Results 10,981-11,000 of 11,960 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: National LGBTI+ Strategy (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 524 and 525 together. The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 was launched in November 2019. It is a comprehensive framework for action on LGBTI+ equality and contains 108 actions that are directly aligned to concrete outcomes intended to transform the lives of LGBTI+ people across Ireland. The implementation of the Strategy is overseen by a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early learning and care providers providing the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme are required to provide 38 weeks of ECCE over 44 calendar weeks. The 2020/21 ECCE programme year began on 24 August 2020 and will finish 44 weeks later on 25 June 2021. ECCE service providers can choose which 38 weeks out of the 44 week period to provide services, which enables them to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 529 together. I am aware of the issues which occurred at St. Patrick's accommodation centre, Co. Monaghan. I understand that these were addressed in September. Accommodation centres are subject to regular unannounced inspections by both my officials in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) and an independent inspectorate...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Asylum Seekers (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the incident referred to by the Deputy. The person concerned had been accommodated at the National Reception Centre in Balseskin which is the initial phase of reception where medical screening and an orientation process is provided over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. If a person wishes to remain in accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Service, he or...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: All deaths and serious incidents that occur within accommodation centres provided by my Department are referred to An Garda Síochána as a matter of course, who in turn refer all deaths to the relevant Coroner’s office. As is the case with all such matters, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is not privy to information pertaining to individual...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Strategy Statements (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is in the process of developing a new Statement of Strategy to cover the three year period 2021-2023. I will revert to the Deputy as the content of the Strategy is developed, taking account, inter alia, of my Department's expanded range of functions on foot of the Programme for Government.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has not recorded a significant drop off in the number of early learning and care providers or in the number of children attending these services. The number of early learning and care services which are currently registered with Tulsa, the independent regulator, to provide services is 4, 209, which compares with 4, 317 in March 2020, before early learning and care...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The table below shows a list of all consultancy firms, accountancy firms, legal firms, project management firms and IT firms that were engaged by my Department to carry out work in the years 2018 to date with a synopsis of their work and costs paid. This does not include engagements for non consultancy work including report writing and research projects. There were no disputes over costs...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department does not have a formal policy regarding donations to centres. It is a decision for the management of each centre to make, subject to the facilities available to receive and store such donations and the IPAS 'Living with COVID Plan'. In alignment with the 'National Living with Covid Response' plan, the IPAS Covid...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: School Attendance (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 which emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has been working in collaboration with my Department and the Department of Education (DoE) to support the return to school since September. As part of this process, TESS has gathered information in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Home Schooling (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this is an operational matter I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will be aware, the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Act 2020 provides that the Commission will be dissolved on 28 February 2021. The records of the Commission will be transferred to my Department by that date; including a copy of a relevant database which will also be supplied to Tusla in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters delivered its Final Report to me on 30th October. I had signalled previously that there would be a short time interval between receipt of the report and the separate arrangements for its publication. I am continuing to work with Government colleagues to expedite matters so that the report can be published...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Programme (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Addressing the factors behind the gender pay gap is a key commitment in the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020. It is a multi-faceted task involving a number of Government Departments and agencies. Tackling this issue is good for equality and it also makes good business sense, as firms that can report a low or non-existent gender pay gap will have an advantage in recruiting...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency (1 Dec 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The commissioning of family support services is an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. It is the practice of my Department to request that Tusla respond directly to the Deputy on such operational matters. As the details supplied by the Deputy contain the personal data of a third party, this Department is unable to share this information with Tusla without the...

Topical Issue Debate: Direct Provision System (26 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter - I know she raised it a number of days ago as well - and for giving me the opportunity to come back and speak directly to the House on the matter. I am happy to do so. I am aware of social media reports circulating on this matter, and some Deputies, including Deputy Niamh Smyth, have contacted me directly about these reports. To set the...

Topical Issue Debate: Direct Provision System (26 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is important to say that all residents of direct provision centres are entitled to use the primary healthcare system and attend their local GPs. My Department makes provision for that. I do not wish to stray into the specific circumstances of the treatment of one individual - that would not be appropriate - but my Department and my office have been in contact, through IPAS, with the...

Topical Issue Debate: Direct Provision System (26 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Yes, inspections have continued during Covid.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Education Schemes (26 Nov 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy may be aware, Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) is responsible for addressing issues in relation to participation, retention and attendance in schools. The Education Welfare Act, 2000 sets out to provide for the entitlement of every child in the state to a certain minimum education and this Act led to the establishment of the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) and the...