Norma Foley
Kerry · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Therefore, the means by which the motion proposes to address the challenges raised may not specifically align with the approach being taken, but I absolutely accept that the underlying goals are the same and I accept the Deputies' sincerity in seeking to achieve them.”
“I intend to bring forward specific proposals arising from this work towards the end of the year, depending on progress and the outcome of ongoing engagement with stakeholders.”
“Working with that office, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is absolutely committed to seeking to expand and reform specialist disability services in order to maximise individuals’ independence and support them to live lives of their choosing in places of their choosing.”
“A number of new measures are in train to move towards planned provision of residential supports, including the provision of planned residential placements under a new initiative, as outlined in the HSE’s 2026 national service plan.”
“I absolutely accept they are fighting tirelessly to highlight the need for us to ensure their loved ones are cared for and provided with appropriate housing, as and when it is needed. For far too many families, placements are made at the last minute, causing distress to individuals and their families.”
“In line with commitments contained in the programme for Government and the national human rights strategy, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is now developing a new vision and reform strategy for disability services.”
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“Last year, my Department submitted Ireland’s comprehensive response to the committee’s list of issues, and in June of this year a cross-government delegation will attend before the committee to answer questions on Ireland’s record and actions under the convention. The Government will continue to engage positively with bodies across Irish society to ensure the comprehensive implementation of Ireland’s commitments under this convention. We know that the pursuit of gender equality is an issue that concerns us all, including everyone in this House, as well as all those who walk the streets of our towns and villages right across the entire country. For women and for men, for girls and for boys, it is vital that we achieve a fair and equal society, where opportunity is in place for everyone.”
“This convention, adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, is often described as the international bill of rights for women. It defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. Ireland signed and ratified this convention in 1985. By accepting the convention, Ireland has committed itself to enacting the necessary measures to end discrimination against women in all its forms. Most significantly, this includes enshrining the principle of equality between men and women in law and striving to achieve equality in the areas of public life, health, education and other employment.”
“As Minister, I will continue to support my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Deputy Jim O’Callaghan, to press for ongoing progress to support survivors and to strengthen our preventative mechanisms. In 2023, as part of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, an entitlement to five days paid domestic violence leave was introduced to support women in the workplace with time to attend medical or court appointments when in such traumatic circumstances. My officials will be commencing a review of the legislation in November, two years after the entitlement being introduced, to ensure that the leave is fit for purpose or to consider whether changes might be needed going forward. In 2024 Ireland submitted its eighth State report under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.”
“The Minister will elaborate upon the substantial progress made in fostering gender equality in Ireland and will assert the need to continue this work both at home and abroad. Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence remains a scourge on society, and collectively we need to fight against the normalisation of such behaviour, to amplify the voice of women in the midst of such situations, and for those survivors who have important stories to share and to tell. Zero Tolerance: the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2022- 2026, and the establishment of Cuan, the dedicated domestic violence agency, are significant initiatives which reflect the Government’s ongoing commitment to combating such violence.”
“On the occasion of this very significant anniversary, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women is undertaking a review and appraisal of progress made in implementing the commitments set out in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Accordingly, all States are called upon to undertake a comprehensive national-level review of the progress made and, importantly, the challenges encountered. In this spirit, my Department has led work across government to prepare Ireland’s comprehensive national review. My colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, will represent Ireland at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York this month.”
“When the Government first launched the balance for better business initiative in 2018, Ireland trailed the EU average by 7.8%, at 16th of the EU 27. Today, Ireland exceeds the EU average by 5.6% and is currently ranked sixth in the EU. It is not lost on me that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which sets out an agenda for women’s empowerment globally. Developed at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, it consolidated five decades worth of legal advances aimed at securing gender equality in law and practices.”
