Results 1-20 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Employment Rights (15 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Family leave entitlements have increased significantly over the past years. Most recently, Parent's Leave has been extended to 9 weeks per parent of any child under two, in line with the requirements of the EU Work Life Balance Directive. The Directive provides for a minimum entitlement of 14 weeks maternity benefit, 10 days of paternity leave, and two months of non-transferable...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (15 May 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department has seven bodies under its aegis, of which one was established within the last 10 years. The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam was established by my Department in March 2023. This independent Office was established to oversee the excavation, recovery, identification and reburial, in a respectful and appropriate way, of the remains of the children at the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Abuse (15 May 2025)

Norma Foley: This is a matter for my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Education.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 May 2025)

Norma Foley: There has been very significant progress achieved in relation to affordability through a number of funding schemes over recent years. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which provides two years of pre-school without charge, enjoys participation rates of 96%. Over 70% of families on low income report that they would not be able to send their child to pre-school without...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme was launched on 4th November 2024. The closing date for applications was 30th January. A total of 78 applications were received, a mix of applications for purchases by community services, new service construction projects by community services and extension projects by both community and private services. These applications come from a variety of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme was launched on 4th November 2024. The closing date for applications was 30th January. A total of 78 applications were received, a mix of applications for purchases by community services, new service construction projects by community services and extension projects by both community and private services. These applications come from a variety of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (15 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme was launched on 4th November 2024. The closing date for applications was 30th January. A total of 78 applications were received, a mix of applications for purchases by community services, new service construction projects by community services and extension projects by both community and private services. These applications come from a variety of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (15 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Funding provided by my Department for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) services is the same for both Irish-medium and English-medium services, whether inside or outside Gaeltacht areas. In line with commitments in the 5-year Action Plan for Irish language, my Department recruited an Irish Language Support Coordinator in 2022 to drive the development of a National...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Missing Children (14 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116 000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. In Ireland, the 116 000 Missing Children Hotline (MCH) number is operated by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC). The MCH is not an emergency number but is available to provide emotional support and advice to young people and adults in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (14 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I fully recognise that despite the great progress that we have made on many social issues, individuals in Ireland can still often face barriers on the basis of their social and economic backgrounds. In November 2024, a General Scheme and Heads of Bill arising from a review of the Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015, (the Equality Acts), was approved by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (14 May 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department procures ICT equipment from the equipment list and suppliers listed in the relevant framework established by the Office of Government Procurement, which puts in place central arrangements for a range of goods and services available to public sector bodies to maximise cost efficiencies and value for money. Additional equipment is procured via the Office of the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (14 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is managing the application process relating to the expansion of the Family Resource Centre Programme. In this context I have asked Tusla to revert to me on the issues raised by the Deputy. I will be in further contact with the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (14 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Tusla has indicated that it is facing significant and ongoing challenges in sourcing appropriate placements for children in the care of the State. When residential care and foster care are unavailable, a Special Emergency Arrangement (SEA) is used to ensure an immediate place of safety. Where children are placed in an SEA, regular reviews are required and a child may only be placed in an SEA...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (14 May 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: Children in Care (14 May 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: Childcare Services (14 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The introduction of Core Funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259m of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8m was entirely new funding. Since the Scheme was introduced, its effectiveness has been subject to ongoing review and the scheme itself has evolved year on year. Core funding increased by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (14 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Tusla has advised that following the recent engagement of this company for services in September 2024, Tusla has taken additional steps to strengthen the controls in place to ensure that the company is not used. All Tusla areas are aware of this direction and the Tusla Midwest local area has not engaged the services of this company. A private family law matter is before the Circuit Court,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Data (8 May 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible. A child must not reach 5 years and 6 months on or before June...

Childcare: Motion (7 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "welcomes the significant prioritisation by the Government of measures designed to: — reduce out of pocket costs of early learning and childcare for families; — better align the supply of State-subsidised early learning and childcare with demand; and — increase...