Results 521-540 of 19,404 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Increasing access to affordable childcare is a key priority of government. There has been an expansion in the amount of early learning and childcare places being delivered in recent years, and in particular a very substantial increase in school age childcare services and places, but challenges remain for some parents in accessing the type of provision they would like to in certain pockets...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 651 and 650 together. Currently, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is providing accommodation to almost 33,000 people, and over 9,000 of these are children with their family. I regret the information requested by the Deputy is not completely available in the format requested, but my officials have provided information below, which...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that there are three members of the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme in east Cork. These are Carrigtwohill FRC, Cobh FRC, and Midleton FRC.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I can inform the Deputy that a funding equalisation scheme was established in 2024 for the FRC Programme, which will ensure that all Programme members receive a minimum core funding of at least €160,000 from 2025 onwards. Core funding supports the pivotal role FRCs play in so many communities across the country, where they provide a comprehensive range of services tailored to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) who arrived in Ireland after fleeing the war in Ukraine. The ARP scheme is provided in Part 2 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 and is administered by the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: As of 10 February 2025, there were almost 19,500 active claims in payment in respect of hosting over 36,000 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) from Ukraine. Applicants for the Accommodation Recognition Payment are not required to register with the Irish Red Cross Pledge Campaign or the Offer a Home scheme operated by local authorities. The information that the Deputy has...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) who arrived in Ireland after fleeing the war in Ukraine. The ARP scheme is provided in Part 2 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 and is administered by the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Asylum Seekers (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) is a funding programme implemented through the EU’s 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. Each Member State wishing to participate in the AMIF must produce a National Programme covering the Specific Objectives of the Fund in such areas as asylum, reception, integration, legal migration, and the return of irregular migrants. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The role of the early years educator and school-age childcare practitioner are valuable ones and they play an important part in supporting children's development, learning and care. Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028, which was launched in December 2021, aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is always available to deal with any complaints from residents and residents are encouraged to engage with IPAS if they are unhappy with any aspect of their accommodation. The IPAS Centre Management Team has been actively engaging with the management of Kilbride Army Camp and the Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for raising this query with my Department. The introduction of Core Funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding. This funding, which increased by 11% (to €287 million) in year 2, was...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Increasing access to affordable early learning and 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, and the Programme for Government articulates an intention that the unit be resourced and transformed into a Forward Planning and Delivery Unit to identify areas of need,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Primary Care Services (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: This is a matter for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Investment in early learning and childcare is now at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025, clearly demonstrating Government commitment to this area. As well as addressing affordability this investment has served to improve accessibility, availability and the quality of provision. The ECCE programme, which provides two years of pre-school without...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Properties (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I can advise that this Department does not have any empty buildings under its portfolio.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Properties (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: I can advise that this Department does not have any undeveloped sites within its portfolio.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Investment in early learning and childcare is now at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025, clearly demonstrating Government commitment to this area. As well as addressing affordability this investment has served to improve accessibility, availability and the quality of provision. The ECCE programme, which provides two years of pre-school without...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Artificial Intelligence (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is guided by the Interim Guidelines for Use of AI in the Public Service published by the Public Service Transformation Delivery Unit in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and by the National Cyber Security Centre on ICT policy and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: School Transport (18 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: This Department is aware of the matter raised. Officials in the Department have been working with the local County Childcare to seek an appropriate solution in this case. Unfortunately, there is no direct funding provision through the Department for transport to early learning and childcare services. Some services may at local discretion provide for such services which form part of their...