Results 281-300 of 20,908 for speaker:Norma Foley

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge everybody in this field, the professionals on the front line and the families enduring what they are enduring. I do not forget Cara Darmody's great advocacy work. I want to acknowledge the additional funding in place - the €10 million that is very much close to Cara's heart - to ensure private assessments could be delivered under the AON process. Under that initiative,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. He will be aware that the maximum fee caps were extended to all partner services in core funding this month. The introduction of fee caps is an important step towards the reduction of parental fees to €200 per month over the lifetime of this Government. While the fee caps were introduced for new services last year, they now cover all services that are in core...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: We are already at 90% of providers having joined core funding, which is 5% ahead of where we were at this time last year. The opportunity to engage in core funding remains open and services can sign up to the fourth year of the scheme at any point in the year. It is significant to be able to say that at this stage of the year we have reached 90%. We are in an Estimates period and will in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: There is, as the Deputy conceded, unprecedented Government funding going into the sector. If a provider steps out at any point, that provider can return. The Department has a sustainability fund. If a provider is of the view it is not viable to continue or is having particular sustainability issues, it can in the first instance engage with the city and county childcare committees and it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: That €25 million investment under the building blocks scheme has and will provide for an additional 1,500 additional places, which are obviously much needed and a positive step forward. It is important, however, that we take the opportunity to review an existing programme every year. I am absolutely committed to reviewing existing measures and adding new measures. Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: To reiterate, I am happy to look at any mechanism that will support the provision of additional places. I am very open to that, whatever that mechanism might be. We have opportunities to look afresh now, whether that is through mechanisms like the building blocks scheme or indeed through this new mechanism that we have through State-led facilities. Often, that does not necessarily mean...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank Deputy Ó Murchú. I recognise the other elements he had in place. In the context of the national human rights strategy for disabled people, there is a recognition that a number of Departments have different roles. This is and must be regarded as a whole-of-government approach. In the consultation process, one of the most telling exchanges that came from a disabled person...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: When it comes to the CDNTs, I would be the first to say that a lot more work needs to be done in this regard. If we wish to look on the positive side, we have seen a nationwide increase of 26% in CDNT staffing levels since October 2023. The national vacancy rate has also reduced from 29% to 18%, but it needs to reduce a lot more. With regard to AONs, I absolutely acknowledge there is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Care Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: The national carer's strategy 2012 sets out Government policy on family carers. Oversight of the strategy is led by the Department of Health, with individual Departments leading on action areas that fall within their remit. The Department of Social Protection provides payment supports to carers, while my Department supports the provision of respite services for people with disabilities and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Care Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I recognise the extraordinary service provided by family carers and all carers. Without their diligence and the work that they do, the lives of many would be in a far worse position. I absolutely and unreservedly recognise their work. As I said, respite sessions for people with disabilities have increased significantly, with over 164,000 respite overnights and more than 65,000 respite...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Care Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I join the Deputy in recognising the great work of Family Carers Ireland. Spending on respite services for people with disabilities is about €134 million annually. Since 2020 there has been a significant increase in this funding, of 58%. The Deputy is quite correct to put it in the context of the upcoming budget negotiations that we need to do more in this space also. The HSE is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Childcare Services (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for her continued engagement on these matters. As she is aware, the programme for Government commits to "undertake a broad consultation and publish a detailed Action Plan to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system". Given the need to make progress as soon as possible while also allowing time for a broad consultation...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy very much. I reiterate the comments I have made previously. This is such an upsetting and awful situation and, like the Deputy, I extend my sympathies to all those who knew and loved Daniel and recognise what a great source of upset and heartbreak it is to everybody, from the immediate family to the foster carers and wider society as well. I thank the Deputy for her...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: Again, I acknowledge this is a significant step forward in terms of cases that were closed during the lockdowns caused by Covid. It is important to say there are many reasons for a case being closed. Oftentimes, we regard that as a real positive and then on other occasions a case can open again. It is important also to say many of these cases may well be to do with child welfare as...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy and appreciate her engagement on this matter. I think we are all ad idem in our determination that we need to move proactively where we find any gaps in information or support. The Deputy is correct. I have identified the issue with ECCE. ECCE, the early childcare provision, has been hugely successful. It is two years of free preschool care, if you like. We have...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Consultations (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: Government is committed to implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as ratified by Ireland in 2018. This includes commitment to Article 4(3) which stipulates that State Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities through their representative organisations in policy making and implementation. I reject...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Family Resource Centres (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, the Family Resource Centre Programme is expanding from 121 to 126 members this year, in line with the Government’s commitment to its growth. Funding for this expansion was secured by my Department as part of Budget 2025. Core funding of €160,000 per year is being provided to each of the new Programme members, and I understand that the Family Resource...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Family Resource Centres (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: The Family Resource Centre Programme is a community development programme that is financially supported by many State agencies in a partnership approach. The Programme for Government commits to increasing funding and expanding the capacity and network of Family Resource Centres over its Government given the important role these Centres play in local communities. Recent developments...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Child and Family Agency (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that both I and my Department have open lines of communication with the Chairperson of Tusla, its Board, its CEO, its Management Board and the broader organisation. In addition to regular scheduled meetings that promote mutual understanding of operations and support sound governance and performance oversight of Tusla, we arrange meetings at short notice to address...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Strategies (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for this question. On September 3rd, I was proud to launch the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which is Ireland's framework for the advancement of the rights articulated for disabled people in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is an ambitious strategy that has been co-designed with disabled people to...