I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. In order to overcome the challenges within the care system that were highlighted on the programme and which have been raised by the Deputies, which I acknowledge, the Department secured an overall increase of €177 million for Tusla in the most recent budget. That is representing a 14% increase in Tusla's budget over 2025. This brings Tusla's total budget to over …
TDs / Norma Foley
Norma Foley
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
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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
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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
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| 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 thank the Deputy. As she will be aware, the mother and baby homes institutions payment scheme provides payments and health benefits to people who spent time in any of the mother and baby, or county home, institutions. These were institutions that were identified by the mother and baby homes commission of investigation as having a main function of providing sheltered and supervised ante- and post-natal facilities to…
Specifically, in relation to the case, I acknowledge that the Department of children is responsible for overseeing the administration of the mother and baby institutions payment scheme and it must do so in line with the legislative scope and the intent of the Mother and Baby and Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023 as enacted by the Oireachtas.
There has been considerable consideration of the legal advice that has b…
I do not at all take away from the individual cases the Deputy referenced. I have to say in sincerity that I am obliged to accept the legal advice presented by the Attorney General and the legal teams. The legal advice that I have received is quite categoric in that it proposes that the decision as it stands would create a number of significant unintended difficulties. That is the clear-cut legal advice.
In terms of…
I appreciate the Deputy raising the question and I acknowledge that she has raised it previously. The guardian ad litem, GAL, service is a nationally organised and managed service established to ensure that children's voices are heard and their best interests are independently presented in childcare proceedings by an appointed guardian ad litem. The target is 23 June for commencement of Part 7 of the Child Care (Amen…
I do not for a single second underestimate the importance of the powerful advocacy of guardians ad litem. They are hugely important. This process is to ensure that they have the appropriate supports, the appropriate regulation and that everything is as it should be. I reiterate that for many years there have been calls to examine this system to see how we can do better and to ensure that the voice of the child is ver…
I reiterate that the entire purpose here is to ensure that the guardian ad litem service is doing what it should do.
I recognise that guardians ad litem are an incredibly powerful resource who are hugely important in presenting the view of the child. This is to strengthen the service and ensure the system works. It is important that the system is regulated and there is absolutely no doubt about that. It is important…
The Deputy will be aware that we recently announced €135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality accessible State-led early learning and childcare. The process begins this year, as he said, with investment in buildings in what will be a groundbreaking initiative for the Government. Capital funding will be used to acquire or fit out building, depending on the requirements. Up to eight buildings wil…
I acknowledge there are three applications in Kildare and they will be adjudicated in due course. The purpose of the State-led system is to step in where there is no provision. The point I was attempting to make on existing providers is that they may well be better suited to the building blocks arrangement. We have just announced a €10 million investment for private powders or community providers in the core funding …
To be fair, it is a rolling application and it is still possible to nominate or submit buildings. There will come a point where we will have to say they will be considered in 2027 as opposed to 2026 and I want to be clear on this. At present we are still accepting them. In terms of Kildare, under the previous building blocks scheme two proposals were accepted and funded. I encourage more providers, either in Kildare …
As I said earlier, I am pleased to have announced on Tuesday that next phase of the building scheme. It is a €10 million capital funding scheme to deliver a significant number of additional early learning and childcare places. The scheme is being funded under the updated national development plan. The purpose of the building blocks scheme is to deliver additional capacity in the sector by supporting existing early le…
I thank Deputy Dempsey very much. I acknowledge her personal engagement with me on all matters related to early years and childcare. I know it is a particular priority for her and her constituents. The Deputy is correct that it is important to look at two schemes. The building blocks scheme has incredible potential to support private providers but also community providers and, indeed, to provide additional places. Th…
I acknowledge the role of the city and county childcare committees. We are indebted to them for their expertise and the manner in which they provide engagement on the ground with local providers, both private and community. I give them a shout-out because we have 50 engagements taking place right across the country on developing phase 2 of our action plan. Part of the discussion or conversation is around education, p…
The mother and baby institutions payment scheme opened for applications in March 2024. Over its full lifetime, the scheme had been tentatively estimated to benefit up to a maximum of 34,000 people who spent time in mother and baby and county home institutions. The scheme is open for five years, so there is ample time for survivors to apply. It is very important that they are aware of that. I believe they have until M…
Specifically on the 6,500 determinations and 5,200 payments, they will all have come at different times. The gap between the two figures is because the applications came at different times and are being processed at different times. However, if a notice of determination has been reached, it has been reached. It is absolutely our desire and intention to get the maximum number of people engaged in the process.
I ackno…
Going back to the announcement in terms of the UK, I appreciate the point the Deputy raised on legislation. In that respect, we all accept that it takes some time to put legislation in place. In the interim, I particularly welcome, as I have referenced, the proactive step that has been taken in relation to guidelines.
I am aware that operational guidance has issued to Department for Work and Pensions staff on pensio…
I appreciate the Deputy raising the question.
We know that Tusla is facing significant and ongoing challenges in sourcing appropriate placements for children and young people. It is important to recognise that there has been a 500% increase in arrivals of separated children seeking international protection entering the State since 2022, with the vast majority of arrivals aged 16 or 17 years of age. This has signific…
I join with the Deputy in saying what all we saw and witnessed on the programme last night has been incredibly upsetting in terms of the young people who were part of it and the experiences that they shared. I want to acknowledge that.
I want to acknowledge also the staff that work with them every day. This past week, I met with social workers and social care workers. I am very conscious of the work of the foster ca…
The disputed age has been flagged by Tusla. It is a concern of the agency.
In relation to these three individuals, it will be worked through with the Department of justice. It is important that if there is any question over appropriate age, these young people are not placed with other young people who are underage.
In terms of the reliance on special emergency accommodation, I want to be clear that we are doing all…
I have always been clear in communicating that the €200 per month commitment over the lifetime of the Government is hugely important. While the phase 1 report of Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan sets out the next steps towards this long-term ambition, I have not waited until now to take action. In September 2025, maximum fee caps were extended to all partner services in core funding. Budget 2026 also enabl…
I absolutely agree with the Deputy. There is, in many respects, a balancing act in this. We have to ensure it is affordable for parents and that enough places are made available. We spoke earlier about State-led initiatives and the building blocks extension, which will be launched this week for providers. We also have to ensure that enough staff are available and that we are supporting them. I acknowledge that €45 mi…
I acknowledge the great work happening in the Deputy's constituency. It was a pleasure to visit Ballymun and see at first hand the excellent work that happens there. I am aware of the Deputy's personal commitment to advancing early years childcare provision in his constituency.
Specifically, it is hugely important that we support providers and parents from an affordability point of view, but that we also support sta…
I thank Deputy Kerrane for the question. Tusla has statutory responsibility for the operation of special care and the provision of special care beds. The Department recognises the significant challenges facing special care and is actively engaging with Tusla to address these challenges. Tusla has indicated that difficulties in the recruitment and retention of staff are the primary limiting factors in operating specia…
I acknowledge that there is an issue in terms of staffing levels for special care. We are very conscious of that. As I said, you can be dealing with very complex cases at a minimum. It is a staff requirement of seven people to one young person. In many instances, 14 staff could be required for one young person. Tusla is proactive on the ground, ensuring that there will be newer avenues or streams to bring in staff an…
I cannot comment on HR matters for Tusla and how staff are moved or otherwise. It would be inappropriate. It is directly a matter for Tusla in relation to the management of its staff. Concerted efforts are being made, notwithstanding the challenges that are there. I have already referenced how upsetting it was to watch the experiences of and learn from young people their experiences, as we witnessed last night. It is…