Results 321-340 of 19,925 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (20 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Foster care is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their family of origin, and foster carers provide a safe, secure and stable home environment for these vulnerable children and young people. Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance, which is a payment in respect of the child in their care. The foster care allowance is currently €400 per week for a child under 12...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Social Welfare Eligibility (20 May 2025)

Norma Foley: As the State does not employ staff in Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare services, neither I nor my Department set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sector. Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare services are private businesses and their policies on operating hours and staffing are a matter for the service provider. As such, the decision...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Equality Issues (20 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I recognise the enormous, personal impact that pregnancy loss has on expectant parents and I wish to extend my sympathies to all parents who have suffered such a tragic loss. My officials are examining the findings of a qualitative research study to examine the workplace experiences of parents coping with pregnancy loss with an aim to informing potential supports. The study,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. Each year, Pobal compiles data from Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers as part of the Early Years Sector Profile. The most recent published capacity data for the 2023/24 programme year estimated that there were 6,686 children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (20 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, who have confirmed that a reply will issue directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (20 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Both Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and my Department are committed to promoting safe and high-quality practice in all areas of Alternative Care. This is achieved through the application of Regulations and Standards that govern the placement of children and young people. Tusla and the Department continue to take the issue of noncompliance with HIQA standards very seriously. Tusla...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Protection (20 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The Government appointed Ms Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC as Special Rapporteur on Child Protection for a three-year term from 1 February 2023. The functions of the Rapporteur are to keep under review and to audit legal developments for the protection of children; to assess the impact, if any, litigation in national and international courts will have on child protection; to prepare a report...

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...