Questions

668. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline Tusla’s separation policy in instances where multiple siblings from a family are in State care in separate foster or residential placements; and specifically, if she will detail what steps it takes to ensure that biological siblings in different placements have access to one another, or access to…

669. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will review a case concerning two Palestinian people (details provided) who have been evacuated from Gaza and are in receipt of a family reunification visa as their daughter is an Irish citizen; if she will acknowledge the trauma and terror these elderly people with medical conditions have faced and th…

670. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with respect to the 14,221 children who are now overdue an assessment of need, the engagement she has made with therapists and professional stakeholders to clarify how long an average assessment takes; the plans in place to engage therapists and professional stakeholders in future reforms, including defining what is n…

671. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions recommended in the Report of the Citizen's Assembly on Gender Equality; the action plan produced by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Gender Equality that are currently completed, in progress, or have not yet been actioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15738/25]

672. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage of social media videos posted on her Department's social media accounts that included closed captioning or subtitling and Irish sign language translations between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024, inclusive. [15742/25]

673. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 259 of 26 February 2025, if she will confirm whether or not supports and services including advocacy are provided to adults aged over 26 years that were in Tusla or health board or HSE accommodation as a child, including disability residential homes; and if so, if she will prov…

674. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of assessments of need that result in no diagnosis and no need for support afterwards; for a breakdown of same, by CHO, for 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15780/25]

675. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of assessments outsourced and the cost of same, by CHO, for 2023, 2024 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15781/25]

676. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been taken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'undertake a broad consultation and publish a detailed Action Plan to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early education and care system with State-led facilities adding capacity'; if the terms of re…

677. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'grow State involvement and investment in the sector'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15783/25]

678. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to enhance parental choice through support for public providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15784/25]

679. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to enhance parental choice through support for private providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15785/25]

680. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to enhance parental choice though support for childminders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15786/25]

681. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to enhance parental choice through support for community provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15787/25]

682. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child through the National Childcare Scheme'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15788/25]

683. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'explore options to cap costs for larger families'; to provide details of the results of these same explorations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15789/25]

684. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'ensure childcare providers' gees are open, transparent, and equitable and readily available to parents'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15790/25]

685. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'review and increase core funding'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15791/25]

686. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'ensure the fee cap is maintained and that the model is open, transparent and equitable'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15792/25]

687. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to ensure ‘early years educators in the private sector benefit from Employment Regulation Orders’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15793/25]

688. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will engage with a group (details supplied) on issues of concern regarding the Bessborough site and the flaws in the previous redress scheme. [15805/25]

689. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'reduce the administrative burden on providers'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15813/25]

690. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her Department has undertaken an impact assessment of varying the accommodation recognition payment in respect of children and young people; and, if so, the findings of that assessment. [15830/25]

691. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the clinical review of the medical cannabis access programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15652/25]

692. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health to outline whether there are plans to provide additional financial assistance to drugs and alcohol task forces to assist with the extra costs associated with the commencement of pension auto-enrolment from September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14981/25]