Results 181-200 of 10,153 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Intercountry Adoptions (21 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 548 and 549 together. As both questions relate to the processes and requirements of the Adoption Authority of Ireland, I have referred them to that body for direct reply to the Deputy.

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Expert guidance on the safe reopening of childcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on Friday, 29 May. The HPSC guidance sets out the steps to be taken by childcare services where a child is suspected of having symptoms of Covid-19 while in the service i.e. the child should be isolated from other children, their...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of childcare facilities from 29 June, which includes two Covid-19 funding programmes for services which are reopening, the Reopening Support Payment, and the Covid-19 Re-opening capital grant, in addition to the resumption of DCYA funding programmes and a continuation of the TWSS. Figures are set out below for the...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Under the Programme for Government, there is a commitment to establish a dedicated agency, Childcare Ireland. The Government envisages that Childcare Ireland will assist in expanding high quality childcare, best practice and innovation in community and private childcare settings. In 'First Five, the Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families', published in...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Expert guidance on the safe reopening of childcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was published by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on Friday, 29 May. The HPSC guidance clearly states that parents should be advised not to bring their child to the service if they are displaying any of the symptoms of Covid-19 (including high temperature, cough, shortness of breath,...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: Services which intend to close must notify the childcare regulator, Tusla. The most recent available data shows that 68 services notified their closure to Tusla year to date, while 17 new services have notified their intent to open a new service. Between January and July 2019, 92 services had indicated their intention to close, so this year’s figures reflect fewer closures than had...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: A key policy priority for my Department is the sustainability of the ELC and SAC sector and it has and continues to work intensively to support services to reopen after COVID-19. 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. In accordance with the...

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...