Tusla has informed me that it has not paused its case management system. That is the confirmation that I have received from Tusla. Tusla's case management system provides a single integrated case management system that, over time, will be implemented across all Tusla services. This case management system provides a single view of each child, young person, family, care provider and others who are engaged with Tusla. T…
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
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| February 2025 | 27 |
| March 2025 | 5 |
| April 2025 | 37 |
| May 2025 | 11 |
| June 2025 | 20 |
| July 2025 | 1 |
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| May 2026 | 0 |
| June 2026 | 35 |
| July 2026 | 1 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| 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 am just providing Deputy Ó Murchú the information that was given to me from Tusla. I will ask Tusla to respond directly to his concern. I want there to be 100% clarity on the issue the Deputy raised, and I thank him for raising it. That is the information I have received from Tusla. I will ask Tusla to engage directly with Deputy Ó Murchú on the matter if there is any kind of question or concern around it.
I ackno…
The Tusla staffing level is 5,661, which is an increase of 343 staff on the previous year. There has been a 3.6% increase in the number of social workers.
Yes. I will ask Tusla to make available to the Deputy a more specific breakdown on the different types of staff. I want to mention the training places for social workers because these have proven to be impactful. The number of training places has doubled over the past five years. At the end of 2025, there were 340 placements in Tusla, with further expansion planned. A social work apprenticeship has been introduced, w…
This is a time of global uncertainty. It is a time of great difficulty and anxiety for all of society. I am more than conscious of the impact that a series of geopolitical shocks have had on people's earnings and their spending power. Inflation hurts everyone. Each crisis - Brexit, Covid-19, Ukraine, Gaza, US trade tariffs and the military action by Israel and the United States against Iran - has had a damaging impac…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle as ucht an deis a thabhairt dom labhairt anseo inniu. I appreciate the opportunity to speak today on developments at the site of the former mother and baby institution at Bessborough. The legacy of the mother and baby institutions is a deeply sad one that continues to be a source of profound hurt and pain for many people across this country. I am very conscious of the sensiti…
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"welcomes that:
— Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, operates as the single dedicated agency with a clear statutory remit;
— Tusla is held to account through robust governance and oversight arrangements;
— Tusla is served by well qualified staff who are committed to delivering essential child protection and welfare se…
Today is an important moment in facing up to a traumatic time in our history. This State was established with the intention of moving away from the cruel and harsh regime that vulnerable children experienced in workhouses. However, after independence many of these vulnerable children remained in the workhouses, which were renamed as county homes. Others were put into orphanages, industrial schools and reformatory sch…
I confirm that I am aware that a number of early years services and childminders have been receiving rates payable notifications from their local authorities. Given the importance of early learning and childcare for children, families and communities across the country, I am giving this matter my full attention. I have met with my Cabinet colleague, the Minister, Deputy Browne, on this matter. Additionally, officials…
I know the Deputy has been very engaged and active on this issue. I cannot underestimate, as I deal with it all the time, and the Deputy outlined this too, how this is causing incredible distress for so many who are an excellent source of support to families on the ground. I want to be clear. It has been the understanding of my Department that there are two exemptions for early learning and childcare services provide…
As I said, there is a clear divergence of opinion here between Tailte Éireann and the view of the Department. We would absolutely be supportive of any measure that would bring clarity. Legislation, as referenced by the Deputy, does not fall within the remit of our Department but if that is the necessary step, it is the necessary step. We are doing all we can to support childminders, particularly to come into the regi…
I appreciate the Deputy raising the important issue of funding for Tusla's residential care services in which the Government has invested significantly over recent years. Officials in the Department have received the detailed financial information he requested from Tusla and will share it with him in full tabular form. In terms of headline figures, the information provided by Tusla indicates that the total cost for s…
As I said, Tusla is working consistently to reduce reliance on SEAs. I know that is the Deputy's wish as much as my own. It is also working to reduce the costs associated with these services and promote the quality and safety of these placements.
The Department is supporting Tusla in these efforts and will continue to do so.
On the week of 8 February, 84 children and young people were classified as separated childr…
Specifically on funding for building, Tusla plans to invest a total of €286 million in expanding mainstream residential care in 2026, representing an additional €53 million in current funding compared with the amount for 2025. The additional €53 million for mainstream residential care will provide for the full-year cost of beds opened part of the way through 2025 and for an additional 30 residential care places, whic…
The Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022, which provides for reform of the GAL system, was signed into law on 19 July 2022. This is a very important consideration. The passing of this legislation enables my Department to establish the GAL national service as an executive office. This executive office of the national service carries out functions on behalf of the Minister.
A GAL is a qualified and experienced professional…
I reiterate that this was signed into law on 19 July 2022. At all times, legal advice will be available to GALs. If there are particular reasons for legal representation, such as its being recommended by the court or the GAL wishing to make an application where a case is particularly complex, it will be provided for. In the main, however, we have to be clear about the role of the GAL. He or she is an expert witness i…
I absolutely accept that this is being raised in a genuine way. I 100% accept the Deputy's bona fides and the bona fides of the GALs and everybody else. At the end of the day, everybody wants the best outcome for the child. I have no difficulty with the concerns and the issues being raised. I 100% accept that. The Deputy has made the point that, heretofore, the practice has been that when a GAL required legal represe…
I appreciate the Deputy raising this as I know it is a hugely important issue to him, the House and the wider community.
As he is aware, last September I requested Tusla to conduct a series of well-being checks for children whose cases were closed during the Covid-19 lockdown period. The Tusla well-being project team began its work last October. I am pleased to say that the project is making real progress, thanks to…
I absolutely accept the Deputy's bona fides in relation to this as well. As I said previously in relation to other matters, we want the best outcome here. We want to be very sure and assured of the young people whose cases were closed. There is a specific issue around those who "aged out", to use that phrase, which I do not like, in terms of the sharing of information from Tusla's point of view. I would be very keen …
I assure the Deputy that I am confident that learnings will come out of this, particularly cross-departmental, almost like eyes on a child and knowing where a child is at a given time, to support the child, in the best interests of the child.
Some €3.2 million has been made available to support the work of this well-being check project. I have been receiving regular updates on the work of the steering group from the…
I appreciate the Deputy raising this. It is an issue of huge interest right across the country, including in his constituency.
Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority for the Government. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the annual early years sector profile shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by 25% over the past thre…
I appreciate the case the Deputy makes. The purpose here is, in the first instance, to acknowledge that there is excellent provision by private providers and community providers. Notwithstanding that, there are still areas where there is an absence of provision. The purpose of the State-led services is to complement what is already there and to step in proactively where there is not provision. I hear the case the Dep…
I thank the Deputy. As for how we are progressing, the first port of call is the local childcare committee, and we ask people to engage there. It can then engage further with the Department. I do not at all take away from the case the Deputy is making.
We are very conscious of the costs of childcare. The premise of core funding is where fees were frozen. In return for that, operators were given core funding. The nat…
I have discussed this with the Deputy on a number of occasions and we are absolutely agreed on the importance of foster carers. There is appreciation of and agreement on that across the House. Foster carers play a vital role in enabling our most vulnerable children to live in a safe, secure and stable home environment.
While eligibility for the State pension, as the Deputy said, is a matter for the Minister for Soci…
There is a commitment in the programme for Government. What is really helpful to us as well is the public consultation we are having. It is a great framework for us to engage with the Department of Social Protection regarding this issue because it is an issue that is consistently raised by foster carers themselves. We need to do all we can to secure the foster carers who are involved in providing care to children but…