Results 21-40 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: 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 Year 1 and Year 3 of the scheme, annual place hours increased by over 15%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together. Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. Last year, a Supply Management Unit within the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Division was established. In line with the Programme for Government commitment to resource and transform this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 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 7,585 children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 225 together. Currently, over 92% of eligible services have signed up to Core Funding year three. This equates to over 4,400 services and means that more services have opted into the scheme this year, than in programme years one or two. For information, the Department has a list of all Core Funding Partner Services which is updated regularly on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: An evaluation of the first year of Core Funding and the development of an evaluation framework for Core Funding is currently underway. This project will examine the early implementation of Core Funding and make recommendations for future evaluations of the grant. Findings from the project are expected in Quarter 4 2025. This project is being undertaken by Irish Government Economic and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department operates from Floors 2 and 3 in the following building:Block 1 Miesian Plaza, 50-58 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2 (D02 XW14) I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not own the CCTV cameras in operation in this building. The cameras are managed by the Department of Health, as lead tenants in Miesian Plaza. I have asked the aegis bodies to reply to the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Policies (15 Jul 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, Disability and Equality: Newborn Saving's Account (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: This is not a matter for the Minister of Children, Disability and Equality.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Legislative Reviews (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 802, 810, 811 and 812 together. A Review of the Equality Acts was announced in 2021. The Department invited written submissions to a public consultation and a report summarising the key issues raised was published in July 2023. Submissions were received on a wide variety of subjects including all the equality grounds: gender, civil status, family status,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Strategies (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department leads on cross-government policy to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The Programme for Government 'Securing Ireland's Future' commits my Department to publish and implement an updated National Strategy for Women and Girls. My Department is currently working to fulfil that commitment. A stakeholder consultation was completed at the end...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Parental Leave (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 804 and 805 together. Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Meetings (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I am committed to ongoing, open engagement with survivors and their representatives. In this regard I have received an invitation to visit the burial site associated with the former Mother and Baby institution in Sean Ross Abbey and it is being given active consideration. The investigation of burial arrangements in Mother and Baby institutions, including the former institution at Sean...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Data (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: The National Centre for Research and Remembrance, to be located in Sean MacDermott Street, Dublin 1, will comprise a museum and exhibition space, a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century, and a garden space for reflection and remembrance. This Centre will honour equally all those who spent time in Industrial Schools, Magdalen Laundries,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Reports (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: The First Annual Report of the Special Advocate for Survivors of Institutional Abuse was published on 24th June. The Report provides a comprehensive overview of the feedback which the Special Advocate, Ms. Patricia Carey, and her team have received and outlines in detail the issues raised by survivors and the Special Advocate’s recommendations to address them. The issues raised in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Funding (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. Its goal is to empower early learning and care providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme and reap the benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Learning Centre (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: In 2024, Core Funding services were allowed to apply for a fee increase. In this Fee Increase Assessment process, Core Funding Partner Services who were charging fees below the county average were eligible to apply to be assessed for a fee increase. This Fee Increase Assessment process balanced the need of parents for stability with their early learning and childcare costs and the need...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Data (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Oberstown Detention Campus to provide an answer directly to you on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Budgets (15 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

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

Norma Foley: Many families avail of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) as a way to reduce the cost of their early learning and childcare. NCS subsidies are awarded as an hourly rate, along with a maximum number of weekly hours that the subsidy will be paid for. It is between the parent and provider to agree on the hours of childcare based on the family's requirements and what sessions the provider can...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Mental Health Services (15 Jul 2025)

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