Results 11,741-11,760 of 11,947 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The allocation for Subhead B.3: ECCE and AIM Pre-School Programmes in 2020 is €338.576m, as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2020. This Subhead comprises three distinct expenditure lines in respect of: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme, beneficiary elements of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), and the ECCE Programme Support Payments (PSP). The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The recently announced €75 million funding package to support childcare services reopening from June 29 contains four significant elements: - A once-off reopening support payment for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September. - A once-off COVID-19 capital grant for DCYA-funded providers opening between 29 June and early September. - Continued access for eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: In line with the requirements of the Child Care Act 1991 (as amended by Part 12 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013), those wishing to operate an early years service (whether an early learning and care service or a school-age childcare service) are required to register with Tusla, which is the statutory regulator of early years services. Each year a number of early years services also...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Officials in my Department have been monitoring closely developments in relation to early learning and care (ELC) and school age childcare (SAC) sectoral capacity, including the supply of, and demand for, places as COVID-19 restrictions ease. Supporting services as they reopen, and ensuring that capacity is sufficient to meet demand, is a key priority of my Department. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: After-School Support Services (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As School Age Childcare providers are private operators, my Department is not in a position to know, at this point in time, how many School Age Childcare places will be available in September. My Department has carried out research into the intentions of parents and early learning and care (ELC) and school age childcare (SAC) providers to estimate the likely supply and demand for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (28 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal programme available to all children within the eligible age range. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school. Children are eligible to enrol in this Programme once they are 2 years and 8 months of age in the September of a given programme year and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Pobal Application (23 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has referred this case to Pobal, the Scheme Administrator. They have confirmed that supplementary documentation was required from applicant and this was received by Pobal on Thursday 16thJuly and their application is currently being processed. Pobal have confirmed that an agent will contact this applicant directly to update them on their case and request any further information...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (22 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has received no communication from the crèche mentioned. In terms of funding, a key policy priority for my Department is the sustainability of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) sector and hence it has, and continues to, work intensively to support services to re-open after COVID-19. On 10 June 2020, my predecessor Minister Zappone announced a...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Protection (22 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy notes, HIQA recently published a report of an inspection into the operation of Tusla's Child Protection Notification System (CPNS) in the Cork area. The report highlights several areas for improvement. There were delays in arranging case conferences for children whose cases needed to be considered for inclusion on the CPNS. Social work managers needed to confirm that children...

Early Years Childcare: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “acknowledges the challenges faced by the early learning and care sector, and welcomes the commitment in the Programme for Government to reform the childcare system to create one that: —brings together the best of community and private childcare provision,...

Early Years Childcare: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have been told that the Business Committee has said speeches cannot be circulated any more for Covid reasons. That is what I was told by my own officials.

Early Years Childcare: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I assure Deputies that we will get it circulated by email afterwards. I apologise for that.

Early Years Childcare: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I would also like to pay tribute to parents and children. When the childcare providers and schools closed their doors in March, many parents were juggling working full-time while caring for their children at home. For children, growing up during the pandemic has meant missing school and friends. This has been a profoundly difficult time for everybody but both parents and children have...

Early Years Childcare: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The most recent package provides for the measures to which I have just referred as well as a reopening grant to assist with the extra staffing costs and the purchase of cleaning and hygiene products. As we turn to the next phase of reopening from September onwards, I will be working with my Government colleagues on measures to continue to support the childcare sector in the period from 24...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Advisers (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: On the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil are currently awaiting Government approval. It should be notedthat the appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms set...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am acutely aware of the difficulties that many early learning and care services report in recruiting and retaining qualified staff, and the high rate of staff turnover in the sector. In Pobal’s latest Early Years Sector Profile Report 2018/2019, the staff turnover rate stood at 23% which, despite a 2% improvement on the previous year, is unsustainably high. I believe that the key...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Officials in my Department have been monitoring closely developments in relation to early learning and care (ELC) and school age childcare (SAC) sectoral capacity, including the supply of, and demand for, places as COVID-19 restrictions ease. Supporting services as they reopen, and ensuring that capacity is sufficient to meet demand, is a key priority of my Department. The Annual Early Years...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Domestic Violence Services (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides funding and coordination supports to some 60 organisations that deliver a range of services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence throughout the country. With regard to statistics relating to the use of Tusla-funded emergency domestic violence accommodation, Tusla has advised that data is collected retrospectively. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Contracts (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department did not award any contract to this company or its subsidiaries during the timeframe specified. A contract may be defined as a legally signed agreement for the purchase of goods or services over a period of time. Once off purchases are not included. A response has already been furnished to the Deputy from the Adoption Authority of Ireland. I have referred the question to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 547 and 554 together. On 10 June 2020, my Department announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services over the summer months. A further package is being examined to cover the period from 24 August onwards. This substantial investment recognises the important role that the...