Results 11,841-11,860 of 11,960 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Abuse (7 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (7 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early learning and care and school age childcare services are all private enterprises with 25% of them operating on a not for profit basis. The majority of services are contracted with my Department to provide schemes which subsidise the cost of the service to eligible parents, or in the case of the universal pre-school programme, ECCE, to provide these 15 hours per week at no cost to the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Costs (7 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department does not provide early learning and care services. Childcare services are provided by private enterprises, either privately owned or operated by community organisations. Services are contracted by my Department to provide services at a subsidised rate to parents. Providers are free to set their own policies regarding the charging of fees.The current contracts between the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (7 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department has, since 2015, administered an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services providers are invited to apply for capital funding to increase capacity and to maintain and improve their services. The 2020 Capital programme was launched on 26 February with a budget of €7.2million. However, it was...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Responsibilities (7 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I want to assure the Deputy that, despite 'Youth Affairs' not appearing in the title of the new Department, it very much remains central to the remit of my Department. Funding to the Youth sector has been protected through the current period of financial challenge and I will strive to ensure that the profile of young people and their needs remains high throughout my time in office. I...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services (7 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to report that funding to the youth sector has been protected through the recent period of extraordinary challenge. I want to assure the Deputy of my commitment to young people and the youth sector that provides such crucial support to them. I am particularly keen to ensure that the needs of vulnerable, marginalised and disadvantaged young people are taken into account,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Responsibilities (7 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department will shortly arrange for publication of the brief provided to me upon my appointment.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Safety (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Where an organisation or individual have reasonable grounds for concern that a child may have been, is being, or is at risk of being abused or neglected it is their duty to contact Tusla’s local child protection  social work department. If a referrer is unsure if they have reasonable grounds for concern they can contact Tusla staff who will offer guidance and support to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The public health guidance which was published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre on 29 May is based on two key principles: - That services should take steps to ensure individuals with symptoms do not enter the - service, and - That services should take steps to reduce the chance of spread of the virus in case an - infectious person, without symptoms, enters the building. With these...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 748 and 753 together. The guidance issued by my Department to providers of early learning and care and school-age childcare is based on the advice that the Health Protection and Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has published specifically for childcare settings. The HPSC advice is that additional PPE, over and above normal requirements for childcare services, is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Community Childcare Subvention Programme (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department, in conjunction with Pobal, the agency which administers the childcare funding schemes operated by my Department, has established a simplified registration system for children who are returning to childcare on or after 29 June, and who are availing of the Department funded CCSP scheme.  Childcare service providers have been asked to contact parents to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I fully appreciate that the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) sector faces significant challenges in reopening, and I acknowledge that this is not a normal return to business. In recognition of this, a number of supports have been put in place to assist the sector in reopening. I recently announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of ELC and SAC...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 751, 760 and 762 together. The Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business allows for the phased reopening of both Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare services from 29 June. On Friday 5 June, my Department published a range of online resources and guidance to support service providers, practitioners and parents to prepare for the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: First 5, the Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028 commits to piloting a meals programme in Early Learning and Care (ELC) settings. In 2019, as part of Budget 2020, funding was secured to pilot this initiative. The meals programme will be trialled in a sample of approximately 45 community, not-for-profit ELC settings. The focus of the pilot is...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department, in conjunction with Pobal, the agency which administers the childcare funding schemes operated by my Department, has established a simplified registration system for children who are returning to childcare on or after 29 June, and who are availing of the Department funded CCSP scheme.  My Department considered the option suggested by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 755 and 756 together. The information which my predecessor provided to the House on both 20 May and 03 June in response to parliamentary questions on the expected delivery of the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters by 26 June was correct and accurate. Notably, the receipt of an update...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can confirm that the Childminding Development Grant will continue to be available in 2020. The Childminding Development Grant scheme will be open for applications from 6July 2020 until 14 August 2020. The Childminding Development Grant has not been replaced by the Childminding Re-opening Grant. In light of the announcement on 25 June by the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Wage Subsidy Scheme (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 758 and 759 together. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented situation that has required a series of emergency responses from the Government. I am acutely aware of the particular impact the pandemic and the emergency measures have had on childcare providers. I am also very conscious of the importance of the childcare sector,...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business allows for the phased reopening of both Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services from 29 June.  My Department continues to invest significant resources in the childcare sector generally. Over the last five Budgets investment in childcare has increased by 141%, which reflects the emphasis being placed on...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (30 Jun 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Guided by public health advice from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services can resume from 29 June. On 10 June 2020, a €75m funding package was announced to facilitate the reopening of ELC and SAC services over the summer months. This substantial investment recognises the important role that the ELC and...