logo
Foster families to be given back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, under plans going to cabinet

Foster families to be given back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, under plans going to cabinet

Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary will seek approval to extend access to the scheme, which is expected to benefit around 2,300 more children in 2025.
The allowance is a once off payment to those eligible families to help with the cost of clothes, uniforms and shoes when school starts in Autumn.
The scheme will be extended to those in receipt of the Foster Care Allowance and is payable for children between four and 17 who are eligible, along with those aged between 18 and 22 who are still in full-time education.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach will look to publish the analysis of the Well-Being in Ireland report for 2025, which will be used to determine certain priorities for the upcoming budget.
The fourth of its kind, the report looks at 35 indicators of well-being across 11 sections of society.
While the report will show progress in areas including income and wealth, connections, community and participation, the report has identified areas where more work needs to be done.
The report highlights that a number of groups in society, including single-parent households, lower income households, and renters paying market rates, are struggling compared to other groups.
Areas where Ireland has performed positively over time included the level of the population who felt lonely, the proportion of domestic homes with A or B energy ratings and net Government worth.
Tánaiste Simon Harris will also update cabinet on preparations for Ireland's presidency of the European Union next year.
As part of the presidency, Ireland will host a summit of the European Political Community, the largest meeting Ireland has ever hosted.
ADVERTISEMENT
The summit will involve leaders of 47 States as well as several heads of EU institutions and international organisations.
Plans for a programme of engagement to involve children and young people will be developed including initiatives with schools and community groups across the country to encourage awareness.
Both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste are expected to brief cabinet colleagues on the upcoming North-South Ministerial Council which will take place in Armagh on Friday. Trade will be high on the agenda for the council including the recent EU-UK deal.
Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon will bring a memo to cabinet on the first interim report on work by the Timber in Construction Steering Group. The report will recommend looking towards a 'Wood First' policy, which would advocate publicly procured buildings to be constructed using materials primarily of timber other bio-based products.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Harris backs idea to hold national day of solidarity in support of Palestinians
Harris backs idea to hold national day of solidarity in support of Palestinians

Irish Examiner

time2 minutes ago

  • Irish Examiner

Harris backs idea to hold national day of solidarity in support of Palestinians

Tánaiste Simon Harris has supported an idea for Ireland to hold a national day of solidarity in support of the people of Gaza. The Fine Gael leader said a proposal for a national day of solidarity was a 'sensible and a good idea', adding he will talk to colleagues on how to make it happen. He was responding to a letter written by Michael Cush, which appeared in the letters page of The Irish Times on Thursday. The suggestion for a national day or moment of solidarity made by Michael Cush in the letter is sensible and a good idea The letter said that the Irish Government has been 'brave and consistent' in its condemnation of atrocities and Israel's actions against Gaza, but that the people of Ireland are 'frustrated'. He said that people feel helpless to prevent it. 'If the Government were to call a national day of protest, making clear that it was a condemnation of atrocities in Gaza, not of Israel's right to self-determination or self-defence, the turnout would likely be enormous,' the letter added. 'Other nations might follow suit. Some good might be achieved. At the very least, Ireland and the Irish people would have done the right thing and could not be accused of standing idly by.' Posting a picture of the letter, Mr Harris said on his Instagram account that the people of Ireland stand with the people of Palestine. 'We stand for human rights, for international law, for a two state solution, for aid to flow, for hostages to be released. We stand for peace. We stand for an end to genocide,' he added. 'The suggestion for a national day or moment of solidarity made by Michael Cush in the letter is sensible and a good idea. 'It could be powerful if many countries did it together. I will now talk to colleagues on how to make this happen.' The United Nations and experts have said that Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with the World Food Programme (WFP) saying that almost a third of people in Gaza are not eating for days. The WFP said the crisis has reached new and 'astonishing levels of desperation'. Read More The latest child to starve to death in Gaza weighed less than when she was born

SImon Harris to push for national day of solidarity for Gaza
SImon Harris to push for national day of solidarity for Gaza

