Results 41-60 of 10,153 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Modular proof of concept sites Columb Barracks, in Mullingar, County Westmeath, was selected by Government in 2023 as 1 of 5 ‘proof of concept sites’ in order to examine the potential of rapid build ‘pod’ style accommodation. My Department has been working as part of the Accommodation Working Group under the auspices of the Department of the Taoiseach to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Advertising (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The total costs incurred by my Department from 2019 to COB on 30th April 2024 are below in tabular form, broken down by name of publication or media group. Publication Total Spend Mediaforce Group 126,888 Irish Times 167,724 Irish Independent 144,603 Irish Examiner ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (14 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 541 and 542 together. The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. My Department monitors Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) capacity on an ongoing basis, with a particular focus on responding to the unmet ELC needs of families. My Department funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), which provide...

Challenges Facing the Childcare and Nursing Home Sectors: Motion [Private Members] (9 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I welcome this motion as an opportunity to debate the important issue of early learning and childcare and I will focus on that element. I acknowledge my colleague has focused on the issue of nursing homes and elder care previously. It is clear from this debate so far that we all recognise the importance of early learning and childcare for children and their families, and for our wider...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of a service in Donegal with issues due to their building being condemned due to the presence of defective concrete blocks. My Department works closely with Pobal and local City/County Childcare Committees to offer case management support to services in difficulty. Through this process, services may also access sustainability funding following an assessment of need. One strand of...

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

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to the introduction of regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting, to respect the unique way in which childminders work. It also commits to providing supports to childminders to help them meet regulatory requirements. The main route through which parents are subsidised for their early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (9 May 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. To date, over 106,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and over...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The research evidence is clear that the quality of early learning and care services is key to ensuring good outcomes for children, and also that the professionals who work with children are the key to the quality of those services. Supporting the further professionalisation of the early learning and care workforce is therefore key to improving outcomes for children and families. It is also...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (9 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ireland continues to experience a sustained and unprecedented increase in people seeking International Protection (IP). There are currently over 29,000 people accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole (of whom approximately 7,000 are children) compared with approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. In keeping with its legal...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (9 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the Deputy will appreciate, I have no direct role in the operational handling of the records retained by the Child and Family Agency Tusla. I have however referred the Deputy's question to Tusla for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Maternity Leave (9 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with six months of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave. All forms of family leave are kept under review to ensure that they are effective in supporting families and children. In October I announced plans to introduce legislation to allow women...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (9 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to the introduction of regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting, to respect the unique way in which childminders work. It also commits to providing supports to childminders to help them meet regulatory requirements. The main route through which parents are subsidised for their early...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (9 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Department is currently engaging with the provider in relation to the potential renewal of the contract to which the Deputy refers.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (9 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Reply: Year Firm Description Value Timeframe 2020 Indecon Economic Consultants Economic Consultants Review of ELC and SAC €186,100 < 1 year 2023 Indecon Provision of economic consultancy services to support the new model of accommodation and supports...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (8 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum (ELCSF) is the main consultation mechanism between the ELC Division of my Department and the stakeholders in the ELC sector. The high level objectives of the ELCSF are to support evidence based decision making and policy making, informed by the sector; to give stakeholders the opportunity to develop, and deliver on, a shared vision with...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (8 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: In setting regulatory requirements, the primary consideration must be children’s health, safety and well-being. The adult-to-child ratios for Early Learning and Care (ELC) services are set out in Schedule 6 of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 with School age childcare (SAC) services' adult-to-child ratios are set out in Regulation 9 of the Child Care...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (8 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 475 together. The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with six months of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave. All forms of family leave are kept under review to ensure that they are effective in supporting families and children. In October I announced...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Regulations (8 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to the introduction of regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting, to respect the unique way in which childminders work. It also commits to providing supports to childminders to help them meet regulatory requirements. The draft childminding regulations were developed through an inclusive...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (8 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Due to a number of well-documented factors, the Department of Integration has not been in a position to offer IPAS accommodation to every International Protection Applicant since 04 December 2023. As at 28 March 2024, 1,529 adult males were awaiting an offer of accommodation. IPAS releases statistics in relation to IP Applicants not offered accommodation. These figures are updated on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Staff (8 May 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I can advise the Deputy that no employees of my Department are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations. My officials have asked the bodies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to you on this matter in relation to staff of their own organisations.