Results 141-160 of 19,414 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 626 and 627 together. There are approximately 33,000 people living in IPAS accommodation at this time, in about 320 accommodation centres located all over the country. While residing in centres, residents are subject to 'House rules and procedures', intended to ensure the safety of all residents. Centre managers are responsible for ensuring compliance...

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

Norma Foley: This is a matter for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Social Protection.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (1 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I am very conscious of the hurt felt by survivors and family members of people who died in Bessborough. One of the most tragic aspects of what happened is the uncertainty regarding the burial place of many children who were resident there. The investigation of burial arrangements in Mother and Baby institutions, including Bessborough, was an important part of the work of the Commission of...

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

Norma Foley: As this relates to information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been forwarded to the Agency for direct reply to the Deputy.

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

Norma Foley: My department provides for the upgrading and maintenance of playground facilities for children and young people through the annual Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. Established in 2013, this grant scheme operates through and with Local Authorities. The scheme also funds the development of new playgrounds and recreation facilities and the incorporation of natural play elements....

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

Norma Foley: Thank for your question, Deputy. Ireland currently provides accommodation to over 33,000 people applying for international protection and has also welcomed over 114,000 people from Ukraine since 2022. Our accommodation systems have been forced to expand at a rapid pace over the last two years in response to a sharp increase in need among both groups. The over 114,000 people who arrived...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (1 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme recognises time spent in a Mother and Baby Institution and its non-adversarial approach ensures that those who spent longer periods of time in these institutions, and endured the harshest conditions, receive the highest level of support. It is acknowledged that some survivors are not eligible for the Scheme and are disappointed by this. It...

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

Norma Foley: Core Funding is a supply side funding scheme, with the majority of the funding distributed to services via the base rate. This is based on a service's staffed capacity, that is, the number of staff, the operating hours, opening weeks and the age group of children for whom services are provided, as well as the number of places available. The scheme also pays graduate premiums for services with...

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

Norma Foley: ECCE is a free two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. ECCE is a play based learning programme. The programme runs from September to June each year, aligned with the primary school calendar. ECCE is not mandatory, but is very successful, with an estimated 96% of children in the eligible age rang attending. The estimated number of eligible...

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

Norma Foley: My Department is responsible for the development of a range of Equality Strategies including the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II 2024-2028 was approved by the previous Government in October 2024. My officials are working to finalise the first two-year Action Plan (2025-2026), which will accompany the...

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

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs). I have recently made an order to extend the scheme for a further year to March 2026 to mirror the extension of the Temporary Protection Directive. This extension provides certainty to...

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

Norma Foley: 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 to the sector. Core funding increased by 11% to reach €287 million for the second year of the scheme (September 2023 to August 2024) and by a...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 655, 656, 657, 659, 660, 663 and 664 together. 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 (1 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. Planning regulations, whatever their purpose, are the responsibility of the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage. For background information that may be of use to the Deputy, my Department's International Protection and Integration Division is responsible for sourcing and providing accommodation for people applying for International...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 662 together. Since 2024, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) has not published details of the specific locations of our accommodation centres. This is due to both safety and security concerns, and to protect the privacy of international protection applicants in line with my and my officials' duties under the International...

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

Norma Foley: There are 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs) located nationwide, which are funded by my Department. The core operational funding allocation for City/County Childcare Committees for 2022, 2023 and 2024 is set out in the table below. In addition to core operational funding, CCCs were provided with funding to support the delivery of a number of specific programmes and initiatives on a...

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

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. Ireland currently provides accommodation to approximately 33,000 people applying for international protection and has also welcomed over 114,000 people from Ukraine since 2022. Our accommodation systems for both groups have been forced to expand at a rapid pace over the last two years in response to a sharp increase in need among both groups. As such, the...

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

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. Ireland currently provides accommodation to approximately 33,000 people applying for international protection and has also welcomed over 114,000 people from Ukraine since 2022. Our accommodation systems have been forced to expand at a rapid pace over the last two years in response to a sharp increase in need among both groups. The over 114,000...

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

Norma Foley: As this relates to information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been forwarded to the Agency for direct reply to the Deputy.

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

Norma Foley: I regret that as my Department has responsibility for accommodation and reception conditions for people who have applied international protection applicants and beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTP) fleeing the war in Ukraine, we do not have details to assist or make a statement in relation to this case. This question may be more appropriately addressed to my colleague, the...