Results 461-480 of 19,925 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Expenditure (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: In March 2022, Government accepted the findings of the Independent Review of the Early Learning and Childcare Operating Model in Ireland that a dedicated National Early Learning and Childcare Agency is the optimal operating model for the sector for the years ahead. It is envisaged that the agency will undertake the functions currently carried out by Pobal Early Years (including Better...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings were issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The Guidelines are intended to ensure a consistency of approach throughout the country to the treatment of applications in respect to the land use planning aspects of early learning and childcare provision, for relevant planning...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you Deputy for your question. My Department is working with communities all over Ireland to source and provide accommodation for people applying for international protection and emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. This is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing war and persecution in their...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: As mentioned by the Deputy, the Programme for Government commits to reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child. Significant progress towards this goal has been made to date. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which provides two years of pre-school without charge, enjoys participation rates of 96% each year. Over 70% of families on low income...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme opened for applications in March 2024. The underpinning legislation for the Scheme provides for a number of reports and reviews to be produced. Section 12 provides for annual reports to be prepared by 30 June by the Chief Deciding Officer of the Scheme. These reports are to include details on applications, determinations, staffing and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 137 together. The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings in relation to the failings of the State and religious organisations, who together ran Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Government believes that all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to Ireland's legacy in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. The most recent published capacity data for the 2023/24 programme year estimated that there were 11,634 children enrolled in early learning and childcare services in County Kildare. This data also indicated that 42% of service providers in County Kildare had at...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 150 together. Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. The National Development Plan identifies access to quality early learning and childcare as a component of National Strategic Objective 10. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: In view of the 15% increase in Core Funding in year 3 and the associated supports, including the increase in the flat rate allocation for sessional services to €5,000, the increase in the minimum Core Funding allocation to €14,000 and the introduction of the Fee Increase Assessment Process, I am confident that, participation rates will continue to remain on par with previous...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in the coming days Tusla, the Child and Family Agency will announce the opening of the application process for groups/organisations that wish to join the Family Resource Centre Programme. Membership of the Programme will increase from 121 members to 126 members in 2025, in line with a Government commitment to expand the Programme. I very much welcome...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. The Department has welcomed the publication by HIQA of its 2024 overview report on inspections of over 50 International Protection Accommodation Centres. The report made many positive findings of compliance with the National Standards identified in this report, and also acknowledged that partial compliance and non-compliance with the National...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department supports the delivery of youth services nationwide. Arising from Budget 2025, €84.9m has been allocated for current and capital expenditure for the benefit of young people, an increase in funding of €7 million, or almost 9%, on the 2024 budget. Over the period from 2021 to 2025, the level of current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes has increased...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government commits to reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child. A number of existing Schemes would need to play a role to achieve these aims. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which provides two years of pre-school without charge, enjoys participation rates of 96% each year. Over 70% of families on low income report that they...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Work is well advanced on the Programme for Government commitment to reduce the administrative burden on providers. On 19 September 2023, plans to develop an Action Plan for Administrative and Regulatory Simplification for the Early Learning and Childcare Sector were announced, supported by a Working Group comprising representatives from the Department, Pobal and the City / County Childcare...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: As this relates to information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been forwarded to the Agency for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Youth workers are central to the delivery of youth services. The relationships which young people develop with their youth workers can be transformative in a young person's life. As part of the Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2023-2028, my Department has committed to producing a Workforce Development Strategy in respect of the youth work...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: As mentioned by the Deputy, the Programme for Government commits to reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child in the lifetime of this Government. My Department will build on significant progress in affordability that has already been made through a number of existing Schemes. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which provides two years of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Reports (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I can further confirm to the Deputy that my Department has not carried out, sought or received reports or analysis on impacts that the accommodation recognition payment may be having on the private rental sector. However, before considering extending the scheme, in addition to the necessary statutory consultations, my Department consulted its key pledge stakeholders; the Irish Red Cross,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1770, 1773, 1775, 1777 and 1963 together. The State is currently accommodating over 33,000 people in over 320 IPAS centres around the country, about 9,000 of whom are children with their families. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) releases weekly statistics in relation to international protection (IP) applicants accommodated by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1771, 1772, 1774 and 1776 together. The safety and wellbeing of all residents and staff in our accommodation centres is our priority and we have guidelines in place for IPAS staff and Department officials in relation to responding quickly to any incidents, taking action to ensure people are safe. The health needs of international protection (IP) applicants...