“In the past two years, our councillors and Oireachtas Members can now take maternity leave and, going forward, the programme for Government commits to establishing maternity, paternity and adoptive leave policies for all elected representatives. Ensuring that women are represented in senior leadership teams is vital for enhancing decision-making and fostering innovation. The EU directive on gender balance on corporate boards requires member states to ensure that, by the end of June 2026, listed companies achieve 40% representation of women as board members. I am happy to report that Ireland has met this target early and has continued to exceed the EU average for the representation of women on the boards of the largest listed companies.”
“It is also worth mentioning that those women who find themselves in situations of harm or physical danger at home can access domestic violence leave to allow them the opportunity to reach a safe space. Again, this is an important initiative. The programme for Government commits to a number of actions that support women and their families, including the introduction of surrogacy leave for intending parents. Commitments have been included to examine the possibility of extending parents' leave so that parents get to spend quality time with their children in those crucial early years of life. I am pleased to say that provision has been made for women involved in public service both here in this House and in our councils across the country.”
“These supports are essential for women with children, especially those whose children have additional needs. I will be furthering this work to see what additional assistance we can provide to reduce the burden felt by those with competing care responsibilities. We have also made provision for women who receive a serious diagnosis during pregnancy or during their maternity leave to put a pause on that leave and to return to it once they have had the necessary treatment. Doing this means that mothers and their babies can continue to have critical bonding time together, which is so formative in the early years of life. This is a very significant and positive step forward.”
“This has been a clear commitment for this Government and the previous Government. We have made positive progress in this space over recent years but, again, more progress is required. With regard to progress, parents are now entitled to nine weeks paid leave which can be taken within the first two years after birth. Additionally, parental leave entitlements have been increased from 18 weeks to 26 weeks. Breast-feeding breaks for employees have been extended to two years after the birth of the child. This is an important child well-being initiative which supports mothers in the workplace. Furthermore, there is now leave in place for the medical care of children under 12 years of age. A right to request flexible working arrangements has been introduced and significant reforms are ongoing to improve childcare affordability for parents.”
“Work is under way to transpose the other elements of this directive, such as having employers advertise salary scales for roles, salary comparisons for similar roles and joint pay assessments for organisations that do not take steps to address their gender pay gaps. Going to work and building careers is an important, significant and rewarding part of all our lives. It is the mission of this Government to make it fairer for women now, and for girls of the future, so they can be successful, contribute to the world and make a really positive difference in whatever field they might choose to dedicate themselves. In our collective efforts to support women and girls, we must also think beyond the individual and also look towards the family to see how Government can better support parents and children.”
“A database like this will become an invaluable resource to provide the evidence we need so that we can target and tailor further measures in the future. Reporting on the gender pay gap began in 2022 for employers with over 250 staff and this reporting requirement has since been extended to those organisations with 150 employees or more. I am pleased to say that, this year, reporting obligations will be further extended to organisations with over 50 staff. Gender pay gap reporting is just one element of the EU directive on pay transparency, which aims to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value.”
“This has been achieved through a number of comprehensive measures, led by Government, including improving leave entitlements for parents, as well as investing in affordable childcare. Collectively, these measures have ensured that the Irish workplace is becoming a fairer environment for women, allowing them the opportunity to pursue the kinds of careers that they might wish to pursue. Of course, in acknowledging the progress made, we must also seek to safeguard the achievements that we have made so that we can maintain a firm foundation upon which to build further. Right now, the Department is developing an online portal that will require organisations to report directly to Government on their gender pay gap.”
“The gender pay gap highlights the inequalities women face in the workplace, especially when it comes to things like pay, access to work, progression within organisations, including serving in senior positions, as well as other key rewards and opportunities received as part of life in a professional setting. The Government is intent on leading important initiatives to wholeheartedly address the issues I have referenced. While I acknowledge that challenges persist, it is always important to acknowledge how far we have come, to step back and see the progress that has been made. Specifically, Ireland has been a positive player in working to reduce the gender pay gap and good progress, but not enough progress, has been made in recent years. Our gender pay gap has reduced from 14.4% in 2017 to 9.6% in 2022.”
