Results 301-320 of 20,908 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: I wish to thank the Deputy for providing me with an opportunity to speak further on this matter. Firstly, I wish to assure the Deputy that the Government and the HSE recognise the importance of respite service provision for children with disabilities and their families and the positive impact it can have on people’s lives. As a vital part of the continuum of services for families,...

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

Norma Foley: I understand the Deputy has raised the matter of respite care for children in County Monaghan previously in parliamentary questions and I would like to thank him for giving me the opportunity to provide an update. This Government and the HSE recognises the need for Children’s respite around the country, including in County Monaghan, to support children and their families. Respite...

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

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government outlines the commitment to "undertake a broad consultation and publish a detailed Action Plan to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system". Officials in my Department are continuing to develop this Action Plan and are also developing plans for the consultation with stakeholders. Given the need both to make...

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

Norma Foley: I was delighted to launch the Bia Blasta – Preschool Nutrition programme on the 14th of August 2025. The programme will officially start in settings in the first week in October. This is the latest initiative under the Equal Start funding model, which provides universal and targeted measures for children in early learning and care and school-age childcare at risk of experiencing...

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

Norma Foley: Pobal compiles data through the Annual Early Years Sector Profile on weekly fees charged by service providers before deductions for subsidies are applied. Data is not routinely collected on household out-of-pocket costs for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare. The most recently published fee data from June 2024 shows that from 2016 to the 2021, the average full time fees...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Mother and Baby Homes (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: In April of this year I published the "Report on Negotiations with Religious Organisations associated with the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme" that had been prepared by the Independent Negotiator, Ms Sheila Nunan. With regard to those organisations mentioned in the Report who have not chosen to make a contribution to the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, I can...

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

Norma Foley: This Government and I recognise the importance of early intervention for children with disabilities and ensuring they receive the right services at the right time. Under the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to ensuring children and their families who need early intervention and therapy input can access that support in a timely way. The key vehicle for change and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (23 Sep 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. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2023/24 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 19% from the 2021/22 programme year. Core Funding application data shows that between...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 58 together. The cases of Kyran Durnin and Daniel Aruebose are deeply concerning, and my sympathies remain with their families and all those affected by these tragic events. As these matters are the subject of active, ongoing investigations by An Garda Síochána, who are liaising with Tusla, it would be inappropriate to comment on...

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

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government commits for the first time to provision of early learning and childcare through State-led facilities adding capacity in areas where unmet need exists. State ownership of facilities is a very substantial and significant development and offers the potential to influence the nature and volume of provision available and to ensure better alignment with estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Childhood Care and Education (23 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: As of 22 September 2025, 90% of eligible providers had signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding, almost 4,300 services. This represents an increase of over 5% since this time last year. Every year there are a number of services who sign up to Core Funding in the weeks following the commencement of the programme year. I am encouraged by the high engagement with the application process...

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

Norma Foley: Core Funding has been designed with maximum participation of providers in mind as reflected in the year-on-year growth of investment in the Scheme (rising from €259 million in year 1 to over €390 million in year 4). This represents an increase of over 50% in Core Funding in three years. The 2025/2026 allocation represents an increase of over €60 million (over 18%) on...

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

Norma Foley: Earlier this year, I announced the introduction of maximum fee caps for all Partner Services in Core Funding from September 2025. The introduction of universal maximum fee caps is in addition to the fee freeze, which will remain in place for all Partner Services with fees below these caps. This is an important step towards the reduction of parental fees to €200 per month over the...

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

Norma Foley: The safety and wellbeing of both staff and young people in Oberstown Children Detention Campus is of the utmost importance to me and to this Department. While I acknowledge the challenges faced by staff working in this demanding environment, I am confident there are several measures in place that ensure the safety of the young people detained and the staff working there. The following is a...

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

Norma Foley: As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

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

Norma Foley: As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 89, 522, 558, 559, 560, 562, 563 and 574 together. The Programme for Government – 'Securing Ireland’s Future’ - includes a commitment for advancing Neuro-Rehabilitation services nationally including the completion of the national rollout of Health Service Executive (HSE) Community Neuro-rehabilitation Teams. The HSE is leading on...

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

Norma Foley: As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

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

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government commits to “progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child.” This commitment will be achieved over the lifetime of the Government. The Deputy 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...

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

Norma Foley: As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.