Results 481-500 of 20,908 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: As of 15 September 2025, 4,250 early learning and childcare services, excluding childminders, have signed up for the fourth year of Core Funding. This is nearly 5% higher than the number of services signed up to Core Funding at this time last year, and represents nearly 90% uptake by eligible services. Core Funding remains open year-round to applicants and we will continue to see this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disability Services (17 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 (17 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: Disability Services (17 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: Child and Family Agency (17 Sep 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, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Childhood Care and Education (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: The current lower age range for ECCE eligibility was set based on a number of considerations. Firstly, the ECCE programme is a pre-school programme based on the National Practice Frameworks - Aistear and Síolta. 2 years and 8 months is considered the youngest age where a child has the capacity for this programme. Additionally, the lower age range was set based on Tusla regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Legislative Programme (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government, ‘Securing Ireland’s Future’, contains a commitment to advance legislation to ban conversion practices. Given the complex and sensitive nature of the proposed legislation, the Department is carefully considering the key policy principles that will underpin the legislation to ensure that individuals are protected from harmful conversion...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (17 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: Disability Services (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1091, 1092, 1093, 1094 and 1095 together. The Deputy may wish to be aware that my Department does not directly fund any charitable voluntary groups. Under Section 39 of the 2004 Health Act funding is provided by the Health Service Executive. I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly in relation to this matter, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Health Services (17 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 (17 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: Disability Services (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: Government is committed to delivering and enhancing services to better support children with disabilities in Ireland. The Children’s Disability Grant Fund aims to supplement the work of the CDNTs by providing supports and services to children and their families who are currently waitlisted for services. To do this, the fund makes available €8 million for 52 organisations, to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Health Services (17 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.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Health Services (17 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.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disabilities Assessments (17 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.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Policies (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: Significant improvements have been made in the entitlements to both paid and unpaid leaves in recent years, including by extending paid parent's leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their child during their earliest years. Since August 2024, the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 has increased the entitlement of paid leave to nine weeks for each relevant parent of a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Statutory Instruments (17 Sep 2025)

Norma Foley: Since taking office as the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in January 2025, I have signed four Statutory Instruments. These are listed below with links to each on the Irish Statute Book website. 1. Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2025: www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2025/si/96/made/en/print. 2. Mother and Baby...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disability Services (17 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.