Parliamentary questions

864. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the State agencies within her Department that have made provision for the pension auto enrolment payment as part of their allocation to funded organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14402/26]

865. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she acknowledges that independence for adults with intellectual disabilities includes the right to live with dignity, choice, and proximity to friends and community, rather than solely focusing on individual tenancies dispersed across wide geographic areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…

866. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department will support a pilot project (details supplied) which would allow adults with intellectual disabilities to live independently while accessing supports only as needed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14428/26]

867. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which disability housing policy ensures continuity of friendships, routines, and social connections for adults with intellectual disabilities, particularly where families can no longer provide full-time advocacy or care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14429/26]

868. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department works with housing authorities to ensure that independent living does not result in isolation, loneliness, or loss of community for people with intellectual disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14430/26]

869. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the assurances that can be given to families that their adult children with intellectual disabilities will continue to live with dignity, security, and appropriate supports when parents are no longer able to advocate on their behalf; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14431/26]

870. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the data on the percentage and number of men that availed of additional paternity leave in each of the years 2020 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14432/26]

871. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the data on the percentage and number of women who availed of additional maternity leave in each of the years 2020 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14435/26]

872. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has commenced a public consultation process on the development of an induction process as committed to as part of Nurturing Skills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14483/26]

873. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has commissioned research into good practice in effective induction processes as part of Nurturing Skills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14484/26]

874. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason her Department has yet to produce a midpoint of Nurturing Skills which was due in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14485/26]

875. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the midpoint review of Nurturing Skills which was due in 2025 is expected to be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14486/26]

876. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the further implementation plan which is due to be developed as a result of the midpoint review of Nurturing Skills is to be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14487/26]

877. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the person in her Department that will conduct the Garda vetting of people over sixteen years of age in childminders' homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14488/26]

878. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that the majority of actions related to school-age care under Nurturing Skills have not been started; if she will provide an update on the progress of all school-age care actions within the strategy to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14489/26]

879. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to move away from institutional and congregated models of care, including the ongoing placement of younger adults with intellectual disabilities in nursing homes, towards community-based housing models with flexible, onsite supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14533/26…

880. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department or the HSE has examined whether current nursing homes support payment structures create a financial incentive for the admission of persons aged under 65 years to nursing homes, rather than to community-based alternatives; and if no such examination has been undertaken, whether the she will comm…

881. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures in place to reduce waiting lists for disability assessments in Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14538/26]

882. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if respite services for families of children with disabilities in rural areas such as Offaly will be increased in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14539/26]

883. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress on recruiting staff for children's disability network teams serving Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14540/26]

884. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the efforts to recruit more foster carers in Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14541/26]

885. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of Tusla staffing levels in the midlands for child welfare cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14542/26]

886. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to detail the work undergone by her Department to investigate and prepare for the introduction of paid surrogacy leave for parents; when it is intended to introduce surrogacy leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14571/26]

887. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will develop a Traveller and Roma employment training and enterprise plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14657/26]

888. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has prepared a formal implementation plan, action tracker, or recommendation matrix in response to the 2023 University College Dublin report entitled “Protecting Against Predators: A Scoping Study on the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Young People in Ireland”; if so, the date on which it wa…