Results 381-400 of 1,047,311 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Marian Harkin OR speaker:Gerald Nash OR speaker:Robert Troy OR speaker:Róisín Shortall)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Care Law Reporting Project (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. My Department renews the court reporting project periodically through a competitive tender process. The current iteration of the court reporting project began in November 2021 and will expire on 31 October 2024, over which period funding totalling €600,000 will have been provided to the Child Law Project. My Department is currently prioritising the development of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Care Law Reporting Project (24 Oct 2024)

Paul Murphy: The question that is begged is why there is this delay. This was foreseeable. The period was coming to an end and there was going to be a new tendering process, so why this gap, at the very least, in funding? I will read a selection of headlines from the last volume of reports from the Child Law Project. They include "Court hears of a 'spectacular example of statutory agencies not working...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I take the Deputy's point on getting the therapists who will graduate in years to come where they are most needed. I look at what Tusla did in terms of social workers. Every social worker who graduates from an Irish university gets an offer of employment from Tusla. That is extremely attractive and has been very good in bringing not all social workers, but a significant number to do work...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Rights of People with Disabilities

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: 9. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be formally ratified; what mechanisms will be available to complainants once ratified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43343/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: The Minister has mentioned this a couple of times this morning. I think we are all delighted to hear we are moving ahead with the optional protocol on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Can we get an update on the formal ratification and on the mechanisms that may be available to complainants once it is ratified?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Deputy. She has raised this with me regularly in my time as Minister. I was pleased to announce on 8 October that the Government made the important decision to formally accede to the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, delivering on a key programme for Government commitment. This decision marks a milestone moment for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: People throughout the country will be delighted to hear it hopefully will be in place before the end of 2024. A huge number of people in the past five years have worked and campaigned hard to ensure there is governance and oversight in how we implement the UNCRPD. If I understand what the Minister has outlined, it is a relationship between the UN and the people of Ireland and then the UN...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: We all want a country where people with disabilities and their families do not feel they need to take up the provisions of the optional protocol and feel that Ireland is meeting their full rights under the UNCRPD. We know we are not there yet and have a lot of work to do to get to that place. We have been able to do some important things in the past four and a half years, particularly since...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: It is worth reiterating we would all want to live in an Ireland where nobody needs the optional protocol. Unfortunately, as the Minister said, we are not there yet. I too hope and expect the optional protocol will work as a motivator for the State because of the cost of not doing enough. The stakes are raised. Has the Minister's Department, or other Departments such as finance or public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: I agree with the Minister that we need accountability. Regarding the announcement around the accession to the optional protocol, the lack of clarity around timelines has been quite dubious. I found it deeply strange there was no clarification. The announcement did not say when it would be signed or lodged, just that the Government was choosing to accede. This was announced after the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: There is no further delay. I am not quite sure what the Deputy is talking about. We have agreed as Government to sign the optional protocol and sent the accession documents to New York, which is how it is done. They will be delivered by the Irish representative in the United Nations to the United Nations disability committee and 30 days later the optional protocol will be binding on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: Do we not have a date?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: -----and no lack of clarity on that point. On Deputy Hourigan's point, it will be a motivator. It motivated our Department on the assisted decision-making legislation and is an important motivator behind the mental health legislation passing through the Houses right now. There have been analyses and there are areas where Ireland is vulnerable. Universal design, which the Deputy has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Oct 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I too welcome the publication of the report. The ECCE is an important scheme, which I acknowledge. The report acknowledges the very good points and positives in relation to ECCE. It is important for parents, children and providers because where it is provided it is very well done. Some of the challenges the report highlighted are around availability, accessibility, the hours and weeks and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: An interesting point is that more than 1 million children have done ECCE, about one fifth of our population, as it has been available since 2009. The next steps will be a decision for the next Government. I have strong views. I agree with the Deputy. ECCE is the cornerstone of early learning and care. I would love to see it on a statutory basis so that every child would have a legal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Oct 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister. With that said, it is for the next Government. It is important that this report is passed on and acted upon as quickly as possible because it is an important programme. We need to ensure that where changes can be made to improve it, that happens for the benefit of everybody. That is all I can say because the report has been published, which I welcome.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am interested in a mid-year entry point, which there was originally but was removed. Where a child is born just on the cusp of the next year, it can be frustrating for parents. It is worth considering that day-to-day change in the operation of the scheme. We spoke earlier about early years professionals. Ultimately, it comes down to State investment because if the State is to be more...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Disability Services

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Pauline Tully: 8. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider undertaking a stakeholder review of the Progressing Disability Services model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43542/24]