Questions

663. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in relation to the mother and baby institutions payment scheme, the mechanisms that are in place, in relation to the mother and baby institutions payment scheme, to ensure fairness is applied in the case whereby siblings were separated and one was moved to and continues to live in another country; if all siblings entitled to the same leve…

670. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current status of negotiations on the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive at Council level; the main barriers to agreement identified by Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27987/26]

671. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific actions Ireland intends to take to progress the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27988/26]

672. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether advancing the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive is under consideration as part of Ireland’s priorities for its Presidency of the Council of the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27989/26]

698. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any assessment of demand for Irish language pre-schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28526/26]

699. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the number of Irish language pre-schools in operation, broken down by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28527/26]

700. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any systems in place to support the increased provision of Irish language pre-schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28528/26]

701. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any assessment carried out at a pre-school level into the potential demand for Irish language medium primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28529/26]

2344. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on whether the revised assessment of need framework limits or reduces access to cognitive assessment for children. [23694/26]

2345. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the claims that the revised assessment of need framework limits or reduces access to cognitive assessment for children. [23695/26]

2346. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she can outline where the revised assessment of need framework ensures that children with uneven developmental profiles will be appropriately identified within the system (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23696/26]

2347. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any impact assessment carried out by her Department on the way the revised assessment of need framework may affect the identification of children whose needs are masked by high cognitive ability or compensatory functioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23697/26]

2348. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the safeguards that are in place under the revised assessment of need framework to prevent under-identification of children whose needs are masked by high cognitive ability or compensatory functioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23698/26]

2349. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality under the revised assessment of need framework, if access to cognitive or psychological assessment remains available where there is evidence of significant intra-individual discrepancy, asynchronous development, or unexplained underachievement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23699/26]

2350. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any consideration that has been given to the potential for increased reliance on private assessments arising from any restriction in public access to cognitive assessment; and the implications this may have for equity of access. [23700/26]

2351. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the training or guidance being provided to assessment officers and multidisciplinary teams to ensure that complex presentations, including masking and twice-exceptionality, are recognised under the revised assessment of need framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23701/26]

2352. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans regarding a review of the implementation of the revised assessment of need framework to ensure that no cohort of children is excluded from identification due to the streamlining of assessment processes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23702/26]

2473. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a shortfall in the provision of childcare places in the Dún Laoghaire area in south County Dublin; the actions she is taking to increase availability in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25138/26]

2474. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a shortfall in the provision of childcare places in the Shankill area in south County Dublin; the actions she is taking to increase availability in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25139/26]

2475. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a shortfall in the provision of childcare places in the Blackrock area in south County Dublin; the actions she is taking to increase availability in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25140/26]

2476. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration is being given to provide targeted support for childcare providers in parts of the country where the rent of commercial premises is significantly higher than the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25141/26]

2477. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration is being given to provide targeted support for people or companies that wish to open new childcare centres in parts of the country where the rent of commercial premises is significantly higher than the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25142/26]

2478. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she is taking to increase the number of childcare places available at a national level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25143/26]

2479. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any research being done at a national level to identify areas that are experiencing a shortfall in the availability of childcare places on a consistent basis; the mechanisms by which this is evaluated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25144/26]

2480. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the legal basis that would allow childcare facilities to charge parents a non-refundable deposit; if this is permitted, if there is an upper cap on the price that can be charged in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25145/26]