Questions

661. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the date by which gender impact assessments will be mandatory for all new Government legislation, major policy proposals and significant expenditure decisions. [72277/26]

662. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the arrangements in place to monitor compliance with gender impact assessment requirements across Government Departments; the number of gender impact assessments completed by each Department in 2025 and to date in 2026; and whether these assessments are published. [72279/26]

663. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific milestones, deadlines and performance indicators that have been assigned to actions relating to gender mainstreaming and gender impact assessments under the National Strategy for Women and Girls Action Plan 2026-2028, in tabular form. [72278/26]

672. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider introducing multi annual funding arrangements for capital projects undertaken by disability service providers and disability organisations, in order to provide greater funding certainty and enable more effective planning and delivery of essential disability infrastructure. [68510/26]

97. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider introducing multi annual funding arrangements for capital projects undertaken by disability service providers and disability organisations, in order to provide greater funding certainty and enable more effective planning and delivery of essential disability infrastructure. [65122/26]

6. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if staffing levels for speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists in the children’s disability network teams, CDNTs, in Balbriggan and Swords have increased in the past two years; the current number of vacancies; the additional posts or resources being allocated in response to population growth and rising de…

11. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the extent of engagement her Department has had with the autism community, including autistic individuals, advocacy organisations and representative groups, in the development of the recently announced new autism assessment and intervention pathway protocol; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43029/26]

45. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the transposition of the EU Pay Transparency Directive as the deadline approaches; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43030/26]

624. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures her Department is taking to support increased labour force participation by women, with particular regard to addressing barriers facing women who wish to return to the workforce and to supporting those in part time employment who wish to increase their working hours, recognising the economic benefits of maximising participa…

1709. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the core funding rules which require a six-month break in service where a new childcare provider seeks to introduce a different fee structure, in circumstances where a premises has transferred ownership; to consider introducing flexibility to prevent a gap in service provision, as is currently facing families in Lusk…

1710. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will engage directly with Fingal County Childcare Committee and the providers involved in the learn to grow facility in Lusk, County Dublin to examine options to avoid the projected six-month gap in childcare provision due to the application of Core Funding rules; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43886…

1711. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed childcare capacity in Lusk, County Dublin, in light of the planned closure of the learn to grow service at the end of July 2026; the measures being put in place to ensure sufficient alternative provision for the more than 50 families affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43887/26]

1712. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration has been given to allowing continuity of childcare provision in an existing premises where ownership transfers between providers, without requiring a break in service, in order to protect continuity for children and families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43888/26]

1713. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how frequently the requirement for a break in service under Core Funding rules has resulted in delayed openings of childcare services nationally; if a review of this requirement is planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43889/26]

1714. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports or flexibilities available to new childcare providers who have purchased an existing facility but are unable to open due to Core Funding restrictions; if these rules are being kept under review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43890/26]

858. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the role the local city and county council's and the community childcare committees have in providing local community childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36973/26]

859. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether optimal level of community childcare targets are set; the specific plans to develop more community childcare in each specific county childcare committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36974/26]

860. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will mandate that local city and county councils prioritise tenders from community groups over private providers for community childcare in publicly owned facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36975/26]

861. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will mandate city and county councils to identify land and premises that would be suitable for community childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36976/26]

862. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the interaction that takes place between county childcare committees and city and county councils to provide community childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36977/26]

863. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early years education settings and childcare settings that have pulled out of CORE funding for each Dublin community childcare catchment area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36978/26]

864. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she is taking to poverty proof the national childcare scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37000/26]

865. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to improve access to the national childcare scheme for children at risk of poverty who had more access to childcare under the former community childcare subvention scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37001/26]

866. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the eligibility criteria of the national childcare scheme to ensure that children's developmental needs, rather than parental labour market status, are the primary determinant of hours awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37002/26]

867. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures in place to ensure the financial sustainability of not for profit, community based childcare services in areas of disadvantage, particularly in Fingal where such services make up a disproportionately small share of overall provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37003/26]