Results 761-780 of 20,818 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2523 and 2524 together. The agreement between Government Departments and unions, recognises that staff in section 39 organisations should be fairly paid for the vital work they do. The Pay agreement reached in March of this year, included a 9.25% pay increase for up to 40,000 workers, equivalent to the Public Sector Pay agreement 2024-2026. In a landmark...

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

Norma Foley: Increasing the provision of disability residential services is a key priority area for this Government and the HSE, and there has been significant investment in residential services over the course of the last number of years. In Budget 2025, a total of €3.2 billion was allocated for HSE Disability Services. This amounts to an increase of 11.5% in funding, some €333m, on...

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

Norma Foley: Increasing the provision of respite services is a key priority area for this Government and the HSE, and there has been significant investment in respite services over the course of the last number of years. In Budget 2025, a total of €3.2 billion was allocated for HSE Disability Services. Spending on respite services comprises approximately 4% of this overall budget. In 2025, ELS...

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

Norma Foley: I understand from a clarification that this matter relates to Children's Disability Network Teams. Given the structure of those teams and their work, I am presuming this relates to posts. The multidisciplinary Children's Disability Network Teams include therapists, social workers, nurses, and administrative staff who work collaboratively to provide comprehensive and individualised support...

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 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disabilities Assessments (29 Jul 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: Departmental Funding (17 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Since the roll-out of Equal Start in September 2024, my Department has allocated €9,947,998.96 to Equal Start designated services. The breakdown of funding per county can be found in the table below. County Equal Start funding 2024/2025 Carlow €157,037.76 Cavan €137,586.30 Clare ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Mother and Baby Homes (17 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: In October 2022 the Government made an Order under the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to direct an intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co. Galway. The Government Order specifies that the functions of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam include carrying out an Identification Programme to seek to establish familial links. In March 2023 the...

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

Norma Foley: In September 2024, my Department commenced the roll-out of Equal Start, a major model of supports to ensure children experiencing disadvantage can access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare. Equal Start is designed to be developed and rolled out in phases. Services with the highest level of need are targeted in the early phases. Since September 2024, Equal...

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

Norma Foley: My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Childhood Care and Education (17 Jul 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: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: While the wide range of data sought by the Deputy is not specifically tracked by my Department, I can report that since the eTenders platform was redeveloped in May 2023, three public procurement competitions advertised by my Department on the platform were subsequently cancelled. The reason for the cancellation of these competitive processes was due to a lack of supplier engagement, with no...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Public Private Partnerships (17 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Family Resource Centres (17 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department has received the Family Resource Centre National Forum’s Pre Budget Submission 2025 (for Budget 2026). The Programme for Government gives a commitment to work to increase funding and expand the capacity and network of Family Resource Centres (FRCs). With regard to the specific asks of any such submission, these must be considered in the context of...

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

Norma Foley: My Department launched the What Works Enhancing Quality Fund on July 2, 2025. The Fund aims to support not-for-profit organisations to promote continuous improvement and innovation using a process of problem-solving in prevention and early intervention services for children and young people. The Fund is significant part of the What Works initiative, which is funded through the Dormant...

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

Norma Foley: In December 2024, my Department announced €100,000 in funding under the Parent Peer Support Fund, to 42 successful projects. 37 projects received funding of €2,000 and a further 5 projects received funding of €5,000, to support the expansion of established parent peer support initiatives, which have been proven to have a positive impact for parents and carers. This fund...