Results 161-180 of 19,741 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Energy Usage (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The Government is committed to achieving a 51% reduction in Ireland’s overall emissions from 2021 to 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The Public Sector Climate Action Mandate outlines that Departments and public bodies must lead by example in implementing climate-related goals. As part of the Mandate, my Department is required to publish our targets and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: While Government is the primary funder of the sector as a whole, the State is not an employer of staff and cannot set wage rates or working conditions. The Joint Labour Committee process is the formal mechanism by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates for the sector. Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by Government through...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government commits to reducing the cost of early learning and childcare to €200 per month per child. This will build on significant progress in affordability that has already been made through a number of existing Schemes. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which provides two years of pre-school without charge, enjoys participation rates of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I understand that the Deputy is referring in his question to preschool provision. 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 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by 25% in the last two...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 May 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 shows that the estimated number of enrolments has increased by 25% in the previous two years. Core Funding application data shows that between Year 1 and Year 2 of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Care Services (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: As this relates to information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been forwarded to the Agency for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: 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. However, the State is not an employer of staff and neither I, nor my Department, set pay or working conditions....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Reviews (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Bodies (13 May 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, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 979, 980 and 982 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that I cannot comment on cases relating to individual Partner Services who are engaged with the Fee Review Process. I can however confirm that officials from my Department are currently engaged with this Partner Service on this matter. All Partner Services must uphold their contractual obligations...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: All Partner Services must uphold their contractual obligations regarding their fees charged to parents/guardians as laid out in the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement. Where an individual identifies a case of a potential breach of Core Funding fee rules by a Partner Service, they may seek to have this examined and a conclusion reached through the Core Funding Fee Review Process....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Meetings (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: Since becoming the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, I have met formally with my Secretary General on 10 occasions and with members of Management Board and their senior management teams on 29 occasions, in addition to other Departmental meetings, such as events and conferences. While I have not yet had an opportunity to hold a formal MinMAC meeting since assuming my role, I...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Funding (13 May 2025)

Norma Foley: The approach to capital investment in future years is being considered within the context of the Programme for Government commitments and the revision to the National Development Plan which is ongoing. The Building Block Extension Grant is operating this year and is providing funding to existing services to undertake extensions to their premises and, in the case of not-for-profit...