Results 101-120 of 20,908 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disabilities Assessments (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: As this question refers to the 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: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme was launched in late 2024. The closing date for applications was 30th January 2025. There were four strands to the scheme: Community Construction, Community Extension, Community Purchasing and Private Extension. A total of 78 applications were received with 50 applicants were approved to progress to the next stage of the grant process. As part...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: Many families use the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) to help reduce the cost of early learning and childcare. Under the Scheme, subsidies are awarded as an hourly rate, with a maximum number of weekly hours for which the subsidy applies. The Scheme enables parents and services to agree on care arrangements as required. Discussion and agreement between parents and providers on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Contracts (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: The Department publishes quarterly reports of purchase orders over €20,000 in line with the Public Service Reform Plan 2011 commitment number 9.4 ("Every Purchase Order by a Government Department or Agency for €20,000 or over should be published online"). These reports are produced based on the information available on the Department’s Financial Management System...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Circulars (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: I have forwarded this question on to all bodies under the aegis of this Department and they will respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Family Resource Centres (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: I can inform the Deputy that Tusla does not currently have any additional allocation for the provision of play therapy services at the Family Resource Centre concerned. Core Family Resource Centre funding, which is administered by Tusla, is designed to support the overall operation and delivery of family and community support activities, rather than to fund specific therapeutic posts. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Residential Institutions (14 Oct 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: Residential Institutions (14 Oct 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: Departmental Reports (14 Oct 2025)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: The Government is committed to ensuring access to affordable, quality early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC), with an investment of €1.48bn in the 2026 budget. This funding will allow my Department to build on recent progress in the gradual reduction of fees for parents, while also supporting supply and the quality of provision. New caps on maximum fees came into...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. A Forward Planning and Delivery Unit is undertaking important work to identify areas of need, forecast demand, and prepare for the delivery of public supply of early learning and childcare sector in areas where it is required. A forward planning model is in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (14 Oct 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 between...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme was launched on late 2024. The closing date for applications was 30th January. There were four strands to the scheme: Community Construction, Community Extension, Community Purchasing and Private Extension. A total of 78 applications were received with 50 applicants approved to progress to the next stage of the grant process. As part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme was launched in late 2024. The closing date for applications was 30th January. There were four strands to the scheme: Community Construction, Community Extension, Community Purchasing and Private Extension. A total of 78 applications were received with 50 successful applicants approved to progress to the next stage of the grant process. One...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Research Funding (14 Oct 2025)

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

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disabilities Assessments (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: As this question refers to the 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 Expenditure (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: Officials in the Department are engaging with the relevant aegis bodies to collate the information requested. A reply will issue directly to the Deputy in respect of the Department's position as well as the aegis bodies as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Early Childhood Care and Education (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: The Government is committed to ensuring access to affordable, quality early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC), with an investment of €1.48bn in the 2026 budget. This funding will allow my Department to build on recent progress in the gradual reduction of fees for parents, while also supporting supply and the quality of provision. New caps on maximum fees came into...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: EU Presidency (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: As the Member State holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU, Ireland will have the responsibility for progressing the EU agenda for the second half of 2026. The Presidency will also provide an opportunity to spotlight issues where we have special expertise, and Ireland is a world-leader on child and youth participation. During Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disabilities Assessments (14 Oct 2025)

Norma Foley: This Government recognises that waiting times for Assessment of Need (AON) are too long and have a significant impact on delivering on the needs of children and their families. Both this Department and the HSE are committed to reducing the timeframes for assessment and have been working intensively to progress measures to achieve this. It is important to emphasise that, while children...