“In that spirit, the voices of women from all backgrounds and experiences, coupled with experts from across the fields of health, education and the social sector will all help to play a role in creating a strategy that will work to inform progressive Government decisions over the next number of years so that women and girls feel safe and supported. As Minister, I am very pleased to lead this process. An important change in Irish life in recent decades has been the rise in the number of women in employment. However, women in the workplace still face an array of challenges.”
“Crucially, this new strategy will place a focus on how different policies, emerging from across the four corners of Government, directly impact women, especially those who come from marginalised communities, including women living with disabilities. In recent years, research has shown that women living with disabilities who claim low socioeconomic mobility often struggle to access and participate fully in public life. As this new national strategy develops and evolves, it will focus on ensuring that we acknowledge and learn how day-to-day inequalities and disadvantage impact upon the lived realities of women in this country. In my role as Minister, with a broad portfolio, I will work to ensure that this strategy is co-ordinated and designed to reflect the priorities of women and girls no matter what their life story might be.”
“This new strategy will adopt what is termed a life cycle approach. This is an important framework that recognises that, as life evolves, so too do the challenges and opportunities that women and girls face. The life cycle approach is holistic in how it views the rights of women and girls and will enable the Government to tailor responses to the evolving needs of women and girls across the many different stages of life. The Department is working hard with a variety of stakeholders, including the National Youth Assembly and the National Women’s Council of Ireland, to ensure that this strategy reflects the priorities of women and girls at all stages of life in a modern and ever-changing Irish society. I was very pleased to personally meet many of them this week at a roundtable discussion on the formation of the strategy.”
“When I took part in negotiations to agree the programme for Government, I was very clear about my priorities and the need to improve and enhance our work on gender equality. The actions proposed by this Government on gender equality, some of which I will outline today, have never been more important and I look forward to working with this House and all stakeholders to ensure we can advance these priorities together. As Minister with responsibility for gender equality, I am especially pleased that we will soon publish the next national strategy for women and girls. As we all know, robust policy is the cornerstone of social progress and is the bedrock upon which good decisions are made. I am immensely proud that a strategy like this one places the rights of women and girls at the heart of Government action.”
“It is a great honour to stand here today, ahead of International Women’s Day, as the newly appointed Minister for children, disability and equality. Throughout my career, it has always been incredibly important to me to ensure that women and girls of all ages have the same opportunities as their male counterparts in all aspects of their professional and personal lives. Equality of opportunity has always been a guiding principle for me in everything that I have sought to achieve throughout my time in government. In this spirit, I take on my new ministerial portfolio with a sense of hope and optimism that further progress can and will be made to improve our country for women and girls.”
“There is a reference in the programme for Government to do as the Deputy has outlined. There is no timescale for that, but there is a reference and that can be manifested within the review process.”
“As I have outlined and as the Deputy has said, this is a new scheme. The new scheme will be allowed to run but it is subject to review. That review will take place by 2027 in advance of 2028. Therefore, it will run and then there will be a review. We will then see what scope there is to change it, to add to it or whatever the case might be. However, in the existing national action plan for childminding there is an absolute distinction between provision of care for children in a childminder's home and the provision of care for children in the home of the child or parent. That is the position as it stands currently, notwithstanding that there will be a review and at that point there will be an opportunity to see if there is an opportunity to do things differently, to add to the scheme or whatever.”
“In addition, because they work in the parents' or the child's home rather than their own home, au pairs, nannies or babysitters cannot be held responsible for the safety or suitability of that home for the purpose of early learning or childcare. There are no current plans to bring nannies, au pairs or babysitters into the scope of registration or the national childcare scheme. However, the national action plan commits to develop information and training resources relating to the use of nannies, au pairs and babysitters.”