Extra.ie​

time2 hours ago

  • Extra.ie​

SImon Harris to push for national day of solidarity for Gaza

Táiniste Simon Harris has stated he will work to make a national day of protest for Gaza a reality. The claim was made in response to a letter written by a Mr. Michael Cush which was published in Thursdays Irish Times. The letter stated that the Irish government has been strong in its condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza, but that the government and the people of Ireland are growing frustrated as they feel 'helpless' to prevent the ongoing conflict. Táiniste Simon Harris says he will talk to his colleagues about how to make a national day of protest for Gaza a reality. Pic: Olivier Hoslet/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Simon Harris said: 'The people of Ireland stand with the people of Palestine. We stand for human rights, for international law, for a two state solution, for aid to flow, for hostages to be released. We stand for peace. We stand for an end to genocide'. Michael Cush had also said in his open letter to the newspaper that 'If the Government were to call a national day of protest, the turnout would likely be enormous' Today, Simon Harris posted the letter on his social media, alongside a statement endorsing the suggestion made by Michael Cush. The letter stated that the Irish government has been strong in its condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza, but that the government and the people of Ireland are growing frustrated as they feel 'helpless' to prevent the ongoing conflict. Pic: by Moiz Salhi/Anadolu via Getty Images He went on to add: 'The suggestion for a national day or moment of solidarity made by Michael Cush in the letter above is sensible and a good idea. 'It could be powerful if many countries did it together. I will now talk to colleagues on how to make this happen.' The Irish government has been one of the few within Europe that have labelled Israel's actions in Gaza as 'genocide', while internationally the world looks on as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, and the population face the very real threat of starvation as the war continues. The claim was made in response to a letter written by a Mr. Michael Cush which was published in Thursdays Irish Leah Farrell/ Earlier this month, Tánaiste Simon Harris said 'careful consideration' was given to a number of visa applications from a group of Palestinians, adding that the granting of a visa was a 'very important legal document.' The GAA Palestine group were set to arrive in Ireland later in July for a GAA tour. The group of 47 people included 33 children between the ages of nine and 16 years old. Ahead of the visit, The Journal revealed that the visa applications for the group had been refused by the Irish Immigration Service due to 'insufficient documentation.' 152 families in Ireland had signed up to host the group when the were due to arrive on July 18. Tour organisers admitted they were 'devastated' following the ruling, adding that they had included the required information such as detailed itineraries and financial arrangements. In an official statement released on Instagram the following week, GAA Palestine announced that their planned summer trip to Ireland cannot proceed as it is no longer possible to acquire visas and depart on time.

'Optimism but no certainty' as Trump and von der Leyen to meet in Scotland
'Optimism but no certainty' as Trump and von der Leyen to meet in Scotland

RTÉ News​

time3 hours ago

  • RTÉ News​

'Optimism but no certainty' as Trump and von der Leyen to meet in Scotland

Tomorrow's meeting between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump in Scotland is being treated as a "final negotiating session". According to a senior official in the EU delegation, there is "optimism but no certainty" that a trade deal can be reached. The meeting is being treated as a "president-to-president" negotiating session. It's understood Ms von der Leyen will also be joined by the European Trade Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, in Turnberry. In the event that a deal is reached, it will be an agreement in principle, with a final document likely to be produced in the days afterwards. Mr Trump spent much of his day today playing golf at his Turnberry resort, ahead of high-level bilateral sessions with Ms von der Leyen tomorrow, and also British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Scottish First Minister John Swinney on Monday. Meanwhile, protests against the visit of Mr Trump to Scotland took place this afternoon. Organised by the "Stop Trump Coalition", the demonstrations were held simultaneously in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Those involved said that they wanted to convey the message that they did not believe Trump should be welcomed to Scotland. Tight security around the Trump Turnberry course meant no demonstrators were seen when the president took to the greens this morning. Dressed in black, with a white cap that said USA on it, Mr Trump could be seen driving a golf buggy, flanked by a fleet of security personnel, as he played on the famous course which he bought in 2014. However hundreds gathered in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen - near the site of Mr Trump's other Scottish golf resort - to make their opposition to the president known. As the visit got under way Scottish First Minister John Swinney announced public money to support a tournament at the Trump International golf links in Aberdeenshire. The 2025 Nexo Championship - previously known as the Scottish Championship - is set to take place there next month, supported by £180,000 of public funding. Mr Swinney said: "The Scottish Government recognises the importance and benefits of golf and golf events, including boosting tourism and our economy." But Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie likened the awarding of public cash to the tournament to "handing some pocket money to the school bully". Mr Trump will head to his golf resort in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire later on in his five-day long private visit. As part of his trip he will also hold talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where the two men will refine a trade deal between the UK and the US that was agreed earlier this year. The president is also expected to talk trade with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen tomorrow. But with no talks apparently scheduled for today, the president, who is well known for his love of golf, was free to take to the famous course at Turnberry. A major security operation surrounded him, with police officers and military personnel seen scouring the grounds ahead of Mr Trump teeing off. After touching down in Scotland in Air Force One last night, the president was seen on the course at Turnberry this morning - although security fencing had also been erected around the resort, with road closures also in place to help protect Mr Trump, who last year survived an assassination attempt. Police Scotland has asked for support from other forces across the UK to bolster officer numbers for the high-profile visit - with Mr Swinney appealing to people to protest "peacefully and within the law". In Aberdeen, Green north east Scotland MSP Maggie Chapman told the crowd of hundreds: "We stand in solidarity not only against Trump but against everything he and his politics stand for." Speaking about the US president, Ms Chapman said: "He believes that climate change isn't real, he believes that cutting services for those in the world with the least is the right thing to do. "We say no to all of those things, not in our name, never in our name." With Mr Trump having last year been convicted by a New York jury of falsifying business records, she said the president was a "convicted felon". "He is not welcome in Scotland, he is certainly not welcome in Aberdeenshire," she said. "We know that he is a convicted felon. "We also know that all of the promises he has repeatedly made to Scotland have come to nothing, there hasn't been the development of jobs or houses that he promised when he opened his course in Aberdeenshire a few years ago." Mr Harvie was also critical of the president, saying: "He's attacking our renewables industry once again, one of the success stories of Scotland, and he is trying to attack and undermine it.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store