Results 141-160 of 10,153 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

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.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Youth Services (9 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Ceann Comhairle and Deputy Buckley for their kind words. I look forward to working closely with all Members of the House in my new role. I assure the Deputy of my commitment to young people and the youth sector which provides them with such critical support. I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am pleased to note that funding to the youth sector has been...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Youth Services (9 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I also like to think of myself as a fairly straight talker. I have come to the House with information my officials have just gathered. I would love to be in a position to say definitively that we will keep this service open but I cannot do that. To do so would be unfair to the Deputy and, more importantly, to the people who are using the services. The Deputy was a member of Cork County...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department operates a number of funding programmes, for which all Tusla registered childcare services are eligible to apply, including those that are community based or hold a charitable status. These programmes are summarised below: Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free pre-school programme available to all children...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Years Sector (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 853 and 868 together. Baby Boxes for newborns are to be piloted under First 5 A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028. Piloting Baby Boxes is just one initiative which is part of a wide ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five including supports for parents to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Meetings (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department provides funding to Scouting Ireland on a national basis under the Youth Services Grant Scheme. In 2020 Scouting Ireland was provided with a grant of €1,135,930. My Department cannot deal directly with individual scout groups, or indeed with local groups from any of the national youth organisations, as this would be unmanageable from an administrative and governance...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Schools Data (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: As this is an operational matter I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: State Pension (Contributory) (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Pension contributions are governed by the employer and employee relationship and contractual arrangements. Similarly, where employment ceases any associated impact on pension rights may be communicated with regard to this framework. The determination of what constitutes employment for the purposes of calculating contributions for the State pension(s) is a matter for the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Functions (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: The responsibility for youth affairs remains with my Department. While I am aware of some concerns, I can assure the Deputy that, despite 'Youth Affairs' not appearing in the title of the 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Early learning and care services who were reopening after the Covid closure were not obliged to notify my Department on the day that they reopened. Information on service reopening is being compiled by way of local surveys being carried out by the County Childcare Committees through returns made to Pobal, who administer funded schemes on behalf of my Department. Pobal have indicated...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 10 June 2020, a major funding package was announced to facilitate the reopening of Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services. Included in this reopening package are: - 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Functions (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: Detailed discussions between officials at my Department and at the Department of Justice are ongoing with regard to the transfer of functions between both Departments. Functions relating to Equality, Disability, Domestic Violence and Direct Provision are transferring to my Department under the Programme for Government. These are very significant policy and operational areas and I want to...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: On 10 June 2020, I announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare services. Included in this reopening package are: - 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Ministerial Responsibilities (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department will shortly arrange for publication of the brief, as compiled by the Department of Children Youth Affairs, that was provided to me on my appointment. It is my understanding that the Department of Health will publish any briefing that has been provided to the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 863 and 864 together. On 10 June 2020, my predecessor announced a major funding package to facilitate the reopening of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services. In accordance with the Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, and guided by the expert advice of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC), ELC...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Jul 2020)

Roderic O'Gorman: My Department recently announced a €75 million package of funding for reopening services over the summer months. This substantial investment recognises the important role that the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) sector plays in the societal and economic infrastructure of the country. The new funding package contains a number of significant elements...