Questions

791. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a specific numerical or percentage reduction target has been set to reduce reliance on private residential childcare placements; the baseline from which this reduction will be measured; and the timeline for achieving such reduction [32701/26]

792. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the projected number of additional public residential placements required to eliminate or substantially reduce reliance on private placements; and whether this projection forms part of Tusla's current capacity planning. [32702/26]

793. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any formal transition strategy exists to move children from private residential placements into public provision; and if so, to outline the criteria, timelines and governance oversight mechanisms involved. [32703/26]

794. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any risk assessment has been carried out regarding continued reliance on private residential childcare placements, including risks relating to cost escalation, availability, and quality assurance; and if she will provide details. [32704/26]

485. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a national policy framework exists governing the pricing of private residential childcare placements funded by the State; and if she will outline the key components of that framework. [29297/26]

486. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether standardised national pricing bands, cost ceilings, or benchmark rates are applied to private residential childcare placements; and if so, the basis on which such rates are determined. [29298/26]

487. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the approval process required where the cost of a private residential childcare placement exceeds any standard or indicative rate; and the level of authorisation required in such cases. [29299/26]

488. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total annual expenditure by Tusla on private residential childcare placements for each of the past five years, in tabular form. [29300/26]

489. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average weekly cost per private residential childcare placement for each of the past five years; and the range between the lowest and highest weekly placement costs in each year. [29301/26]

490. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department or Tusla has identified any upward trend in the cost of private residential childcare placements; and if so, the factors identified as driving such increases. [29302/26]

491. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of private providers currently delivering residential childcare placements funded by the State; and the proportion of all placements delivered by private providers versus public provision. [29303/26]

492. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any analysis has been conducted on market concentration within private residential childcare provision; and if so, whether any risks relating to provider dependency or limited competition have been identified. [29304/26]

493. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the State has a strategic plan to reduce reliance on private residential childcare placements through expansion of public provision; and the timeline for such measures. [29305/26]

494. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the procurement model used by Tusla in securing private residential childcare placements, including whether competitive tendering processes are applied. [29306/26]

677. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of sanctioned posts within Children’s Disability Network Teams nationally as of the most recent date available; the number of those posts currently filled; the number currently vacant; and the percentage vacancy rate overall. [28137/26]

678. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of vacant posts within Children’s Disability Network Teams, by discipline, including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists and therapy assistants; and the percentage vacancy rate for each discipline. [28138/26]

679. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average duration of vacancies within Children’s Disability Network Teams, by discipline; the number of posts vacant for longer than 6 months and 12 months respectively; and the longest recorded vacancy duration for each discipline. [28139/26]

680. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 799 of 24 March 2026, whether staffing data for Children’s Disability Network Teams continues to be collected at Community Healthcare Organisation level; if so, the reason such data was not provided in response to the question; and if not, the date on which CHO-level reporting ceased and the rational…

681. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of funded posts within Children’s Disability Network Teams which remain unfilled; the length of time such posts have remained unfilled; and the reasons these posts have not been filled. [28141/26]

682. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the Pay and Numbers Strategy places limits on recruitment into Children’s Disability Network Teams; if so, the extent to which this constrains recruitment; and whether exemptions or adjustments are being considered in light of current service demand. [28142/26]

683. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently awaiting assessment and intervention by Children’s Disability Network Teams; the average waiting time; and whether current staffing levels are considered sufficient to meet demand. [28143/26]

684. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to address staffing shortages within Children’s Disability Network Teams; the timelines associated with these measures; and the expected increase in staffing levels during 2026. [28144/26]

686. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the methodology used by her Department and the HSE to estimate clinician workload within Children's Disability Network Teams in the absence of recorded caseload data per clinician or per discipline. [28274/26]

687. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any national or international benchmark for safe clinician caseloads is used in workforce planning for Children's Disability Network Teams; and if so, to provide details of such benchmarks and how they are applied. [28275/26]

688. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how workforce planning decisions for Children's Disability Network Teams are made where no clinician-level caseload data is collected; and the evidential basis used to determine appropriate staffing levels. [28276/26]