Results 681-700 of 20,908 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Child Protection (29 Jul 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: Children in Care (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Child Protection (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important matter during Topical Issues in the Dáil chamber on 10th July last. As you may be aware, as Minister I am not in a position to intervene in individual cases as Tusla, Child & Family Agency, is required by law to be independent in its work as set out in Section 8 (11) of the Child & Family Agency Act 2013 that...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) is a key priority of Government. Specifically the Programme for Government commits to providing capital investment to build or purchase state-owned childcare facilities, to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists. State ownership of facilities is a very substantial...

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

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government. This includes reviewing deposit rules across each early learning and childcare scheme. Under Core Funding, in which over 92% of the sector participate, providers agree that all deposits relating to the 2024/2025 Programme Year must be returned to the parent/ guardian once the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Care Services (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: This is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE) and they have been asked to respond to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Legislative Process (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I wish to acknowledge the difficulties experienced by couples pursuing surrogacy arrangements and reaffirm Government's commitment to recognising and supporting Irish families in all their diversity. The Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland's Future commits to introducing paid surrogacy leave and my officials are examining how best to implement this commitment. They are also...

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

Norma Foley: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Unfortunately, neither my Department nor Tusla have additional supports available specifically for Family Resource Centre rental costs. In addition, neither my Department nor Tusla have a dedicated budget for capital or building works for third party organisations. I have been informed that in 2025, funding allocated to Teach Oscail...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Child Protection (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise that following receipt of a request, the Tusla CEO assigned the Office of the Chief Social Worker to review some individual case files. Information was shared by the group/parents from March-June 2025, and the reviews have commenced. The reviews entail a desktop review of the child's file from the point of engagement with Tusla to present, and explores areas including...

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

Norma Foley: In October 2022 the Government made an Order under the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to direct the establishment of an office to oversee the excavation, recovery, post-recovery analysis, identification (if possible) and reburial of the children’s remains at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam. In March 2023 the Office of Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2306 and 2442 together. The Programme for Government commits to “progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child.” This commitment will be achieved over the lifetime of the Government. Initial steps have already been taken. Recently, I announced the introduction of maximum fee caps for all Partner Services...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2307 and 2309 together. In a very competitive labour market and with low levels of unemployment, recruitment and retention is a challenge for all employers. Data from the 2024 Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey shows the national turnover rate for the sector was approximately 25.8% and the turnover rate for County Kerry is slightly lower at...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2308, 2310, 2311 and 2323 together. Pay is one of a number of issues impacting the early learning and care and school-age childcare workforce. The level of pay for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners does not reflect the value of their work for children, families, society and the economy. As the State is not the employer of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Budget 2026 is currently being considered by Government in the context of the annual estimates process, which officials in my Department are actively engaging in. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage. Pay is one of a number of issues impacting the early learning and care and school-age childcare workforce. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Rural Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Understanding the early learning and childcare needs of rural families is an important action under the Department’s First 5 Strategy 2019-2028 and the Department of Rural and Community Development’s (DRCD) Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy, 2021-2025. Informing this action, research published by my Department in 2024 found that parents in rural areas reported a...

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

Norma Foley: This is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE) and they have been asked to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disability Diagnoses (29 Jul 2025)

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

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

Norma Foley: The department provides for the upgrading and maintenance of playground facilities for children and young people is through the annual Capital Grant Scheme for Play and Recreation. Established in 2013, this grant scheme operates through and with Local Authorities. The scheme also funds the development of new playgrounds and recreation facilities and the incorporation of natural play elements....

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

Norma Foley: Budget 2025 saw an additional €333m for specialist community-based disability services across the country. This represents an 11.5% increase in funding on 2024, and brings to €3.2 billion the total allocation to HSE Disability Services. This additional investment is the single largest year-on-year increase in funding in real terms in the disability sector. Since 2020 the HSE...

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

Norma Foley: The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028, launched in 2021, set out a pathway for the extension of registration to childminders. A key objective of the National Action Plan for Childminding is to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from State subsidies through the National Childcare Scheme. As a result of the commencement of the relevant parts of the Child Care...