“I want to be absolutely clear so there is no misunderstanding here. The national action plan that currently exists for childminding distinguishes between childminding which involves care in the childminder's home and care that takes place in the child's home which may be carried out by a nanny, an au pair, a babysitter or whatever term one might wish to use. The employment relationship and the legal and regulatory context are completely different between childminders who work in the childminder's home and someone who works in the child's home. A childminder working from the childminder's own home is self-employed whereas someone caring for a child in the child's own home is regarded as an employee of the child's parents.”
“The Department will undertake this review, which will include consultation with childminders and other stakeholders, during the three-year transition period which runs to 2027. In order to access national childcare scheme subsidies, childminders must register with Tusla and then enter into contract to provide the scheme. In order to register with Tusla, a childminder is required to undertake pre-registration training, as well as meeting a number of other regulatory requirements and making an application to Tusla.”
“A key objective of the national action plan for childminding is to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from State subsidies through the national childcare scheme. Childminding-specific regulations were initially developed by a regulation and inspection advisory group, whose stakeholder membership included childminders and Childminding Ireland. The regulations are proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting in which childminders work. In finalising the regulations, substantial changes were made in response to feedback in the public consultation last year. The national action plan commits to a review of the initial implementation of the childminding-specific regulations before 2028.”
“I thank the Deputy. The national childcare scheme provides financial supports to parents to help reduce the cost of early learning and childcare. Only Tusla-registered providers are eligible to participate in the scheme. The limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered providers helps to ensure that public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision. All childminders are now eligible to register with Tusla. This follows the commencement of legislation on 30 September 2024 which removes the legal exemption of childminders from registration and ensures parents who use Tusla-registered childminders are eligible for subsidies under the national childcare scheme. The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 set out a pathway for the extension of registration to childminders.”
“The maximum base-rate allocation decreased from €600,000 to €500,000. I absolutely understand where the Deputy's heart is because the provision of these services is so integral to the life cycle within the community. He should be under no illusion; we are absolutely committed. We are doing it by making the money available and making the provision available. We will do all that is needed in future. I absolutely accept his bona fides.”
“Ar an gcéad dul síos chun an fhírinne a rá, cé acu as Béarla nó as Gaeilge, ní féidir a shéanadh go bhfuil an-dul chun cinn déanta ag an Stát chun gach tacaíocht a thabhairt don earnáil seo. Tá na figiúirí agam arís. Lean ar aghaidh liom anois. The flat rate for services registered on the Tusla early years register of sessional only, which is a preschool service offering a programme for a total of not more than three and a half hours, increased from €4,075 to €5,000. This will strengthen support for sessional-only services, which typically operate for shorter hours per week and fewer weeks per year. The minimum base-rate allocation increased from €8,150 to €14,000. This is the minimum amount of funding a centre-based service will receive through the base rate and ensures a minimum guaranteed income for services.”
“As I already referenced, a specific €45 million additional was provided to support employers meet the cost of wage increases. Again, it is an unprecedented intervention by the State. In total, into the sector the Deputy referenced, €1.37 billion is being invested, which was never before done by the State. It is quite staggering.”
“I want to be very clear about State intervention here. At the outset, I want to acknowledge the excellent work of those who provide the voluntary services the Deputy referenced in his constituency and throughout the country. I wan to be very clear about State intervention here. Over the last three years, just short of €900 million has been provided through core funding by the State. It is unprecedented; it was never done before. It is an unparalleled resource of funding going into these services. This past year alone, it is at a level of €331 million, as I said. In addition to that, there are other interventions by the State, such as the building blocks extension programme, with €25 million available to providers where they can apply to provide for extensions or whatever.”
“This allocation, which is conditional on updated employment regulation orders being negotiated by the joint labour committee, translates into an additional €45 million for the programme year 2025-2026. That is specifically dedicated to pay in the sector.”
“As the State is not the employer of staff in the sector, neither I nor my Department can set wage levels or determine working conditions. There is, however, a formal mechanism established in the independent early years services joint labour committee, where employer and employee representatives can negotiate terms and conditions of employment, including minimum pay rates for different roles in the sector. Outcomes from the joint labour committee process are supported by the Government through the core funding scheme. The allocation for the 2024-2025 year of core funding is €331 million. It is an unprecedented level of State intervention. In budget 2025, an additional €15 million was secured specifically to support employers meet the costs of further increases to the minimum rates of pay.”
