Questions

868. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has examined alternative funding models for community childcare, including funding childcare places rather than hourly capitation per child; whether a "poverty premium" has been considered to reflect enhanced supports provided in disadvantaged settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37004/26]

869. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality what assessment has been carried out on the risk of closure or reduction in opening hours of community childcare services following the withdrawal of CCS and full implementation of the national childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37005/26]

870. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average processing time for sponsored childcare referrals under the national childcare scheme; the steps being taken to address significant delays reported by community childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37006/26]

871. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she will introduce nationally consistent criteria for awarding sponsored childcare places, including clarity on eligibility and hours, given wide regional variation in current practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37007/26]

872. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider backdating funding for sponsored childcare places where services provide care during referral delays to meet urgent child welfare needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37008/26]

873. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports available for parents with low literacy or digital skills who are required to complete national childcare scheme applications; whether alternative, simplified application pathways are being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37009/26]

874. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to reduce the administrative burden on childcare providers arising from NCS registration, CHICK number expiry and funding changes, which divert staff time away from direct work with children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37043/26]

915. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a list of all capital projects, including early years, childcare and disability infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of her Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Fingal in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statem…

429. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the consideration that has been given to introducing greater flexibility within the national childcare scheme for families with part-time, reduced or variable working hours; whether any review is underway to ensure that NCS subsidies better reflect modern working patterns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33569/26]

430. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the engagement her Department has had with childcare providers regarding the availability of part-time or flexible places under the national childcare scheme; whether supports or incentives are available to encourage providers to offer more flexible childcare arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33570/26]

431. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she recognises the financial pressure faced by families with multiple children in childcare where reduced hours of care lead to higher overall costs under the national childcare scheme; whether changes are planned to ensure the scheme supports affordability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33571/26]

432. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has received representations from families in north County Dublin regarding the lack of flexible childcare options under the national childcare scheme; the policy or operational changes planned to address these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33572/26]

154. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how her Department is working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Health, as well as local authorities and the HSE, to ensure that adults with intellectual disabilities can access homes that meet their needs within their own communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [284…

200. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the work her Department is undertaking to deliver accessible and affordable community childcare for families living in north County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28422/26]

790. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the legal basis for Tusla's current interpretation of section 66 of the Child Care Act 1991 regarding superannuation eligibility for staff employed in children's residential centres listed in S.I. 124/1992, 125/1992 and 863/2004; if her Department has issued any guidance or determination limiting eligibility to staff providing direct re…

801. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has undertaken a detailed assessment of Ireland’s performance in the World Bank Women, Business and the Law 2026 report; the specific indicators on which Ireland scored below the top performing OECD economies; the measures planned to address those gaps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21460/26]

802. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to measure and close the gap identified internationally between equality laws and the practical supports that enable women to participate fully in the workforce; whether her Department maintains a set of indicators to track these outcomes annually; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21461/26]

803. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the extent to which childcare policy is considered economic infrastructure within Government policy, including in the context of increasing women’s labour market participation; the data available to her Department on the impact of childcare availability and affordability on female labour force participation rates in Ireland; and if she …

1530. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of enduring powers of attorney registered and activated under the decision support service since its commencement in April 2023 and provide a comparison with those registered and activated in 2022 under the previous system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19112/26]

1531. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current average processing time for enduring powers of attorney applications submitted to the decision support service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19113/26]

1532. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to address the reported complexity and restrictive nature of the decision support service online portal, particularly for older people and those with limited digital access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19114/26]

1533. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the performance of the decision support service since its inception; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19115/26]

1534. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline any planned reforms or legislative changes to the new enduring powers of attorney regime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19116/26]

1535. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the Strategy Committee for the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 has been convened; the date of its first meeting; the membership of the Committee; the schedule of meetings for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19128/26]

1536. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the first Action Plan and detailed departmental actions, indicators and timelines under the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19129/26]