Results 821-840 of 20,908 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

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

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

Norma Foley: The number of full time equivalent staff employed in my Department as of end of June 2025 is as follows: Grade FTE Secretary General 1 Assistant Secretary 6 Principal Officer 43.9 Assistant Principal 142.7 Administrative Officer 94.75 Higher...

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

Norma Foley: My Department’s ICT services are provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), which supplies a centralised service to a significant number of Government Departments and agencies across the Civil and Public Service. In terms of cyber security, my Department engages closely with the OGCIO, which in turn engages with the National Cyber Security Centre to...

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: Children in Care (29 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Foster carers play a vital and valued role in the care of the most vulnerable children in our society. Foster care is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their family of origin, and foster carers provide a safe, secure and stable home environment for these vulnerable children and young people. The Programme for Government 2025 (PfG) sets out the Government’s...

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

Norma Foley: I welcome the recent announcement of the extension of eligibility for the Back to School Allowance to encompass foster carers. This measure is an important step in the Government’s commitment to providing further support to children in foster care. Payment of the Allowance falls wholly under the remit of the Department of Social Protection, and is aimed at helping families with the...

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

Norma Foley: Government is wholly committed to increasing the participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of political life. This includes promoting greater active participation by people with disabilities in elections on an equitable basis as citizens. Considerations related to the Electoral Act 1997 and provisions for the establishment of quotas on party ballots and broader political...

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

Norma Foley: Sensational Kids is a not-for-profit organisation delivering interventions to children over the last 10 years. It operates as a child development centre, providing subsidised therapy services for children and professional development training workshops for those working with children with special needs. Sensational Kids employs approximately 30 staff, including a clinical team across...

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

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for his question. I acknowledge and greatly appreciate the work that Barnardos does in providing important services to children and families throughout Ireland. The challenges facing Barnardos, and other organisations providing services on behalf of Tusla, is of significant concern. My officials and I have met with representatives from Barnardos on a number of occasions...

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

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for his question. I acknowledge and appreciate the work that organisations, funded by Tusla, under Section 56, carry out on behalf of the state, in providing vital services to children and families in Ireland. The challenges facing such organisations, including Barnardos, is of significant concern. In recent weeks, my officials and I have met with representatives from...

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

Norma Foley: Core Funding has seen consistent increased State investment to the sector year on year, and is set in year 4 to be worth over €390 million contingent on the establishment of new minimum rates of pay in the sector through updated Employment Regulation Orders. This is an increase of over 50% since the scheme began in September 2022 with an allocation of €259 million. ...

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

Norma Foley: Capital funding allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the National Development Plan (NDP) has enabled significant investment in early learning and childcare. In 2025, €25m in voted expenditure was made available for the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme. This allows existing Core Funding Partner Services to extend their existing premises or, in the case of...

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: 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: Childcare Services (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. Core Funding In 2025 a minimum of €338.2 million has been allocated to Core Funding. I secured a further...

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

Norma Foley: 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 in Core Funding from September 2025. The fee freeze will remain...

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

Norma Foley: The Deputy has requested the cost of increasing funding for the ECCE Programme by 10%. To deliver the ECCE Programme, preschool providers receive a capitation of €69 per child per week. This was increased from €64.50 in September 2018. A 10% increase in funding for this €69 capitation rate would provide a weekly capitation rate of €75.90. To calculate the...

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

Norma Foley: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.

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.