Questions

492. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the planning undertaken regarding the demand, supply and funding of service delivery across regions. [66510/26]

493. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of Department funded services that are receiving less than in 2008. [66509/26]

494. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of Department funded services; and the number of children cared for by each, for each of the years 2008 to date in 2026. [66508/26]

495. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which Department funding is reallocated when a Department funded service closes; and if she will confirm whether it is reallocated to services providing same or similar services in the locality. [66507/26]

1586. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on when a call for proposals will be made as part of the European Social Fund Plus: Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme 2021-2027 under the gender equality objective, to improve access to employment and activation measures for all jobseekers, which has been pending since 2022; if a call will de…

24. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for a report on the Bia Blasta lunch scheme for pre-school children in disadvantaged areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49990/25]

1111. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the location of each young parent support programme; the catchment for each of these young parent support programmes, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49245/25]

1112. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will support the establishment of a young parent support programme in the Dublin 1, Dublin 3 and Dublin 7 area, which has the highest numbers of young parents in the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49246/25]

2362. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will be working alongside the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to support and implement the “Action Plan for Women in Business”, drawn up by Enterprise Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41948/25]

732. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when Acorn, the new managed child savings account, will be established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32766/25]

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]

1207. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will supply further detail on the Programme for Government commitment to provide a dedicated funding stream for assistive and digital technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30204/25]

1216. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the work carried out to date to develop an action plan to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early education and care system with State-led facilities adding capacity as committed in the Programme for Government; when she expects to publish this action plan; if she will consult with key stakeh…

1217. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline the roadmap to reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child; if she will provide an estimated timeframe to meet this key Programme for Government commitment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30361/25]

1224. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of eligible children not availing of the ECCE programme, by county; her views on the reasons some families are not taking up ECCE; the steps her Department is taking to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30368/25]

1227. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to ensure that childcare provider’s fees are open, transparent and equitable and readily available to parents as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30371/25]

1232. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has engaged with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to the Programme for Government commitment to introduce an “earn and learn” apprenticeship model, enabling childcare staff to gain qualifications and advance their careers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. […

1234. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has engaged with the Minister for Education and Youth regarding the development of State-led childcare facilities in tandem with the school building programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30378/25]

1237. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on how we can continue to build up the Equal Start Programme, ensuring children experiencing disadvantage will access and participate fully in early learning and childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30381/25]

789. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the recommencement of personalised budgets, as outlined in the Programme for Government. [16822/25]

809. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide an update on the significant preparatory work which will be undertaken in 2025 to further shape and programme Ireland's youth priorities for the EU Presidency, working closely with the youth leads in Ireland's trio partners and national stakeholders; and if she will make a statement on the matte…

676. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been taken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'undertake a broad consultation and publish a detailed Action Plan to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early education and care system with State-led facilities adding capacity'; if the terms of re…

677. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'grow State involvement and investment in the sector'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15783/25]

678. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to enhance parental choice through support for public providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15784/25]

679. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to enhance parental choice through support for private providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15785/25]