Results 1,281-1,300 of 11,893 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1558 and 1559 together. I wish to inform the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the FRC Programme, which supports 121 FRCs throughout the country. My Department allocates core funding for the FRC Programme through Tusla, which has advised my Department that the current level of funding is to sustain existing services operating in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1560 to 1562, inclusive, together. Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government. My Department has in place a range of supports and funding schemes to support the delivery of early learning and childcare places but services are independently owned and operated, either by community not-for-profit or by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My department provides support for the development of new play and recreation facilities for children and young people through the annual Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. Established in 2013, this grant scheme operates through and with Local Authorities. The scheme also funds the refurbishment of existing play and recreation facilities and the incorporation of natural play...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (9 Sep 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Budget 2025 is currently being considered by Government in the context of the annual estimates process. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage. I am aware, of course, of the pre-budget submission in question and the request for additional funding for the youth sector. However, from 2020 to Budget 2024, current Exchequer...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Implementation Plan for the Domestic Sexual and Gender Based Violent Strategy originally made provision for an oversight role for the Ombudsman for Children. However, the Ombudsman for Children asked for the removal of this action from the Plan as his Office did not achieve dedicated funding it sought to carry out this role.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department is currently providing accommodation to over 31,000 people, of whom 5,323 had been granted permission to remain in Ireland as of the end of 10 July 2024 and, as such, are no longer in the International Protection process. At the same time, there is currently an ongoing shortfall of accommodation for newly arrived people applying for international protection. Where a person...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am advised that, at this time, my Department is not considering the property to which the Deputy refers for use as accommodation for International Protection applicants or Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection fleeing the war in Ukraine. An offer was received earlier this year for the use of this location for accommodating Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine earlier this...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: 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 supports them to make longer term independent arrangements if they decide to remain in Ireland. My...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department is currently providing accommodation to over 31,000 people, of whom 5,323 had been granted permission to remain in Ireland as of the end of 10 July 2024 and, as such, were no longer in the International Protection process. At the same time, there is currently an ongoing shortfall of accommodation for newly arrived people applying for international protection. This shortfall is...

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

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

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1739 and 1740 together. Contractual arrangements between the Department and external providers are considered commercially sensitive. In order to preserve the the Department's negotiating position, the costs paid to providers are not published, as making this data available to other accommodation providers would not serve the public interest. The Public Sector...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: A Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection applicants was approved by Government on 27 March 2024. The strategy seeks to address the current accommodation shortfall, while reforming the system over the longer term to ensure the State can meet its international commitments. Accommodation in the new strategy is being delivered through the following multi-strand...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (23 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In September 2022, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. Together for Better brings together Core Funding, the Early Childhood and Education (ECCE) programme, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS), and the newly announced Equal Start. Core Funding is a grant to early learning and childcare providers towards...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: In Cycle 1 of the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme, over 260 projects were funded by my Department on the recommendation of the ETBs. A reserve panel of 18 projects was established to be funded subject to additional resources being made available to my Department. 8 of these projects were funded in 2022. The panel was set to expire in 2023 but was extended to the end of 2024 in response to a...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am committed to supporting the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for young people throughout the country. In 2024, the Government is investing €78 million in this sector, which represents a 26% increase in the current budget since 2020. A total of over €800,000 is being allocated to Laois Offaly ETB this year to support the provision of youth...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1747 and 1748 together. As of 14 July, there are more than 31,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole (of whom 8,112 are children) compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. The Department of Integration has increased IPAS capacity by more than 400% since 2020, from just...

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

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

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

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