Results 1,461-1,480 of 11,893 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The award winning Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) has supported more than 28,000 children with a disability to access and meaningfully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme since it was first introduced in September 2016. In Budget 2024, I was very pleased to secure an allocation of €57.497m for AIM, including an additional €14m. €7m...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Capital funding has been allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare. Under the Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, which operated in 2023, €9 million was allocated in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 were awarded under two strands,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) process on the 30 April 2024 for the sourcing of suitable properties as International Protection Accommodation. The EOI seeks to identify properties for acquisition/lease under the following criteria: 150+ beds; Bedrooms in line with National Standards; existing properties/buildings in turnkey condition; existing properties that...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department releases weekly and monthly statistics that are available publicly on the gov.ie at the links below: gov.ie - IPAS Statistics (www.gov.ie) www.gov.ie/en/publication/07027-ipas-statistics/ There are currently 31,000 international protection applicants residing in IPAS accommodation. 5,595 people with status were in IPAS accommodation at the end of May 2024.Further...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The implementation of the new EU Migration Pact will result in broadly similar obligations in the area of accommodation provision. The introduction of reforms in other areas of the Pact, such as the proposed border procedure, may result in shorter processing times with a consequent reduction in the duration of accommodation provision. My Department is working with colleagues in the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There are currently over 31,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole (of whom over 7,876 are children) compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. End Month Total in IPAS Accommodation Jan-23 19,635 Feb-23 19,936 Mar-23 ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (4 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department is not in a position to comment on individual cases. Under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, those who have had their application determined are no longer entitled to Material Reception conditions. However, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) continues to accommodate those with status, until such time that they progress...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: With effect from 14 March 2024, anyone fleeing the war in Ukraine who registers for temporary protection and is looking for State-provided accommodation in Ireland, is accommodated for a maximum of 90 days in a Designated Accommodation Centre (DAC). At Day 90, if a Beneficiary of Temporary Protection (BOTP) has not found alternative accommodation or left the country, they will be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Residential Institutions (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme recognises time spent in a Mother and Baby Institution and, in this way, the associated harsh conditions endured over a period of time. The requirement for children to have spent at least 180 days in a relevant institution is not intended to disregard or diminish any person’s experience and Government recognises that there are people who...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165, 166 and 182 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 amounts to some €24 million in 2024. Tusla has advised my Department that the current level of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I firmly believe the level of pay for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners should reflect the value of their work for children, families, society and the economy. The State is not the employer and therefore does not set the pay or conditions for employees in either early learning and care (ELC) or school-age childcare (SAC) services. However, there is now, through...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Significant progress has been made in advancing plans for a dedicated state agency for early learning childcare and school age childcare. It is envisaged that this agency will undertake the functions carried out by Pobal Early Years (including Better Start), the 30 City/County Childcare Committees, as well as operational functions currently undertaken by my Department. A Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Capital funding has been allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare. In 2024 and 2025, my Department is delivering capital investment through the Building Blocks Capacity Grant. The primary focus of the Building Blocks Capacity Grant Schemes is to increase...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (3 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: Residential Institutions (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will provide financial payments to an estimated 34,000 people, some 19,000 of whom will also benefit from an enhanced medical card or health support payment. These benefits are in recognition of experiences while resident in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The overall cost of the Payment Scheme is estimated at €800 million....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland has a legal obligation to provide accommodation and associated supports to people who arrive in this country seeking international protection under S.I. No. 230/2018 - European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018. While an international protection applicant’s application is being processed, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Thank you Deputy for raising this important matter. I have made contact with the Child and Family Agency, and Tusla has confirmed that it has appointed a Data Protection Officer who acts independently in their role. In the interests of clarity the role referred to in the Deputy's question is not the precise job title of Tusla's DPO. The DPO's other duties relate to the support functions...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is an operational matter for Tusla. I have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: This is an operational matter for Tusla. I have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (2 Jul 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The purpose of this Bill is to ensure that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has the appropriate enforcement powers to address serious non-compliance with regulations for early years services and that parents have access to information on the quality of those services. The intention is not to increase enforcement action, but to make it more effective, address some of the limitations of the...