Results 281-300 of 1,062,167 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Michael McNamara OR speaker:Niamh Smyth OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Catherine Connolly)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (2 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: How soon will this application be available so communities will be able to apply? Who will be entitled to make an application? Where will it come from? Will it be local authorities or local community groups? Who will be qualified to apply for inclusion in the new programme to expand the network? If a family resource centre is in trouble financially during the year and has to cut back...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: On the latter point, what I always say is that if a family resource centre is in difficulty, the staff should talk to their local Tusla point of contact. Tusla sees the family resource centres as very much the front line of its public engagement and we want to support them. There is no specific hardship fund but Tusla will usually work to find a solution for family resource centre, if...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

International Protection

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 10. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if, rather than moving the Ukrainian families from a location (details supplied), he will engage with the owners who would like to continue to accommodate these families and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39174/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I contacted the Minister some time ago about this case. On 7 October, 29 residents, including ten children, six family groups and two additional married couples, all of whom are Ukrainians fleeing the war and are living in a former commercial building in the Blackrock-Stillorgan area, will have to leave. They have been there since Christmas 2022. The children are at school, many, if not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy for his engagement with me on this issue. Other Deputies and Ministers in the constituency have been on to me as well. My Department made a decision to end its contract for accommodation of Ukrainians in this particular property in accordance with contractual terms. My officials have been in direct contact with this provider and have advised that the provider is free to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: There is a deadline looming and what we are doing about it is not clear to the community people supporting the residents and the residents because it is next Monday. It is very instructive to look at who these residents are in terms of the employment in which they are engaged. One is a pharmacist assistant, one is a lab worker in UCD, one is a construction worker, one is a carpenter, one is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I advise each of those families to contact the Ukrainian unit in my Department and indicate that they wish to stay in this location and will look to have a private arrangement with the provider and we will note that. Nobody will be forcibly moved if that is the approach they wish to take. If they wish to take up the offer of alternative accommodation with my Department, they can still do...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That sounds positive and I will relay back what the Minister is saying but why bring problems upon or put extra pressure on himself or discommode these people and the local community when it is not necessary? Hopefully, that solution will work. I know that in terms of contacting the Department of Social Protection about rent supplement, that has not been fully processed. Perhaps the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: We are not looking to impose a looming deadline if these families are looking to make a private arrangement in this location. I hope I have addressed this location but we can step back. We contracted a significant volume of accommodation around the country to meet the emergency needs of Ukrainians. Approximately 67,000 Ukrainians lived in State-owned accommodation at one stage. This has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: This is not for tourism.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Absolutely. I am trying to get the balance right between the lived experience referred to by the Deputy-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Michael Ring: Time is up. Other Members are present to take their questions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

International Protection

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: 11. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the State-owned reception and integration centres due to accommodate up to 13,000 international protection applicants; when the centres will be operational, the steps he is taking to ensure that all persons seeking international protection have their basic needs met and are offered accommodation on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: My question is very specific. I am asking for an update on the status of the State-owned reception and integration centres due to accommodate people coming to our country. I ask this question a quarter of a century after direct provision was introduced as a temporary measure. A quarter of a century later, we have had a White Paper and the Day report but we still have no State-owned...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Over the past six months, my Department has been focused on progressing the new accommodation strategy I announced in March 2024 with the prioritisation of particular elements of its multistrand approach. Extensive engagement has taken place to identify and negotiate the use of State-owned sites, initially for emergency and tented accommodation and then for longer term solutions. To...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Alan Farrell: I am delighted to see the level of funding being allocated by the Department. I commend the Minister, his officials and the Government on the level of attention paid to this crucial area. The national childcare scheme has been a game changer for hundreds of thousands of people, which is tremendous, but there are some constraints, particularly in large urban settings where childcare places...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Living in primarily urban constituencies, the Deputy and I have to recognise capacity challenges are everywhere. Deputies Kerrane and Sherlock have highlighted them. All over the country there are capacity challenges. Part of it is that, because we have made it more affordable, more parents are taking it up with both parents going to work and they want their kids to enjoy the benefit of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (2 Oct 2024)

Alan Farrell: The Minister's colleague in Dublin West, Senator Currie, has brought this up and brought it to the Minister's attention before. I am delighted to hear the Minister has been so proactive as to get together with local authorities across the State. It is crucial. On the publicly funded model of early years education, I wonder whether the capital scheme would involve the Department...