Results 421-440 of 19,404 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: State Pensions (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government 2025 contains a commitment to develop a pension solution for foster carers in recognition of the enormous contribution they make to vulnerable children in our society, and to acknowledge their long-term commitment and to ensure that they are supported and valued after their fostering years. Eligibility for the State Pension (Contributory) is a matter which...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Tusla has advised that its Strategic Plan for Foster Care Services is at an advanced stage of implementation, and it has included a wide range of measures to both recruit new foster carers and to improve supports for existing foster carers. In July 2023 Tusla recruited a National Lead for Foster Care to lead on the implementation of the Strategic Plan. In December 2023 Tusla began the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Caiteachas Ranna (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Government recognises the importance of tackling inequality and disadvantage experienced by some young people. The Programme for Government sees youth work services as playing an essential role in improving outcomes for young people. They create spaces for young people of all backgrounds to belong and to thrive. In September 2024, my Department published Opportunities for Youth:...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I can inform the Deputy that an additional €800,000 was secured in Budget 2025 for the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. This additional allocation will allow for expansion of the FRC Programme membership in 2025, by providing core funding to new Programme members. Core funding supports the pivotal role FRCs play in so many communities across the country, where they provide a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I am aware that there are no members of the FRC Programme based in the town of Dungarvan. I can inform the Deputy that an additional €800,000 was secured in Budget 2025 for the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. This additional allocation will allow for expansion of the FRC Programme membership in 2025, by providing core funding to new Programme members. Core funding supports...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Qualifications (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently in the process of implementing the workforce plan for the early learning and care and school age childcare sector, Nurturing Skills. It aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in the sector and to raise the profile of careers in the sector. Aligned to the Programme for Government commitment to introduce an ‘Earn...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department is progressing a range of actions to reduce the cost of early learning and childcare to families. The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is the primary measure aimed at reducing costs. Through the provision of both universal and targeted subsidies, thee Scheme is progressive in nature ensuring the highest levels of subsidies go to families that need them most. As of September...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Inquiries (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department continues to engage with St John Ambulance Ireland in terms of ongoing developments and compliance with the implementation of the recommendations in Dr. Geoffrey Shannon’s Review, published in March 2023. As Minister for Children, I am clear that all recommendations in the Shannon report should be complied with as soon as practicable by the organisation. A key...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: In 2025, €25m is being made available to deliver additional capacity under the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme. There are four strands under the scheme: Private - Extension, Community - Extension, Community - Purchase and Community - Construction. This grant is designed to support the creation of additional full day care places for children aged 1-3. The scheme was launched on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Community and voluntary health and social care workers are the backbone of many essential services, and the State depends on them to deliver essential support to people across the country every day. All staff in these sectors should be fairly paid and appropriately recognised for the difficult work they do. My priority is clear: to protect these vital services for those who rely on them...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment scheme is currently in place until 31 March 2025. The scheme was introduced to recognise the generosity of private individuals who provide accommodation on a humanitarian basis to beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine. As the Temporary Protection Directive has been extended to 4 March 2026, consideration is being given to the extension of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment scheme is currently in place until 31 March 2025. The scheme was introduced to recognise the generosity of private individuals who provide accommodation on a humanitarian basis to beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine. As the Temporary Protection Directive has been extended to 4 March 2026, consideration is being given to the extension of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy. This supports Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) to make longer term independent arrangements...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy. This supports Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) to make longer term independent arrangements...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) is a monthly payment of €800 available to those who are providing accommodation to a person or people who arrived in Ireland under the EU Temporary Protection Directive. Please note that a person providing accommodation to BOTPs on a commercial basis is ineligible to participate in the scheme. Where a rental agreement is in place, ARP is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you, Deputy, for your question. Ireland currently provides accommodation to over 33,000 people applying for international protection and has also welcomed over 114,000 people from Ukraine since 2022. People from Ukraine are supported across the EU under the Temporary Protection Directive. The basis of applying for asylum or refugee status is fleeing war or persecution in one’s...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you, Deputy, for your question. In terms of international protection applicants, we are currently accommodating over 33,000 people, over 9,000 of whom are children with their family. We accommodate people at over 320 different centres nationwide. All residents of IPAS accommodation are provided with a dedicated IPAS Resident Handbook- this handbook contains information about Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disabilities Assessments (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department funds the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) which provides targeted support so that children with additional needs may access mainstream early learning and childcare settings. The Access and Inclusion Model requires no diagnosis to provide this support. Applications for the Access and Inclusion Model targeted supports are made by the pre-school provider in collaboration with...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (25 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you, Deputy, for your question. International Protection Accommodation Service The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is providing accommodation to over 33,000 International Protection (IP) applicants, about 9,000 of whom are children. Over the last year, IPAS has been operating at or near capacity, with ongoing profound pressure on bed availability. As such,...