“I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge that many early learning and care and school-age childcare services report staffing challenges in relation to recruitment and retention. In general, these staffing pressures in the sector are caused not by insufficient supply of qualified personnel, but by high levels of staff turnover. The most recent published data from the annual early years sector profile survey shows staff turnover for the sector is at 24.5%, however it is estimated that approximately one third of staff leaving services are doing so to move to another service. Notwithstanding this, the data from that survey also shows that the workforce in the sector continues to grow, increasing by 8% over a 12-month period. Pay is one of a number of issues impacting these staffing levels.”
“There is a very strong body of work under way in my Department in terms of providing additional capacity, which I already referenced, and working towards the €200 target. There are many aspects involved in that and many aspects also involved in State-led provisions, whether it is employment, ownership of buildings or whatever the case might be. That work is commencing within the Department.”
“I thank the Deputy for his contribution and the contribution of his children to our education system and our sports clubs, etc. I recognise - obviously, I say this sincerely - that the support that is necessary for families is hugely prioritised by the Government. I have already outlined what is being done in terms of availability or the very sustainability of childcare-providing services. To ensure we have a sustainable model, the core funding model has been introduced, with an investment of more than €900 million in the last three years, which is an unprecedented level of State intervention, to ensure that this sector cannot just survive but can do the job of work it intends to do, which is to provide care for children and alleviate issues for parents.”
“In terms of affordability for parents, there has been a substantial decrease in the cost for parents by the previous Government. Notwithstanding that, there is a huge body of work that remains to be done. We are committing to the €200 payment, and early scoping work is already being done in that regard.”
“I thank the Deputy very much. He referenced two key things in his presentation: accessibility and availability of places, and the cost for parents. We are very conscious of accessibility and availability. There are increases in terms of availability but by no means is there a sufficiency. That has been outlined by many Deputies in the House. The programme for Government also commits to the State intervening, where necessary, to provide State-led facilities and we will do that. An early scoping exercise is being done to provide for that. I have already referenced the poll of parents. Obviously, there is engagement with childcare providers. That will be a very important step forward to meet what the Deputy has referred to as the availability aspect of it.”
“However, out-of-pocket costs for some families remain too high and I am conscious of that. The new programme for Government commits to progressively reduce the cost of early learning and childcare to €200 per child. Officials and I are examining this ambitious commitment and exploring approaches to most effectively achieve this objective over the lifetime of this Government.”
“Other recent enhancements to the scheme include the extension of the upper age eligibility for the universal subsidy from three years of age to 15 years of age in August of 2022 and the increases to the minimum hourly subsidy rate in January 2022 and September 2023. With 96% of all providers in Kilkenny participating in core funding and adhering to fee management conditions of that funding, including a fee freeze, the benefit of the national childcare scheme subsidies to parents in Kilkenny is being fully maximised. It is a considerable uptake of core funding in Kilkenny and as I said, it does allow for the maximum benefit of the scheme to be experienced by families. The increases in the national childcare scheme subsidy rates, along with fee controls and other reforms to the scheme, are delivering much greater affordability for parents.”
“Specifically, so far this year, 3,569 children in Kilkenny are benefiting from a subsidy under the national childcare scheme. This represents an increase of almost 13% or 403 children in Kilkenny benefiting from this scheme when compared to the same period last year. This growth in national childcare scheme beneficiaries is mirrored nationwide, with the numbers of children benefiting from the scheme up more than 70% since 2022 and record numbers - 178,000 children - benefiting already this year. Among this cohort are the children in childminding settings who have come forward for registration following changes to the childminder Tusla registration requirements last September.”
“They will be invited to share their thoughts and views on it and it will inform best practice on initiatives by the Department as we seek to achieve the €200 target, as outlined in the programme for Government.”
