Parliamentary questions

491. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to improve conditions for chefs working in childcare setting given issues that have been raised (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18076/26]

492. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department plans to engage staff from the private sector who work in accountancy and corporate law firms to work in her Department during the course of the upcoming EU Presidency term; the terms under which such staff will be engaged; the number of staff her Department plans to hire; the measures planned to guard …

493. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the ratification of the second optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18126/26]

494. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE staff in Blakestown, Blanchardstown and Cabra Grangegorman Children's Disability Network Teams, broken down per occupation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18157/26]

495. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has identified any buildings for the purpose of developing after school childcare in north Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18209/26]

496. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department's efforts to improve accessibility in towns in north Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18210/26]

497. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the implications of the proposed Tulsa structural reform on Tusla services in Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18217/26]

498. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality considering the structural reform in Tusla underway the number of children in care that do not currently have an allocated professionally qualified social worker in each geographical area for which figures are compiled, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18218/26]

499. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of additional children in Tusla care within the Cavan and Monaghan Tusla structures as a result of the ongoing structural reform; if plans are in place to ensure that they will each have an allocated professionally qualified social worker; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18219/26]

500. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in Tusla care that are unallocated to a professionally qualified social worker in Cavan Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18220/26]

501. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there will be an expansion of fostering services to match the projected need in the area in Cavan Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18221/26]

502. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether there will be increase in funding and staffing for Tusla in the Cavan Monaghan area to meet the needs and provide services for children and families availing of Tusla services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18222/26]

503. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No's 825, 820 and 822 of 30 September 2025, when responses will issue to the queries raised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18228/26]

222. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there is a centralised referral system for children with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17456/26]

223. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the Government will release the records relating to mother and baby institutions instead of keeping them restricted for up to 30 years. [17276/26]

224. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the Government will fully investigate and, if necessary, excavate the Angels' Plot burial ground at Sean Ross Abbey in order that the children who died there can finally be found, and their mothers told the truth. [17277/26]

225. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the Government will reform the mother and baby institutions redress scheme in order that survivors are judged by what was done to them, not by a rigid 180 day cut-off. [17278/26]

226. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will support an increase in the ECCE rates for childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17442/26]

227. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in Westmeath awaiting an assessment of need. [17452/26]

228. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department maintains a consolidated Department-level governance and risk oversight framework in respect of privately operated children’s residential centres funded by the Exchequer; whether her Department receives structured, periodic reporting on safeguarding, compliance or regulatory concerns relating to…

229. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views in relation to a facility (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17665/26]

230. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children waiting for children’s disability network team services in County Wexford, at the latest available point in 2025, by team and service type, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17696/26]

231. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in County Wexford waiting for an assessment of need at the latest available point in 2024 and 2025; the number of assessments conducted in 2024 and year-to-date in 2026; the number of applications received in those periods, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1769…

232. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality which early education centres are receiving funding in the State; and the total number of children attending at that level; and how many of these centres are providing the service in full Irish and what number of children are involved and can the issue be discussed. [17748/26]

233. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether there is a reimbursement scheme for children who receive an autism assessment privately due to lengthy waits in the public system. [17861/26]