Results 561-580 of 19,404 for speaker:Norma Foley

Programme for Government: Statements (Resumed) (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Ceann Chomhairle as ucht an ama agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I am very pleased this afternoon to have the opportunity to speak on the programme for Government. I was also pleased to have been a part of the negotiating team for this programme for Government. In particular, I am very pleased to have an opportunity to outline the key priorities that will...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024 – 2028, which aims to provide a more strategic, data-driven, and joined-up approach to the delivery of youth work and related services in Ireland, was published on 18 September, 2024. I am committed to ensuring that the funding secured in Budget 2025 will support the implementation of this important...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Assisted Decision-Making (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Deputy's question relates to the legal practitioner statement that is statutorily required under section 60(1)(b) of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, as amended by the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022. This statement is needed as part of the application process for the registration of an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) with the Decision Support...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Assisted Decision-Making (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The Deputy's question relates to the legal practitioner statement that is statutorily required under section 60(1)(b) of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. This is needed as part of the application process for the registration of an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA), made under the 2015 Act, with the Decision Support Service (DSS). This may be a statement by a practising...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Tusla is the independent statutory regulator for early years services and is responsible for maintaining the register of services under Part VIIA of the Child Care Act 1991. For the purpose of maintaining the public register, any early years service that ceases to operate is required to notify Tusla, in writing, no later than 28 days following the closure. Once the information has been...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (12 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: Disability Services (12 Feb 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Core Funding represents a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme (September 2022-August 2023) rising to €287 million in year 2 (September 2023-August 2024) and €331 million in year 3 (September 2024-August 2025). The table below outlines the Core Funding uptake in Fingal 2024/2025...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: 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 2022/23 programme year provides estimated data for enrolments by county boundaries. Data from 2022/23 estimated that there were 10,382 children enrolled in ELC and SAC services in County Kildare....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: On 30 September 2024 my office commenced relevant sections of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2024, including the removal of the exemption from registration for childminders, and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Childminding Regulations) 2024. This allowed for the registration of childminders with Tusla. The Act provides for a transition period of three years before...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: This is a matter for the Local Authority.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (12 Feb 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (12 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) can't comment on individual cases due to our duty to protect the privacy and anonymity of all people applying for International Protection. My officials are happy however to provide background information on how we approach accommodation for people who have completed their international protection application process, and are...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disabilities Assessments (12 Feb 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (12 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: Disabilities Assessments (12 Feb 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (11 Feb 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, my 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (11 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Respite services for people with disabilities are provided through specialist disability services which now come under the remit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) who provide funding to the HSE who in turn have a number of service agreements with different disability organisations for the provision of some respite services. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Asylum Seekers (11 Feb 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. A response will be provided directly to you in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disabilities Assessments (11 Feb 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.