Questions

155. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the role of data protection officer in Tusla. [74658/26]

805. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which she intends to deliver €200 per month childcare via core funding when this excludes parents whose provider are not in core funding; and if Government commitment to €200 per month is only for some parents. [73229/26]

806. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of parents who will benefit from the reduction of childcare fees from €735 to €550 per month. [73228/26]

807. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in relation to the announced funding in Budget 2027 for 212 residential places in 2027, the number that are new beds; and the number that are reserved for emergencies only. [73227/26]

646. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the percentage of staff turnover, by county within the early years sector in 2025, in tabular form. [72034/26]

654. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of parents that will benefit and from September 2027 pay €550 per month for childcare as announced in Budget 2027. [72031/26]

655. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childminders that have engaged in the consultation process to date, both in submissions and questionnaire; her views on tweaking the the current regulations; her plans to on the back of this consultation; and if the timeline for registration is to be moved. [72029/26]

516. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will ensure that social care workers working with children and young people in State care, in the community and voluntary social care sector Section 56 organisations funded by Tusla can access the public service pension, and that this is not restricted as planned to specific entities and residential roles outlined in the decade…

681. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the arrest of 47 people in Turkey (details supplied) following a series of raids on gay bars and the homes of LGBTQ+ activists; if she will publicly condemn this action and if she will seek that the Government use the EU Presidency to highlight this injustice as a strong voice for those in the LGBTQ+ community. [688…

485. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to advise when the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 will be progressed. [66367/26]

60. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the eight locations for State-led childcare facilities. [66144/26]

78. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will expand the mother and baby institutions payment scheme to include survivors who are currently excluded. [65898/26]

95. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will ensure Budget 2027 invests in not-for-profit residential care for children in the care of the State. [65904/26]

104. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on her consultation with childminders. [65901/26]

1040. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of continued frustration among childcare providers regarding the use of the HIVE system (details supplied) and the impact this administrative burden has on busy providers; and if she will commit to reduce such a burden. [65040/26]

1041. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of concerns being raised by providers regarding the new system for AIM (details supplied); if an AIM worker is expected to be sent home when a child is absent; and if she will ensure greater clarification for on the ground in settings for providers. [65039/26]

1042. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale for changes to attendance for children in ECCE to register five days per week; the consultation that took place on this change before its implementation; and if she acknowledges the importance of flexibility in ECCE for parents and the difficulty for providers in enforcing attendance that may not suit parents and child…

1050. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a detailed, itemised timeline for the implementation of the reforms cited in Departmental correspondence (ref: DCDE-MFO-01419-2026), including the review of the Missing Children in Care Joint Protocol, the update to the Child Sexual Exploitation Procedure, and proposed amendments under the Child Care (Amendment) B…

1051. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the statutory, regulatory and inspection frameworks governing privately operated or externally contracted residential care settings, including section 38 and section 39 commissioned placements; whether any regulatory, transparency or reporting exemptions apply to commercial providers compared with State-operated services; and the spe…

1052. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the assessment that has been undertaken of the increasing reliance on private, for-profit care providers in the provision of residential services for children, including placements commissioned under section 38 or section 39 arrangements or external private commercial providers; the proportion of children in State care currently acco…

1053. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the statutory protections available to frontline social care professionals, advocates, and members of the public who raise child-safeguarding concerns in good faith involving public bodies or publicly funded services; whether her Department has identified any evidentiary or legal gaps in those protections where concerns relate to mul…

1054. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of whether any automated technical mechanism currently exists within Tusla's case management system to cross-reference children identified as exhibiting indicators of trafficking or exploitation with children reported missing from care; and if the Government intends to introduce such a statutory cross-referencing mechan…

1055. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the Government has undertaken, or intends to undertake, an independent joint audit of the operational handover and follow-up arrangements between An Garda Síochána and Tusla following emergency child removals under section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991; and the statutory framework that exists to ensure joint inspection and c…

1056. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration has been given to establishing an independent, cross-agency statutory oversight mechanism for cases where responsibility for the safeguarding, care, or welfare of a child crosses organisational boundaries between Tusla, the HSE, and An Garda Síochána; the mechanism currently that exist to examine the actions a…

1057. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the formal statutory or administrative mechanism that exists to ensure that children with complex co-occurring needs including severe intellectual disabilities, neurodivergence, or acute mental health crises are not left without an appropriate support plan where responsibility involves both Tusla under its welfare mandate and the H…