Results 241-260 of 19,404 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment Scheme, which is currently in place until 31 March 2025, is an important instrument of public policy that has supported my Department in meeting the accommodation needs of those fleeing the war. It has also diverted thousands of beneficiaries away from State-contracted accommodation. Section 4(2) of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP), which is provided for under Part 2 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, is paid in recognition of the generosity of those who host. It is not intended to substitute rent. The legislation is silent in terms of additional contributions requested by the host provided this does not constitute a rental agreement. However, a host may...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment was introduced to recognise the generosity of private individuals who have provided accommodation on a humanitarian basis to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) from Ukraine. The monthly payment rate under this scheme is €800 per property with a unique Eircode, irrespective of whether the property is vacant or shared with the host. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: I can confirm for the Deputy that I was briefed by officials in the usual course on arrival in this Department and the Accommodation Recognition Payment was flagged as a priority. I have also been briefed in person and in writing when considering the scheme’s future. As required under the governing legislation, I have consulted with the Minister for Social Protection and the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department has not sought or received reports or analysis on impacts that the accommodation recognition payment may be having on the private rental sector. However, before considering extending the scheme, my Department consulted its key pledge stakeholders; the Irish Red Cross, the International Organisation for Migration and the Local Government Management Agency, via survey and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (20 Mar 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 Staff (20 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: There have been no secondments from consulting firms to my Department since 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (20 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: A response will be provided directly to you in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child and Family Agency (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: As this is an operational matter, I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: I can inform the Deputy that where a member of An Garda Síochána has reasonable grounds for believing that there is an immediate and serious risk to the health or welfare of a child that may not await the making of an application to the court for an emergency care order by the Child and Family Agency, the member may under section 12 of the Act, remove the child to a place of safety...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: Investment in early learning and childcare is now at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025, clearly demonstrating Government commitment to this area. As well as addressing affordability this investment has served to improve accessibility, availability and the quality of provision. The ECCE programme, which provides two years of pre-school without...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: My priority for childminding is the continued delivery of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028. The publication of the National Action Plan followed an extensive process of public consultation and research. Recommendations for extending regulation to childminders were made in the 2013 report of the Expert Advisory Group on the Early Years Strategy ('Right from the Start') and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: As this relates to data 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 (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: As this relates to data 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 (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: As this relates to data 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 (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and my Department share a common aim to meet the needs of all children in care in mainstream alternative care placements. When a shortfall in capacity means that residential care, foster care and a regulated emergency placements are unavailable, the Agency has put in place Special Emergency Arrangements (SEA). SEAs are used to ensure an immediate place of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: Tusla has a duty, under Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991 to make a decision whether each person leaving care has a need for assistance, and to provide services in accordance with the legislation and subject to available resources. Upon reaching the age of 18, a young person is deemed to have left State care. Young people who have had a care history with Tusla are entitled to an aftercare...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: The primary responsibility for housing and managing homelessness lies with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the local authorities. This responsibility includes the accommodation needs of young persons leaving all forms of State care. Policy responsibility for homeless young people, insofar as it extends to my Department, relates to children under 18 and any child...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment does not create any obligation for the beneficiaries in the accommodation, such as payment of rent or provision of services. However, the beneficiaries may agree with the host to contribute towards the cost of utilities. The legislation is silent in relation to such matters. If such payments are being made, that is a matter between the parties...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (19 Mar 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1312 and 1341 together. The State is not the employer and it is a matter for each service provider to manage their own recruitment processes in line with general employment legislation. In addition, the relevant regulations for the sector (Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services)...