Results 21-40 of 19,414 for speaker:Norma Foley

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge many early learning and childcare services report recruitment and retention challenges. In general, these challenges are not caused by insufficient supply of qualified staff, but by high levels of turnover. The most recent annual early years sector profile survey shows staff turnover is at 24.5%. It is estimated that one third of staff leaving services...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The key issue that has been identified across the sector with retention of staff is the financial rewards they get to do the work they do. These are professionals who deserve to be paid at the rate they should be paid. It is for that reason there is a ring-fenced €45 million being made available. I accept the independence of the joint labour committee but I am saying €45...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: To be fair, the Deputy has put it very eloquently and succinctly. Access to childcare and early learning opportunities is hugely important, and the Government recognises that. As regards our commitment, the present building blocks extension scheme money is required to be spent in this calendar year, and the Department does not currently have any further funding available for additional...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Just to be clear, over the ten-year period that was part of the Deputy's question, there have been 221 admissions to care, as he has said and I have confirmed, out of a total of 11,183, where sexual abuse has been reported. These were admissions to care, and out of a total of 11,183 such admissions, there were 221 admissions to care where sexual abuse was reported. Regarding the figure,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Specifically on the question the Deputy raised about Grace and the commission of investigation, the commission, which was into certain matters relating to disability services in the south east and other related matters and is known as the Farrelly commission, is an entirely independent statutory commission of investigation empowered to investigate matters of significant public concern. It...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The building blocks extension grant scheme is designed to increase the number of full day places for one- to three-year-olds, pre-ECCE age range, in existing core funding partner services. A total of €25 million has been made available and it is anticipated to deliver a significant increase in places for this age cohort. The building blocks extension grant scheme is offering the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I assure the Deputy that childcare and early learning is an absolute priority of this Government. The building blocks extension grant scheme is an important part of that. I appreciate that €25 million is €25 million, but the 78 applications were just the applications. There was no impediment in saying "We will take only X number". That was what we received. It is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I agree that we should look at the widest offering already available within communities. We also have work to do regarding new housing developments where provision should be made for childcare facilities. That is being asked for but it is not always provided. In some areas, it works really well but, to be honest, it does not work well in other areas. A significant body of work needs to be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The access and inclusion model, AIM, has supported more than 24,000 children with additional needs to access and meaningfully participate in the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme since 2020. In September 2024, AIM was expanded beyond time spent in the ECCE programme for ECCE-aged children. These children can now access AIM supports for up to an additional three hours per...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: For sure, I will. It is a great model. Any additional supports that can be made available to children in any educational setting should be made available. As I previously said in respect of AIM supports, there is flexibility in the model. That is important. It can provide targeted supports and universal supports. Targeted measures are very much based on the individual needs of children....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: As I said previously, we all know that the earlier a child can get additional support, the better the outcome. We know that from our present education settings. When we talk about early learning and support, the earlier we can provide supports, the better. That is the specific reason we are looking at going beyond the ECCE model and including children who have not yet reached that point....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, Tusla responds to all reports of sexual abuse promptly to ensure children are safeguarded. A child abuse notification is reported to An Garda Síochána in line with the joint working protocol between An Garda Síochána and Tusla. An Garda Síochána will deal with any criminal aspects of cases alleging abuse under the relevant criminal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I confirm there is a significant increase through core funding. It is going to €350 million for the 2025-26 year, which is a hugely significantly amount of resource provided by the State. As I said previously, 92% of providers are participating in the core funding model. In its entirety, if we look at the last three years and going into this following year, almost €1 billion...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: It is important that there is now a forward planning unit in the Department to ensure we are looking towards the future to see where there are significant gaps in the need for the service and the lack of the service being provided. The Government has given the commitment in the programme for Government that where this gap might be in play, and where no providers are taking the opportunity to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Investment in early learning and childcare is now at an unprecedented level, with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025 clearly demonstrating the Government’s commitment in this area. As well as addressing affordability, this investment has served to improve accessibility, availability and the quality of provision. The new programme for Government provides...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Deputy is 100% correct. Accessibility is hugely important. If we do not have sufficient places available to parents then it is a huge burden. We are currently looking at seeking the information on where there is a need for the service and where the service is not available locally. The Government is currently looking at ways the State can step in at that point to provide those...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I agree with the Deputy; I believe there is unanimity here regarding the €45 million and how it should be spent in full. If the joint labour committee is unable to agree on a new employment regulation order for the start of the 2025-26 year, the ring-fenced €45 million will not be made available at the start of the year either. That is the purpose of it. I am hopeful and it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. This issue is of particular interest to him and he has raised it many times. As I have said previously, the introduction of core funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding. Since the scheme...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: As I have said previously, there has been almost €1 billion of investment by the State into this whole sector. It is unprecedented; it has never been done before. It has had a significant impact, both in terms of supporting providers, but also reducing costs for parents. We are now seeing more services opening than closing, which is a significant feature and consequence of core...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I cannot and will not underestimate how important it is that we get this right. However, I am also conscious that it is an evolving and live situation. Things change and move with time. From every step of the way of the introduction of core funding, there have been learnings, notwithstanding the fact that there is a significant evaluation of the first year of core funding, and how this...