Questions

442. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full year cost to the State of taking on the wages and associated costs for early years educators and school age care practitioners. [46683/26]

443. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full year cost of increasing the funding made available for sponsored children in early years services to meet the actual costs of an early years place. [46686/26]

444. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full year cost of extending AIMS to children under three years-of -age. [46687/26]

445. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full year cost of extending AIMS to children in afterschool. [46688/26]

446. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full year cost of increasing the foster care allowance by €1. [46689/26]

447. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full year cost of increasing the aftercare allowance by €1. [46690/26]

767. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason the new national service for guardian ad litem will not accept records relating to children in their new service, and do not intend on holding records on children who have a guardian ad litem; her views on the importance of creating a safe and secure archive repository for records for these children, to have a record of the…

813. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are plans to remove childcare facilities who are not in receipt of core funding, from ECCE and the national childcare scheme, given concerns have been raised by providers in relation to this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45888/26]

206. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will engage with the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs Migration on the way in which child safeguarding can be strengthened given the details of a case (details supplied) brought forward by a childcare provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44388/26]

1622. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will look at costs outside the control of Early Years providers who are in Core Funding, where costs have increased significantly, and they are not costs controlled by the provider (details supplied) meaning they are forced to make up the increase which in one case means an additional €26,000 annually; and if she will make a s…

1735. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider seeking the extension of the medical card scheme to cover autism assessments for adults given the cost of such assessments can be a barrier for adults; if she will ensure that adults with autism are diagnosed correctly and therefore not prevented from accessing supports; and if she will make a statement on the ma…

485. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will examine core funding guidelines, specifically in relation to temporary room closures (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40974/26]

486. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will extend reporting obligations by early years providers in core funding in order that it is not just in cases in which there is a closure for more than four weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40975/26]

998. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average time being taken currently (in weeks) to attain garda vetting to work in the early years and school age care sector as an educator; the number of applications that were received in 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of those applications have been approved and rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39…

999. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if, ahead of Budget 2027, she will look at the amount being offered for children in early years who are sponsored to raise the sponsorship amount to ensure it meets the actual cost associated with a childcare place to ensure that providers are not left covering the difference and ensuring that children who are sponsored can access a p…

1010. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has received all outstanding reports from the previous special rapporteur on child protection; when these reports will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39861/26]

1067. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will seek an earlier implementation of the new EU disability card, to ensure those unable to access a blue disability parking badge because they are mobile can access one and acknowledge their disability, especially those with autism who are a flight risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40221/26]

1068. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the implementation of the new EU disability card; the status of implementing this card; the person or body that is leading this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40222/26]

1070. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of Tusla staff who have left their positions; and the number of Tusla staff currently out on sick leave to date in 2026, in tabular form. [40230/26]

1071. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason the chief social worker role within her Department no longer exists; if she will consider restoring this role given the huge challenges being faced by the State's care system, the reforms underway by Tusla and the concerns raised by same and given the importance of this role within her Department; and if she will make a st…

1072. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of social workers, social care workers employed by Tusla in each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and the number of special care workers employed by Tusla in 2026, in tabular form. [40232/26]

1073. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of children to date in 2026 who have been allocated to a professional who is not a social worker, in tabular form. [40233/26]

1074. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people who have commenced the special care training programme, the number of these who have completed the three months in-classroom; and the number who have completed the three month supervised work placement; the number who dropped out at any point; and the number of these who have been offered a permanent contract, in…

1075. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the list of degrees held by persons who have commenced the Special Care Training Programme; the number of these people who came from overseas; the degrees the held, and the way in which these degrees are substantiated. [40235/26]

1076. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the checks that are carried out before security personnel are placed to work in special care units; the number of times a child has been restrained by security personnel; the way in which this is recorded; the person or body that governs their contact with children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40236/26]