Results 1-20 of 19,404 for speaker:Norma Foley

Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (1 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I apologise to the House. I am told the copies are on their way but I cannot categorically say they are all photocopied at this time. I apologise. It was remiss of us.

Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (1 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I apologise again to the House. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Ceann Comhairle as ucht an ama agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I would like to express my personal gratitude to the Ceann Comhairle, members of the Opposition and all Members for the manner in which I have been facilitated today. I thank them all. The Farrelly commission is a statutory commission of investigation...

Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (1 May 2025)

Norma Foley: I will send a text to make sure it is coming.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (30 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together. Thank you for your questions, Deputy. A response will be provided directly to you in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Qualifications (30 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently implementing Nurturing Skills, the workforce plan for the early learning and care and school age childcare sector. It aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in the sector and to raise the profile of careers in the sector. Aligned to the Programme for Government commitment to introduce an ‘Earn and Learn’...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (30 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that since approval of the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II 2024-2028 by the previous Government in October 2024, my officials have been working to finalise the first two-year Action Plan (2025-2026), to accompany the new Strategy. It is anticipated that the Strategy and Action Plan will be published shortly. As outlined in the 2025 Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Measures (30 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government, ‘Securing Ireland’s Future’, contains a commitment to advance legislation to ban conversion practices. Given the complex and sensitive nature of the proposed legislation, my Department is carefully considering the key policy principles that will underpin the legislation to ensure that individuals are protected from harmful conversion...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (30 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The UBU Your Place Your Space scheme (UBU) is DCEDIY's largest youth funding scheme, targeting marginalised and disadvantaged young people, including young Travellers, aged between 10-24. The scheme currently provides funding to 250 targeted youth services across 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs), with the ETBs co-ordinating delivery of funding to the services in their local area. ...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (30 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in the coming days Tusla, the Child and Family Agency will announce the opening of the application process for groups/organisations that wish to join the Family Resource Centre Programme. Membership of the Programme will increase from 121 members to 126 members in 2025, in line with a Government commitment to expand the Programme. I very much welcome...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Residential Institutions (30 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings in relation to the failings of the State and religious organisations who ran Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Government believes that all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to Ireland's legacy in relation to these institutions and this includes bodies of Catholic...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge many early learning and childcare services report recruitment and retention challenges. In general, these challenges are not caused by insufficient supply of qualified staff, but by high levels of turnover. The most recent annual early years sector profile survey shows staff turnover is at 24.5%. It is estimated that one third of staff leaving services...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The key issue that has been identified across the sector with retention of staff is the financial rewards they get to do the work they do. These are professionals who deserve to be paid at the rate they should be paid. It is for that reason there is a ring-fenced €45 million being made available. I accept the independence of the joint labour committee but I am saying €45...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: To be fair, the Deputy has put it very eloquently and succinctly. Access to childcare and early learning opportunities is hugely important, and the Government recognises that. As regards our commitment, the present building blocks extension scheme money is required to be spent in this calendar year, and the Department does not currently have any further funding available for additional...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Just to be clear, over the ten-year period that was part of the Deputy's question, there have been 221 admissions to care, as he has said and I have confirmed, out of a total of 11,183, where sexual abuse has been reported. These were admissions to care, and out of a total of 11,183 such admissions, there were 221 admissions to care where sexual abuse was reported. Regarding the figure,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Specifically on the question the Deputy raised about Grace and the commission of investigation, the commission, which was into certain matters relating to disability services in the south east and other related matters and is known as the Farrelly commission, is an entirely independent statutory commission of investigation empowered to investigate matters of significant public concern. It...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The building blocks extension grant scheme is designed to increase the number of full day places for one- to three-year-olds, pre-ECCE age range, in existing core funding partner services. A total of €25 million has been made available and it is anticipated to deliver a significant increase in places for this age cohort. The building blocks extension grant scheme is offering the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I assure the Deputy that childcare and early learning is an absolute priority of this Government. The building blocks extension grant scheme is an important part of that. I appreciate that €25 million is €25 million, but the 78 applications were just the applications. There was no impediment in saying "We will take only X number". That was what we received. It is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I agree that we should look at the widest offering already available within communities. We also have work to do regarding new housing developments where provision should be made for childcare facilities. That is being asked for but it is not always provided. In some areas, it works really well but, to be honest, it does not work well in other areas. A significant body of work needs to be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The access and inclusion model, AIM, has supported more than 24,000 children with additional needs to access and meaningfully participate in the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme since 2020. In September 2024, AIM was expanded beyond time spent in the ECCE programme for ECCE-aged children. These children can now access AIM supports for up to an additional three hours per...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: For sure, I will. It is a great model. Any additional supports that can be made available to children in any educational setting should be made available. As I previously said in respect of AIM supports, there is flexibility in the model. That is important. It can provide targeted supports and universal supports. Targeted measures are very much based on the individual needs of children....