“In my role as Minister, I will be engaging with all representative bodies regarding childcare provision. That is ongoing this week and will be for the next number of weeks. Their point of view and experiences will be very important to the general discussion we have on moving towards the €200 target that has been set. Equally important to that will be the voice of parents. That is already under way. It will be supported by the scoping exercise that is already under way and the forward planning unit that is now positioned within the Department. It will not be just one element that will inform how we will proceed. Rather, it will involve all stakeholders in the sector.”
“We have given that commitment that it will be over the lifetime of the Government, so it will be done over the next five years. There will be engagement across all areas of the sector. Those working on the ground and parents are hugely important to determine how we will proceed.”
“As I said earlier, 178,000 children have claimed under the national childcare scheme this year. This is a 14% increase on last year. Year on year, we are seeing an increase in children availing of the national childcare scheme. We are also seeing an increase in availability. For the first time, childminders are now eligible to apply for the scheme. That is a further expansion of the scheme. The sustainability and management aspects of the scheme are hugely important. I acknowledge that the Deputy referred to the significant funding that has gone into it up to this point. A total of 92% of eligible services have signed up to core funding. This is more than 4,400 services availing of core funding. The Deputy is correct about the programme for Government initiative on the €200 cost.”
“The scoping work being done to determine those needs will be very helpful in this respect. Record numbers are now benefiting from the national childcare scheme. A total of 220,000 children benefited from a subsidy under the scheme in 2024, with families using 45 hours receiving almost €100 per week. Fee controls, in place in almost 93% of services as a result of the core funding scheme, ensure the investment is not unnecessarily absorbed by fee increases. I am committed within the lifetime of the Government to continuing to improve affordability and reach the €200 per month target set. Further progress on affordability cannot be made in isolation, however, and must be integrated with our efforts to improve access, availability and quality.”
“Government is also committing this unit to introduce an element of public provision, as I referred to previously, with State-led facilities to add capacity in conjunction with capacity provided by private operators. As a key first step, the unit will work to identify the type and number of local places across the country and how that compares with the numbers of children in the corresponding age groups. A poll is nearing completion. It is being analysed and I hope to have awareness of that by the end of March or some time in April. Taking a more strategic approach to forward planning and the option of public delivery offers much greater scope to influence the type and amount of places available and to better align with families’ needs. This is a key concern for Government, that we are meeting the needs of parents.”
“Investment in early learning and childcare is now at unprecedented levels with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025, clearly demonstrating the Government’s commitment to this area. As well as addressing affordability, this investment has served to improve accessibility, availability and the quality of provision. The new programme for Government provides the impetus now to go much further and to deliver more high-quality early learning and childcare places at a cost that is affordable to families. Under this Government, the recently established supply management unit in the Department will be resourced and transformed into a forward planning and delivery unit to identify areas of need and better forecast demand.”
“I am very cognisant of the issue of pay and it is a concern for me. We have seen two increases in minimum rates of pay for roles in the sector. These have positively impacted 70% and 50% of the workforce, respectively, but obviously the work is ongoing.”
“I hear the Deputy's concerns. Government has not been found wanting in terms of investment. Over three years, just short of €900 million has been spent. The level of funding is quite extraordinary, always with the proviso that it delivers for parents, the workers and the providers. Regarding capacity, Government is very cognisant of this issue. The Deputy will note that, in the programme for Government, a specific commitment has been made regarding, that when required, the State can intervene in the provision of service, supplementing and recognising that capacity is also being provided by the private sector. A body of work is under way on this. Early scoping is being done, as I referred to earlier. There is a poll to gather information from parents regarding where they see the logjams might exist.”
“My officials are available to support the joint labour committee in its deliberation, through the provision of information and related data. However, it is a priority to ensure that we have sufficiency of provision and that those who work in the sector are appropriately recompensed, and equally that the sector itself - the providers - is sustainable.”