Results 121-140 of 19,414 for speaker:Norma Foley

Seanad: Childcare: Statements (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I welcome the opportunity to discuss in the Seanad today the issue of early learning and childcare. The Government recognises the importance of early learning and childcare services to society and to the economy. Most importantly, we recognise the importance of the service to the thousands of children and families they serve every day. This is very clear in the programme for Government....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. A response will be provided directly to you in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240, 243, 244, 247 and 248 together. As you're aware, Ireland has opted in to the EU Asylum and Migration Pact, which will introduce a more comprehensive, streamlined, and efficient approach to asylum and migration both in Ireland and across the EU.While your questions may relate to how the Pact will have effect in relation to international protection...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Immigration Policy (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together. I thank the Deputy for his questions. A cross-departmental Programme Board is overseeing the national implementation plan for the EU Asylum and Migration Pact. This group will be working through the many elements of the national implementation plan and the State’s approach to meeting the requirements set out in the Migration...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Immigration Policy (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245, 246, 249 and 250 together. There has been significant pressure on the State to source suitable international protection accommodation for people entitled to it under EU and Irish law. This is particularly the case since 2022, when a sharp increase in applications in Ireland commenced. While there has been a backdrop of local concern in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Under EU and Irish law, all applicants for international protection are entitled to be offered accommodation and reception conditions by the State for the duration of their application. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is currently providing accommodation to 33,006 International Protection (IP) applicants, and over 9,000 of these are children with their families....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: An Garda Síochána (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government marks a significant shift in the policy direction in relation to public delivery of early learning and childcare. There is a commitment for the first time to public provision and to capital investment to build or purchase State-owned facilities. These commitments accompany other ambitious actions to significantly reduce out-of-pocket fees paid by parents, as...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. An annual sector profile demonstrates an 8% increase in enrolments between 2021/22 and 2022/23. Core Funding application data shows that between Year 1 and Year 2 of the scheme, annual place hours increased by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Meetings (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I have not held a MinMAC meeting since assuming my role in January this year. I have however met separately with the Secretary General and heads of divisions to discuss Departmental priorities.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government. Demand for early learning and childcare beyond sessional pre-school provision is highly elastic and shaped very substantially by families' individual composition, circumstances, and preferences; employment patterns and income; and the price and availability of services. Last year,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Fee management was introduced with the substantial investment of Core Funding following the recommendations of the Expert Group, approved by Government, to first limit increases in fee rates. The Fee Increase Assessment process and the introduction of a fee cap are the first steps to further advance this system of fee management in line with the recommendations outlined in Partnership for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: An Expert Group was convened in 2019 to review the funding model for early learning and childcare and make recommendations for a new funding model. The Expert Group engaged in a widespread programme of stakeholder consultation as part of this two year project, engaging with parents, providers, the workforce, and other stakeholders. In December 2021, Government adopted all 25...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department funds a broad range of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) schemes, including the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, National Childcare Scheme (NCS), Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), Equal Start, and Core Funding. A range of supports are also provided to improve the quality of ELC and SAC services, through the Better Start National...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Public Inquiries (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I wish to acknowledge the trauma associated with sexual abuse in childhood which continues into adulthood, affecting many aspects of a victim-survivor's life and the impact it has had on those victim-survivors. I am clear that all the recommendations in Dr. Geoffrey Shannon’s report should be complied with as soon as practicable by St. John Ambulance Ireland. My Department has been...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (2 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Core Funding, which was introduced in 2022, operates alongside all other early learning and childcare programmes and constitutes additional income to services on top of these programmes, and parental fees. Early learning and childcare organisations interacting with my Department's funding programmes must register with the Early Years Hive. To do this they must complete a once-off...

Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle: Motion (1 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The writer Samuel Johnson has observed that "once the forms of civility are violated", kindness and decency are challenged. In our schools, we have a policy of cineáltas - kindness or civility. I am thankful that there were very few students in the Public Gallery last week to witness what happened in this Chamber, a Chamber at the heart of our democracy. Last Tuesday, civility was...

Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle: Motion (1 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: One of the best developments in Gaelic football has been the introduction of "hand back the ball", the rule that says when the referee blows the whistle for a foul, you hand back the ball. It is a mark of dignity and respect, and it has reduced unnecessary schemozzles, flare-ups and everything else. Colleagues, now is the time to hand back the ball to the Ceann Comhairle. Respect her...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (1 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 624 and 690 together. The proposal to reduce the payment has been brought forward following consultation with, and agreement by, the relevant Ministers, including the Ministers for Social Protection and Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, as required by the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, as well as the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (1 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: There are currently 42 Syrian refugees in Jordan awaiting resettlement to Ireland from a group of over 250 people selected in 2021. The resettlement of Syrian refugees from Lebanon, the beneficiaries of a subsequent selection mission in 2022, was prioritised last year due to the volatile security situation there. There is ongoing monitoring of the situation in Lebanon and Jordan as well...