Results 11,101-11,120 of 11,744 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Resettlement Programme (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am extremely concerned with the plight of the refugees in Moria following the fires there, especially young people who are without parents or family in the camp. I wish to advise you that Ireland supports the ongoing EU efforts to relocate unaccompanied minors from the former camp at Moria. I can confirm that Officials in my Department are presently engaged with the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Budget 2021 (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I welcome the child poverty and social protection measure introduced in Budget 2021 by my Government colleague Minister Humphreys and other Government colleagues. The reduction of child poverty is a key political priority for the Government and this has been reflected in the measures introduced over the last five budgets including Budget 2021. Under the Better Outcomes, Brighter...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Resettlement Programme (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland strongly supports the principle of solidarity and recognises that assistance is required for Member States who face a disproportionate number of applicants and particularly where incidences such as that which occurred in the Moria camp in Lesbos can cause additional hardship. I committed in September to working with Tusla and colleagues across Government to relocating four...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The DCYA-led Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) was launched on 15 April as a unique, sector specific response to the COVID-19 crisis. While the scheme was being developed, preliminary payments were paid in advance to providers to enable them to retain their staff and cover some overhead costs. These preliminary payments were primarily based on pre-covid staffing levels. It...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Asylum Seekers (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Generally, three cohorts of children can be involved with the international protection process, those in the company of their parents or guardian, children who arrive unaccompanied by a guardian (separated children) to ports of entry and unaccompanied child refugees who come to Ireland under specific relocation projects under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). The processing of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Oct 2020)

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 has been published by the HPSC and is available at . The HPSC advice is that additional PPE, over and above normal requirements for ELC and SAC services, is not required to be used by staff while they are caring for children. It is important to note that the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Bereavement Leave (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The schemes operated by my Department are designed to support the objectives of providing for accessible, affordable, quality childcare and to improve outcomes for children. Each individual scheme is subject to a funding agreement setting out the responsibilities of the provider and the Department in providing that scheme. The Department makes every possible effort to be flexible with...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Tests (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: A comprehensive programme of COVID-19 testing by the HSE has recently been completed across accommodation centres housing asylum seekers and refugees in the State. The HSE has reported a positivity rate of 0.53% detected cases among residents and staff. The serial testing programme was an additional public health measure, recommended by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department oversees a case Management process through which local City and County Childcare committees and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and care and school age childcare services experiencing difficulties. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios, fee setting and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Funding for the provision of 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 and Youth Affairs: Health Services (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy may wish to also refer to my colleague the Minister for Health, who has responsibility for overarching national strategies to tackle alcohol use and smoking cessation, including among young people. I will set out for the Deputy what is being done in this respect by youth services. My Department currently allocates targeted youth funding of €38.7 million via the UBU Your...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Responsibilities (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Following the Government announcement of June 27, 2020, a number of functions are to transfer to my Department. This involves transferring responsibility for disability policy from the Department of Justice and for disability services from the Department of Health. A Transfer of Functions Order in relation to disability policy has just recently been made and with effect from 14 October...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have been informed by Pobal they managed exceptionally high volumes of contacts from providers during the months of August and September, and that the volume of contacts, including emails and phone calls, was three times higher than the same period last year. Pobal have implemented a number of measures to enable them to respond to the increased volumes. They have recruited additional...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Magdalen Laundries (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government fully accepts the 6th recommendation of the Quirke Report and is committed to the objective to provide a suitable memorial. Work is ongoing on the provision of a memorial to the women who were resident in the Magdalen laundries. Sites have been identified at High Park, Drumcondra and Seán McDermott Street, both located in Dublin and each former sites of laundries. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is my intention is to publish a White Paper, by the end of this year, which will set out a replacement structure to the Direct Provision system and the steps to achieving it. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to end the current system of Direct Provision within the lifetime of the Government and to replace it with a new international protection accommodation policy,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Persons arriving in Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) are initially accommodated in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROCs). Two dedicated EROCs are currently in operation: - The Abbeyfield Hotel, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon - The Clonea Strand Hotel, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford In addition, there are currently 200 dedicated EROC places within the Mosney...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Legislative Measures (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Under Section 9 of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004, mothers in employment who have given birth within the previous 6 months (26 weeks) and who are breastfeeding are entitled to take one hour paid time off work each day in order to breastfeed. At the choice of the employer, a breastfeeding mother may breastfeed in the workplace or express breast milk, where facilities are...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Funding for the provision of 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 and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The tables below sets out the funding allocated to County Kildare Youth projects, as well as funding to Kildare and Wicklow Education Training Board, for the years in question. Funding to Youth Services in Kildare administered by Kildare & Wicklow ETB 2018 - 2020 Youth Projects/Services in Kildare 2018 2019 2020 TOTAL ...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (20 Oct 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the publication of the material referred to by the Deputy, there have been significant changes to funding for youth services nationally. Since 1 July 2020, and following a reform process, targeted youth funding is provided under the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. This is presented in the table below. Education and Training Board Targeted Youth Funding Scheme ...