget submission in question and the request for additional funding for the youth sector. However, from 2020 to Budget 2024, current Exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ombudsman for Children (23 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Implementation Plan for the Domestic Sexual and Gender Based Violent Strategy originally made provision for an oversight role for the Ombudsman for Children. However, the Ombudsman for Children asked for the removal of this action from the Plan as his Office did not achieve dedicated funding it sought to carry out this role.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (23 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco...