Results 1,121-1,140 of 11,687 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Pay Transparency Directive (officially known as Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms) came into force in June 2023. Member States have three years from that date to...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy may be aware, Budget 2024 outlined that from January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance increased to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per week for those over 12. The foster care allowance will be further increased in November 2024, up to €400 per week for children aged under 12 and €425 per week for those over 12. I am also...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: As this relates to data collated by Tusla, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (23 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is required under the Child and Family Agency Act (2013) to support and promote the welfare and protection of children; to support and encourage the effective functioning of families; and to provide services relating to the psychological welfare of children and their families (excluding the provision of specialist mental health services for children). As...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department is currently engaging with the provider to which the Deputy refers in relation to their contract renewal. While the offer of additional accommodation is appreciated, it should be noted that my Department is not presently contracting additional accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) from new or existing providers. Since the outbreak of the conflict in...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1791 and 1802 together. At the end of last year I announced plans to introduce legislation to allow women undergoing treatment for cancer or other serious illnesses postpone their maternity leave. A General Scheme and Heads of Bill related to this has now been prepared, and I plan to bring this to Cabinet for approval shortly. I commend the work done by the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Education and Training Boards (23 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My officials have begun work on a review of the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme, which will inform policy on how best to distribute funding to support young people who are disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable. Officials from my Department are currently carrying out initial scoping in respect of the review of the UBU Your Place Your Space Scheme. The timeline on the commencement of the...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Government has established a number of supports to assist communities who have accommodated International Protection Applicants (IP) or Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP), some of which are outlined below. Local Authority Integration Teams and Community Integration Forums The primary role of the Local Authority Integration Teams (LAIT) is to provide ongoing integration support to...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The information is not available in the manner requested by the Deputy, due to ongoing investigations. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy. This...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Equal Start is a major new model of Government-funded supports to ensure children experiencing disadvantage can access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare. Equal Start was launched in May and the first phase of implementation will commence from this September. Equal Start will include a suite of universal supports, child-targeted supports and setting-targeted supports...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised by my officials that compliance issues had been identified in the property where the family to which the Deputy refers is accommodated. These have now been resolved and the relocation of this family is no longer required. While I cannot go into detail on specific compliance cases, compliance issues include but are not limited to: The health, safety and wellbeing of...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Galway County Council has applied for and been awarded funding each year since 2020, under the annual Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. The projects and amount of funding provided, by year, is tabulated below. Galway County Council - Play and Recreation Capital Grants -Funding provided since 2020 Year Amount Project 2020 €0 Proposed projects (Loughrea...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (23 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (23 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have contacted the Payment Scheme Office in relation to this matter. I understand that a technical issue resulted in some emails, including the one in question, being marked as actioned and therefore not receiving a response. The Payment Scheme Office are looking into the matter further to ensure that this does not happen again and have apologised for this incident. The email address in...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: In May 2024, the Government agreed that Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in state-provided serviced accommodation should receive the same level of payment regardless of when they arrived. The Minister for Social Protection and I, and our respective officials are liaising on the operational arrangements to give effect to this change, with a lead-in time to allow details to be finalised...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Capital funding has been set aside for early learning and childcare capital projects over the period 2024 - 2026 under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare. Between 2024-2026, my Department is delivering capital investment through the Building Blocks Capacity Grant Scheme. The scheme will operate over two strands,...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1824 and 1825 together. The estimated total cost to implement a 12% increase in funding for Youth Organisations and Services, B06 in my Department's budget, would be €9,353,760, as outlined in the following table. B06 Funding (Current) for Youth Organisations and Services (Part funded by the National Lottery) Grant Scheme Funding provided under B06...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (23 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) cannot comment on individual cases. However, I can confirm that the details supplied have been shared with the IPAS Resident Welfare Team. IPAS is always available to deal with any complaints from residents and residents are encouraged to engage with IPAS if they are unhappy with any aspect of their accommodation. Where a complaint is...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: According to my Department’s records, a reply to the correspondence cited by the Deputy issued on June 12th this year. My officials have begun work on a review of the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme, which will inform policy on how best to allocate funding to support young people who are disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable. In respect of the queries regarding the UBU Your Place...