Questions

389. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she is aware that some children born shortly after the ECCE eligibility cutoff date may receive only one year of ECCE before commencing primary school; and if she has assessed the educational and financial impact of this on affected families. [74974/26]

393. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to examine the current age eligibility rules for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme; and if she accepts that children born in January are at a distinct educational disadvantage as they will not be 2 years and 8 months old by the time September comes around. [75102/26]

148. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the date on which the decision was made to introduce a restriction limiting preschool rooms to one maintenance of reduced ratio arrangement; when the decision was approved by the Department; where and when the policy was formally published prior to its communication to providers through the Early Years Hive on 25 August 2026; w…

149. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the extent to which the potential reduction in ECCE capacity influenced the decision to restrict maintenance of reduced ratio arrangements to one per room; whether consideration was given to circumstances in which a smaller group size may provide a more appropriate support than the addition of further adult assistance; and the …

150. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether an assessment was undertaken of the impact of the restriction limiting preschool rooms to a single maintenance of reduced ratio arrangement on children with additional needs for whom reduced group size is itself an essential support, including children experiencing sensory overload, communication difficulties, hearing-r…

151. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the evidence, research, consultation findings or needs-based assessment that informed the decision to limit the approval of maintenance of reduced ratio (MRR) arrangements under the access and inclusion model (AIM) to one MRR per preschool room; and the basis upon which it was determined that no further MRR arrangement may be a…

812. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the application of a person (details supplied) for the ECCE programme can be reviewed given the case details; and if contact can be made directly with the applicant's parents. [73458/26]

496. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the projects, locations and communities that have been submitted to her Department for consideration under the €135 million State-led early learning and childcare infrastructure programme; the county in which each project is located; and the status of each proposal. [69738/26]

158. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to increase funding in Budget 2027 for the early childhood sector to provide pay parity for graduates, increased graduate premium and in-service training. [69048/26]

482. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Departments plans to address recruitment and retention within the early years sector. [66308/26]

506. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the potential to provide co-located state led early years provision at the location of a planned school (details supplied). [67188/26]

70. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures she is considering in budget 2027 to expand childcare capacity, particularly in rural areas experiencing significant shortages of places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65983/26]

103. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the assessment undertaken of childcare capacity in Galway East; the measures being taken to create additional childcare places in rapidly growing communities; and if consideration is being given to targeted supports for childcare providers operating in rural towns and villages. [64934/26]

108. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to increase the availability of afterschool childcare spaces. [65745/26]

112. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the criteria applied in prioritising projects for the current phase of the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the number and locations of the projects prioritised to date; whether the planning status and estimated fit-out period of the premises proposed for a facility of up to 150 places in Glanmire, Cork, s…

141. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to deliver a reduction in childcare costs towards the Programme for Government's target of €200 per month per child. [65694/26]

1032. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to ensure that the educational standards and professional practice of early years educators working in crèches are maintained and continuously developed through ongoing professional training; whether all registered early learning and care services are required to have a structured CPD programm…

1033. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has evidence demonstrating a consistent level of CPD and educational practice across registered early learning and care services; whether she will publish her Department’s most recent data showing the percentage of early years educators who have completed CPD and the average number of CPD hours undertaken…

1042. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale for changes to attendance for children in ECCE to register five days per week; the consultation that took place on this change before its implementation; and if she acknowledges the importance of flexibility in ECCE for parents and the difficulty for providers in enforcing attendance that may not suit parents and child…

1048. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports available to assist a child (details supplied) in accessing appropriate early learning, childcare and early intervention services; and whether transport supports will be made available where a suitable placement is not available locally. [65164/26]

453. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a childcare service in Dundalk, County Louth (details supplied) that is willing to expand its capacity was excluded from the relevant childcare expansion scheme, particularly given the high demand for childcare places in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54398/26]

454. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently intervene and ensure that a pre-school (details supplied) can reopen given the shortage in pre-school places in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54403/26]

339. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if assistance can be offered to a preschool (details supplied); the reason funding was ceased; if AIM level 7 funding will be reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53933/26]

343. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently on waiting lists for early learning and childcare places, including children under one, one to two years, two to three years, ECCE age and school-age childcare, by county and age category; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53764/26]

344. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early years educators and childcare workers employed in Cork city and county in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of vacancies notified or estimated in the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53765/26]