Results 161-180 of 10,153 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ensuring high-quality early learning and childcare is affordable and accessible is a policy priority. While there is clear evidence of a significant increase capacity in recent years, I am aware that the supply of early learning and childcare remains an issue, particularly for children aged 1-3. This is in a context of increased demand owing to the success of recent steps I have taken to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Ensuring high-quality early learning and childcare is affordable and accessible is a policy priority. While there is clear evidence of a significant increase capacity in recent years, I am aware that the supply of early learning and childcare remains an issue, particularly for children aged 1-3. This is in a context of increased demand owing to the success of recent steps I have taken to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 132 together. As the Deputy is aware, statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla is responsible for the assessment and child safeguarding response for children referred to them under the provisions of Children First and the Children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Work Supports (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Youth workers and volunteers are central to the delivery of youth services to young people. The relationships which young people develop with their youth workers or volunteer leaders can be transformative to a young person's life. I have committed to developing a workforce development plan for the youth sector, to support the recruitment and retention of staff and volunteers in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The State has a legal obligation to assess the claims of those who seek International Protection (IP), and in that time, to provide accommodation and supports in line with the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (transposed under SI 230 of 2018, or the "Reception Conditions Regulations"), to those that require it. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am aware of the publication of an inspection report following the inspection of Knockalisheen International Protection Accommodation Centres carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) earlier this year. The purpose of these inspections is to ensure that Centres are fulfilling their obligations under the ‘National Standards for accommodation offered to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (30 Apr 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. To date, over 106,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and approximately 84,000 of those have been...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and the Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP) Programmes were replaced by the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). The NCS replaced these schemes with a single coherent and integrated scheme designed to be flexible, recognising that early learning and childcare needs are different for each family and to provide a greater level of access to subsidies...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Tourist Accommodation (30 Apr 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. To date, over 106,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and approximately 84,000 of those have been...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Programme (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The General Scheme and Heads of Bill to amend the Child Care Act 1991 were approved by Government and published in April 2023. They immediately underwent pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS) which resulted in a report with over 90 recommendations published in June of last year, each of which has been subject to consideration by my Department. Since January 2024 the Bill is on the priority...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (30 Apr 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, approximately 106,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 lays out the obligations of both public bodies and private individuals in terms of retaining and maintaining relevant records as defined under the Act. Relevant records are defined as relating to a relevant person, and contain birth information, early life information, care information or medical information relating to him or her, or a photograph or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.1 billion in 2024 – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. The introduction of Core Funding in September 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €210.8m of brand new funding for the sector in its first year of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Missing Children in care is an issue which covers both mainstream services for children in the care of Tusla and also SSCIP /separated children. However, the issue of children in care going missing long term is an issue that relates predominantly to SCSIP. This is a European-wide phenomenon in respect of separated children and unaccompanied minors. I share the wider public concern about...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) was established under the Health Act 2007. HIQA was established to drive high-quality and safe care for people using health and social care services in Ireland. The functions of HIQA are set out in the 2007 Act, as amended. HIQA is independent in the performance of its functions, including in relation to the development of standards...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Abuse (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As you may be aware, an Independent review was commissioned by St John Ambulance Ireland (SJAI) in March 2021 following on from historic allegations of abuse by a former volunteer of that organisation. The board of SJAI appointed Dr. Geoffrey Shannon to conduct that review. The Independent review report was published by the board of SJAI on March 16th 2023. Officials in my Department had...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Children in the care of the State are some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and my Department are committed to promoting safe and high quality practice in all areas of Alternative Care. The Child Care Act, 1991, as amended, provides the statutory foundation for the promotion of welfare and protection of all children. Building on that,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Tusla maintains a Child Sexual Exploitation Procedure in partnership with An Garda Síochána. The joint working protocol between Tusla and AGS forms a critical part of the response to child abuse, neglect, and child sexual exploitation. A Principal Social Worker from Tusla has been seconded to the Garda National Protective Service Bureau (GNPSB) for a number of years. Tusla has...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Recommendation 5.3.6 in the Protecting Against Predators scoping study recommends further research into the prevalence of sexual exploitation of children and young people in Ireland. The study recommends a number of different approaches to research that could be carried out in future. I note that this recommendation is aimed at investigating the prevalence of sexual exploitation among...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (30 Apr 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.