I thank Deputies Cooney and McAuliffe. I will go to the last question first. The building blocks scheme has been positively welcomed and will deliver an additional 1,500 places, which is hugely important. The budget available for that was €25 million and I appreciate this brings its own constraints but it is delivering 1,500 additional places. As I previously outlined, we are also working on payment for staff with th…
TDs / Norma Foley
Norma Foley
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
119,703
words spoken in the chamber
119,703 as a minister, 0 as a TD
413
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
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Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 341 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
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| April 2025 | 37 |
| May 2025 | 11 |
| June 2025 | 20 |
| July 2025 | 1 |
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| September 2026 | 27 |
| October 2026 | 11 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 296 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Kerry 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth 23 January 2025 to 1 May 2025
- office Minister for Children, Disability and Equality 2 May 2025 to now
I acknowledge the Deputy's question which specifically asks about after-school and general childcare places.
Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing, which is an important point to make at the outset. The estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 19% between 2022 and 2024. Enrolments in Cork county and city each increased by almost 29% in the same period. Core funding application data sho…
We absolutely recognise that there are areas across the country where it is extremely challenging for the needs of parents to be met. For this reason, the Department is taking a number of initiatives, such as the building blocks extension scheme to provide assistance for an existing provider to put on an extension and to provide for more places. Where that is not a possibility and where no provider is in place, there…
I will begin by addressing Deputy Gould's points. The express purpose last year of introducing the guidelines to schools was to ensure that they would have a freedom, at the end of the school day, to introduce things like after-school provision. As part of the guidelines, schools were informed that any funding they received through that would not impact on any grants they received from the Department of Education. It…
The Department funds the provision of a range of Tusla services in County Clare, including family resource centres in Shannon, Kilrush, Ennistymon and Killaloe. These services do great work with children and families throughout Clare, and I am delighted to be able to support that work. According to information provided by Tusla on the number of social workers in Clare, I have been informed that 20 social workers are …
I confirm that the Department allocated additional funding to Tusla in 2023 and 2024 and there was record investment in 2025. This included increased capital investment.
Regarding foster care, 87.2% of all children in State care are cared for in the foster care setting. I cannot overstate the importance of this. It is a great opportunity for children to be placed in the foster care setting, which is excellent. In re…
As I said at the outset, there are 20 social workers in County Clare. All of the three current vacancies are due to be filled this summer, depending on whether they relate to a career break, maternity leave or whatever else, so they will be at their full capacity of 23 social workers.
I recognise the invaluable work of social workers. Across the country, there is a lack of social workers available to us. It is for t…
I appreciate the Deputy's ongoing engagement with me on this matter. She will be aware that earlier this month I announced the introduction of maximum fee caps for all partner services in core funding from September 2025. The fee freeze will remain in place for all partner services with fees below these caps. This is an important step towards the reduction of childcare fees to €200 per month over the lifetime of this…
I thank the Deputy very much. I acknowledge that she has consistently raised the very specific challenges in her area. She is correct that the cost of childcare is one thing; the remuneration of staff is another element of it; and there is also the availability of places or access to places. In that respect, there are a number of different initiatives. We already discussed that two weeks ago when we announced the Bui…
I thank the Deputies for their questions. On the last point, I have been very clear and the programme for Government is very clear: this will be delivered over the lifetime of this Government. It will be done in an incremental manner. One of the first key steps was taken just last week when we announced a fee cap would be put in place. We will build on that as we go forward.
Deputy Boland has engaged with me before …
Specifically, that is a matter for the Department of Social Protection. I am speaking to our remit, which is childcare provision and care for disability.
I move the following Revised Estimates:
Vote 25 — Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised Estimate).
That a sum not exceeding €9,709,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and for payment of certain grants.
Vote 40— Children, Disabil…
I had something prepared but I will do my best to run through some of the points that were raised.
Deputy Kerrane should note that on the challenges regarding respite, residential services and others, it is positive that we can say there is a €3.2 billion budget for disabilities. This has been raised by other speakers as well. It has led to considerable improvements in some areas but, without doubt, there are challe…
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 by her intelligence…
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 opportunity to meet with h…
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 matters of signific…
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 conditions of early years …
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 investigate the care …
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 subject of abuse allegati…
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, and the commenceme…
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 mandated persons and there …