Results 1-20 of 20,013 for speaker:Norma Foley

Pride: Statements (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: It is my honour to address the House today on Pride. It is a particular honour to be here this year as we mark what is a significant year in terms of LGBTIQ+ equality. As many in the House will be aware, the Dublin Pride Festival took place on 28 June. The streets of the capital were awash with vibrant colours, enjoyment and, most importantly, pride. As the summer moves on, there will...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Departmental Budgets (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Capital Allocation 2024 Following a Supplementary Estimates a final Capital allocation of €142.82 million was provided in respect of my Department for 2024. Please see table below for a detailed breakdown. Capital Allocation 2025 Following a transfer of functions and a Further Revised Estimates for Public Service 2025, a Capital Allocation of €99.50 million was provided in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme was launched on 4th November 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 progressing to the next stage of the grant process. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. Decisions about whether to open new early learning and childcare facilities or expand existing services in Ballymun and Finglas, as elsewhere, are the prerogative of independent operators. My Department therefore does not have details of future planned facilities by...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Children in Care (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: The referenced organisation is primarily funded by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Agency has advised that it has not yet finalised its budget for 2026, and therefore no decisions have yet been made regarding the annual funding for the referenced organisation in 2026. Tusla is currently engaging with the Department detailing the funding requirements for the Agency overall in 2026....

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Mother and Baby Homes (16 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 (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: 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 Year 1 and Year 3 of the scheme, annual place hours increased by over 15%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together. Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. Last year, a Supply Management Unit within the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Division was established. In line with the Programme for Government commitment to resource and transform this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. Each year, Pobal compiles data from Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers as part of the Early Years Sector Profile. The most recent published capacity data for the 2023/24 programme year estimated that there were 7,585 children...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 225 together. Currently, over 92% of eligible services have signed up to Core Funding year three. This equates to over 4,400 services and means that more services have opted into the scheme this year, than in programme years one or two. For information, the Department has a list of all Core Funding Partner Services which is updated regularly on...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (16 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: An evaluation of the first year of Core Funding and the development of an evaluation framework for Core Funding is currently underway. This project will examine the early implementation of Core Funding and make recommendations for future evaluations of the grant. Findings from the project are expected in Quarter 4 2025. This project is being undertaken by Irish Government Economic and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Children in Care (10 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Foster carers play a vital role providing stable and caring homes for our most vulnerable children. Foster care is recognised as the preferred care setting for a child in the care of the State. As of Q4 2024, 87.2% of children in care were being cared for by foster carers, a figure which compares favourably internationally. However, it is recognised that the State faces an ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (10 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Officials from my Department have responded directly on the matter raised. For your information, since its introduction in 2022, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (10 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: Childcare Services (10 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: I recently announced the details of the new maximum fee caps for early learning and childcare services participating in Core Funding alongside record State funding of €390 million this year for the Scheme. An initial maximum fee cap was put in place for new entrants to the scheme last year. New maximum fee caps will now be introduced for all new and existing services receiving this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (10 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: Special Educational Needs (10 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Ensuring access to early learning and childcare for all children, is a key priority for me as Minister for Children, Disability and Equality. A number of Programmes within my Department contribute to this objective. Firstly, the ECCE Programme offers quality early learning and care without charge to the parents of all children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months and 5...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Disabilities Assessments (9 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: This Government absolutely recognises that waiting times for Assessment of Need (AON) services and therapeutic interventions are far too long and is committed to improving the current situation. It is important to be aware that, while children have a right to apply for an AON, they do not need one in order to access health services, including those provided by Primary Care,...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (9 Jul 2025)

Norma Foley: Prior to each year of Core Funding commencing, officials in my Department review the application system and make improvements to the system where necessary based on feedback from the sector about using the Core Funding Application system. Any enhancements made to the system are made with a view to making the system as user friendly as possible for providers in the sector. A significant...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Childcare Services (9 Jul 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 subsidised sessional, part time or full time care arrangements as required. Discussion and agreement...