Norma Foley

I know, but there were very few speakers so I took the opportunity. I thank all of them.

I will fire away.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle as ucht an t-am agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. Cara Darmody, a 14-year-old child, will be outside Leinster House for 50 hours starting today, highlighting the deficiencies in the assessment of need system and the impact it has on families. I have met and engaged with Cara and her father Mark on three occasions, including last week. I have been impressed…

I am not opposing the motion and I welcome the opportunity to debate this important issue. Like previous speakers and as I did earlier, I acknowledge Cara and her dad, Mark. In respect of Cara in particular, I acknowledge her absolute determination and her compassion to advocate not just for her own family but for all children in a similar position. It has been really worthwhile to have the opport…

Gabhaim buiochas leis an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach as ucht an ama agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I thank all the Deputies who have contributed to this debate on the final substantive report of the Farrelly commission. I intend to respond to as many of the issues raised as I can. I must emphasise that the commission of investigation is an independent statutory commission, empowered to investigate…

I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "welcomes the significant prioritisation by the Government of measures designed to: — reduce out of pocket costs of early learning and childcare for families; — better align the supply of State-subsidised early learning and childcare with demand; and — increase the pay and improve the working condit…

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

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.

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 established in 2017 to i…

The commission of investigation into certain matters relative to a disability service in the south east and related matters, or the Farrelly commission, is an independent statutory commission of investigation established in 2017 to investigate the care and protection of Grace, which, as we are all aware, is a pseudonym, and others in a former foster home in the south east, which has been the subje…

I thank the Deputy. She is 100% right. There must be learnings from this. We are conscious this is the story of Grace and others. It is important to point out that since Grace's case first arose, there have been a number of steps forward in safeguarding. There was the development of the Ombudsman for Children's Office, the establishment of HIQA, the establishment of Tusla - Child and Family Agency…

Safeguarding is everybody's responsibility and should be everybody's business. I am committed to working with the HSE and Tusla to ensure there is a focus on continually enhancing the approach to safeguarding across all services. We are conscious of the obligations on us as individuals, whether working in the field of education, sport or whatever. When we deal with young people, we are all mandate…

Thanks very much, Deputy. I am aware the childcare search on the Hive website does not currently contain fees listed for services for the programme year 2021 to 2022. The portal was originally designed to contain information for the current programme year only. In addition to service fee lists, the following information is available on the portal: contact details for services; whether services are…

I acknowledge the manner in which the Deputy and his party leader have followed this through. What I can say is that the portal was recently upgraded and it now includes fee lists for the previous programme year of 2023 to 2024. There is an issue at present - there is no point in saying there is not - in terms of the capacity of the Hive website to go further back. To ameliorate that or make recom…

The officials are working on the solution and the 2021-22 fees list will be made available through the county and city childcare committees. Also published will be the list of services that have been approved to increase their fees through the fee increase assessment process. It is the Department's best estimate currently that this will be available in the coming weeks. I am happy to engage with t…

The Deputy is correct. The Government has made a significant commitment to improve accessibility, availability, affordability and the quality of early learning and childcare provision. Investment in early learning and childcare is now at an unprecedented level with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025, clearly demonstrating the Government’s commitment to this area. The programme for Gov…

I agree with much of what the Deputy said. It is much of Government policy insofar as the key elements of that policy are, in the first instance, to manage and reduce costs for parents, which is a key anchor, and, second, to ensure sustainability of the service is being provided and that providers are sustainable in moving forward. A further element is to increase provision of places and to ensure…

I will be clear. I am very happy to engage with the Deputy on this. I engage on an ongoing basis with stakeholders on whatever body of work needs to be done. He is right. We are unanimous in our acknowledgement across every sector within this Chamber that a job of work needs to be done and must continue to be done in this sector. However, while significant progress has been made, more progress nee…

As the State is not the employer of staff in this sector, neither I nor the Department can set pay or determine working conditions. The joint labour committee is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates, which are set down in employment regulation orders. I absolutely acknowledge the joint labour committee is independent in its…

I acknowledge this is a personal interest of Deputy Kerrane because she has raised it on many occasions. It is my absolute determination that €45 million is being made available and it is my absolute wish that that €45 million is used fully, totally and wholly for the purpose for which it is given. I would always say, irrespective of whether I am inside the House or outside, that if we do not hav…

I want to be clear that I absolutely respect the independence of the joint labour committee. It is important it would do its work and that it would have that independence, but I am acknowledging there is that €45 million available and it is my view it should go for the purpose of salaries. The Deputy referenced the previous EROs and what occurred there. I acknowledge that the setting of minimum r…

I thank the Deputy and I appreciate the question. The Deputy has engaged with me on an ongoing basis on this. As I have stated previously, the State is not the employer of staff in the sector and neither I nor the Department can set their pay or determine working conditions. The joint labour committee is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate…

I absolutely agree with the Deputy. It is to everyone's benefit, most especially the children, that we have suitably remunerated and qualified staff. That is the purpose of specifically ring-fencing the funding this year. As I have already said, it is my absolute desire that it would be used in full for that purpose. I also acknowledge that there is significant work under way to support those who…

I agree with the Deputy; I believe there is unanimity here regarding the €45 million and how it should be spent in full. If the joint labour committee is unable to agree on a new employment regulation order for the start of the 2025-26 year, the ring-fenced €45 million will not be made available at the start of the year either. That is the purpose of it. I am hopeful and it is my wish that everyth…

I thank the Deputy. This issue is of particular interest to him and he has raised it many times. As I have said previously, the introduction of core funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding. Since the scheme was introduced, its effect…