Questions

831. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a breakdown of the approved staffing complement, by actual staffing levels and current vacancies, by discipline and whole-time equivalent, within children's disability network team 5, Clonmel, County Tipperary; the number of staff on extended leave or temporarily reassigned to other services; and the measures being taken to…

832. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently assigned to CDNT5 in Clonmel; the number awaiting initial assessment and therapeutic intervention, broken down by discipline; the average waiting time for access to services; whether she is satisfied that the current staffing complement can safely and effectively meet the needs of a caseload reportedly…

640. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide details of the funding being made available in 2027 for the assessment of need targeted waiting list initiative, commonly referred to as Cara’s Fund; the total allocation in 2027 and how this compares with the allocation in 2026; the number of children whose assessments are expected to be completed through the initiative in…

1656. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the HSE or her Department maintains a national register of current and projected residential housing need for adults with intellectual disabilities; if not, whether consideration is being given to establishing such a register; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43325/26]

1657. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of adults with intellectual disabilities currently awaiting residential placements, supported living arrangements or alternative housing supports, broken down by CHO area, age cohort and length of time waiting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43326/26]

1658. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of adults with intellectual disabilities currently residing with a parent or primary carer aged over 65 years and over 70 years respectively; whether the Department has undertaken an assessment of future residential need arising from ageing carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43327/26]

1659. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of emergency residential placements provided for adults with intellectual disabilities in each of the past five years; the average waiting time for such placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43328/26]

1660. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of residential places for adults with intellectual disabilities that have been approved or funded but are not currently operational due to staffing shortages, recruitment difficulties, regulatory issues or other factors, broken down by CHO area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43329/26]

1661. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a formal transition planning process exists for young people with intellectual disabilities approaching adulthood; the age at which such planning commences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43330/26]

1662. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of adults with intellectual disabilities placed in residential settings outside their home county in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43331/26]

1663. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new residential places and supported living arrangements for adults with intellectual disabilities delivered in each of the past five years; the number planned for delivery in 2026 and 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43332/26]

1664. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the level of capital and current funding provided to Section 38 and Section 39 disability service providers for residential accommodation in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43333/26]

1665. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has prepared a long-term strategy to meet the residential and housing support needs of adults with intellectual disabilities over the next ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43334/26]

421. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the legal basis for Tusla’s current assessment process for determining eligibility for public service pension schemes among employees of voluntary children’s residential services; and whether any new Government decision or central guidance has issued in this regard. [23286/26]

422. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether employees of voluntary children’s residential services named in the Child Care Act, 1991, who have been long-standing members of public service pension schemes, including those with over 15 or 25 years’ service, are at risk of being deemed ineligible under current reviews; if so, the protections in place for their accrued pens…

423. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if eligibility for public service pension schemes under section 66 of the Child Care Act 1991 applies to all approved and funded posts within the named voluntary services, including administrative, support and fostering service roles, or only to staff directly engaged in children’s residential care delivery; and if limited only to Chi…

424. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the consultation that was undertaken with voluntary providers prior to Tusla issuing correspondence indicating a revised interpretation of pension eligibility; and the reason no detailed guidance or policy documentation has been shared with affected organisations. [23289/26]

425. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether an assessment has been carried out on the potential impact of changes to pension eligibility on the sustainability of voluntary sector services such as fostering support and aftercare services. [23290/26]

1503. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale behind Tusla's reported decision not to continue funding or supporting the specialist therapeutic fostering support service provided by a service (details supplied), as part of its ongoing regional reconfiguration; if an impact assessment has been carried out on the potential consequences of withdrawing this service for…

473. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to ensure that children with complex disabilities can access specialised early-years placements where no appropriate service exists within their immediate CDNT catchment area; whether flexibility is permitted across CHO boundaries in such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17934/26]

726. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a child (details supplied) referred to CDNT4 in 2022 and identified in March 2024 as requiring speech and language therapy has not yet received intervention; the steps that will be taken to ensure that this child is urgently assessed and provided with appropriate speech and language therapy supports; and if she will make a …

170. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider extending the duration of paternity leave in cases of multiple births for example, twins or triplets, in recognition of the additional care and support needs that arise for parents of multiples; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1438/26]

1950. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the process by which books are selected for inclusion in the My Little Library initiative; if there is a formal mechanism for Irish authors or publishers to submit titles for consideration; the way such information is communicated publicly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [75019/25]

1972. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a child who is under the care of a local children’s disability network team (CDNT), but unable to access occupational therapy through that team due to staffing shortages or prolonged waiting lists, may access occupational therapy through primary care without losing their place or ongoing eligibility with the CDNT; if there is a na…

86. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has conducted or commissioned any recent analysis of the financial sustainability of small and medium-sized childcare providers under the current core funding model; and if she will publish the findings of such analysis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65167/25]