Parliamentary questions

1589. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the planned level of investment in personal assistance services for 2026, particularly in light of recent calls for greater transparency on PA funding and the need to expand supports that enable independent living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19996/26]

1590. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way her Department intends to oversee and ensure timely delivery of disability capital projects in Cork which are currently at early design stages; if she will list those capital projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19997/26]

1591. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department will guarantee that the planned expansion of respite provision under the HSE National Service Plan 2026 is delivered equitably across all regions, including Cork, where families continue to report significant unmet need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19998/26]

1592. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to provide localised respite services in West Cork to end the practice of families traveling across the county for care; the measures in place to provide a clear, structured pathway for adults with intellectual disabilities in Cork transitioning from school to adult services; and if she w…

1593. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE speech and language therapists, by grade that were filled at Springfield CDNT as of 10 March 2026; and the average waiting times for an appointment with the SLT. [20031/26]

1594. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the waiting list for assessment of needs; the number of persons on the list; the length of time persons waiting for such an assessment to be carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20047/26]

1595. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the ranking applied to a group (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20069/26]

1596. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to review a matter in correspondence (details supplied) regarding ranking in a recent process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20070/26]

1597. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 764 of 30 September 2025, the number of foster carers that ceased foster caring in 2025 and to-date in 2026. [20134/26]

1598. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of foster carers providing foster care in each of the years 2020 to 2025 and to-date in 2026. [20135/26]

1599. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in State care currently without an assigned social worker. [20136/26]

1600. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of children in the care of the State with a breakdown of where these children are currently placed and separately; the number of unaccompanied minors, in tabular form. [20153/26]

1601. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of foster carers that would be needed for every child in State care. [20154/26]

1602. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if additional funding will be provided to Tusla in order that an organisation (details supplied) who offer support and guidance to families involved in fostering in Tipperary can operate going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20162/26]

1603. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is familiar with a charity (details supplied); the level of funding they received from the State per annum since 2023; the plans there are to sustain this funding going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20186/26]

1604. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taking to alleviate parents in Kilcock who are struggling to locate childcare and afterschool services, given the acute shortages for these facilities in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20203/26]

1605. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure that assessment of need findings accurately reflect the functional impact of a child's disability; the review options available where parents believe an assessment of need does not reflect the documented impact on access to education; the way in which the coordination occu…

1606. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current number of registered early learning and care places available in Galway City (details supplied), by age category, zero to one year, one to two years, and two to five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20246/26]

1607. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department holds data on the number of children currently on waiting lists for early learning and childcare services in Galway City (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20247/26]

1608. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific measures her Department is taking to address the shortage of early learning and care places for children under two years of age in Galway City (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20248/26]

1609. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Galway City is being considered as a priority location for the development of the planned State led early learning and childcare services announced by her Department (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20249/26]

1610. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeline families in Galway city can reasonably expect regarding the expansion of childcare capacity in the area, particularly for children under two years of age (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20250/26]

1611. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she will introduce mandatory autism and neurodiversity training requirements for Tusla social workers involved in child protection, family support and care proceedings. [20353/26]

1612. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the Department has conducted any review of the adequacy of training provided to Tusla staff in relation to autism, neurodiversity and disability awareness. [20354/26]

1613. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla records the number or proportion of social workers who have completed autism or neurodiversity training programmes. [20355/26]