Questions

2457. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on proposals for legislation to ban conversion practices; when she will bring Heads of Bill to Cabinet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43280/25]

2458. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the LGBTI+ Community Services Fund will fund the outhouse community casework service in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43281/25]

822. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality If there are plans to have a play specialist post at Blakestown children's disability network team; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39218/25]

338. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the enforcement of disability parking spaces on both publicly owned streets and in private locations such as shopping centre car parks is being addressed in the draft National Disability Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36971/25]

665. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are financial supports available from the HSE, or other sources, for people who want to return to education to undertake a postgraduate conversion course as a therapist including occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, which would deliver additional therapists into our services more quickly; and if she will m…

135. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department can amend its contracts with childcare providers to include a restriction on the practice of some providers offering childcare places but requiring non-refundable deposits if the place is not taken up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33093/25]

1184. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the Action Plan for Administrative and Regulatory Simplification for the Early Learning and Childcare Sector will be published; when the first actions to be taken on foot of it will be undertaken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29692/25]

1185. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the engagement her Department has had with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding the review of the Guidelines for Planning Authorities relating to Childcare Facilities; when the most recent engagement was; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29693/25]

1186. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the data-sharing agreement between her Department and the National Council for Special Education regarding the sharing of access and inclusion model data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29696/25]

766. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current status of childcare waiting lists in Wicklow; the measures being taken to address the shortage of places for children under three years old; the means by which she plans to expand capacity and improve access to early learning and care services in the region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25724/25]

767. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of HIQA inspections conducted on foster care services annually since 2019, across each of the 17 Tusla service areas, including the key findings and areas identified for improvement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25725/25]

768. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps taken in response to recent HIQA reports highlighting deficiencies in the governance and oversight of foster care services; the means by which the Department is working with Tusla to ensure compliance with national child protection standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25726/25]

959. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the status of the autism innovation fund; whether there is funding put aside for it in 2025; the means by which organisations can draw down that funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23507/25]

156. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when her Department will publish the new LGBTIQ+ inclusion strategy, as this received Government approval in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21357/25]

157. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on proposals for legislation to ban conversion practices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21358/25]

173. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the service pathway for children referred to speech and language therapy in in HSE Dublin north west: the waiting time for children in this area to access speech and language therapy; if there is prioritization system for children on the waiting list; if children who are non-verbal given prioritisation; the pathw…

1794. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline the grants available from her Department, or through other organisations but funded by her Department, for organisations working in the area of autism and disability, particularly those offering supports to parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18726/25]

1795. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide an update on the legislation to amend the Child Care Act 1991; if she will be bringing a draft bill to Cabinet for approval shortly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18730/25]

790. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her Department will assist an early years service (details supplied), which is now without a room as its current room is being developed by the school as an ASD special class; if her Department will help provide an alternative location for the early years service; and if she will make a statement on the matter…

833. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps her Department is taking to make provision for the early years service (details supplied) which is now without a room as its current room is being developed by the school as an ASD special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17263/25]

648. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if flexibility can be applied to parents claiming the national childcare scheme but wish to pick children up early from childcare on a regular basis and are suffering a loss due to this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13427/25]

649. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline to ratify the second optional protocol of the UNCRC; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13430/25]

651. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps her Department plans to take to implement the recommendations of the report into pregnancy loss PLACES Research Report, published in January 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13450/25]

652. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline for the publication of the next National Strategy for Women and Girls; if this timeline has been brought forward; if there will be adequate time for consultation on the next strategy; if her Department has considered an innovate title for the new strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matt…

653. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage of community childcare services as a proportion of the total number of childcare services in each local authority area, in tabular form. [13452/25]