Questions

824. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of Irish diaspora groups, including but not limited to sporting and cultural organisations, as well as emigrant organisations she and Ministers of State in her Department met for the St. Patrick's Day engagements overseas this year. [21913/26]

825. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of businesses and business representative organisations she and State Ministers of State in her Department met for the St. Patrick's Day engagements overseas this year. [21931/26]

826. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childminders who are part of the national childcare scheme each year since 2023.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21980/26]

827. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the National Strategy for Children and Girls and publication of the first Action Plan, including actions to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work and the extension of parent's leave and benefit and additional flexibilities, including the transferability of parental leave and paren…

828. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the National Strategy for Children and Girls and publication of the first Action Plan, including actions to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work and the extension of parent's leave and benefit and additional flexibilities, including the allocation of 18 weeks parent's leave for l…

829. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the National Strategy for Children and Girls and publication of the first Action Plan, including actions to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work, the extension of parent's leave and benefit and additional flexibilities, including the transferability of parent's leave and parental…

830. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of CDNTs that have at least three WTE Dietitians allocated to them, in tabular form;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21989/26]

831. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE behaviour therapist posts filled at Donegal South West Children's Disability Network Team as of 30 January 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21990/26]

832. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to increase paid paternity leave to at least eight weeks; the timeline for extending paid paternity leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22029/26]

833. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh den Aire Leanaí, Míchumais agus Comhionannais cén uair a fhoilseofar an Plean Náisiúnta maidir le soláthar luathoideachais Gaeilge. [22095/26]

834. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she will take to ensure a child (details supplied) has a place in after-school services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22125/26]

835. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will put emergency and consistent supports in place for a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22148/26]

836. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to extend paid paternity leave to eight weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22265/26]

837. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the recently revised assessment of need framework limits or reduces access to cognitive assessment for children, including in cases where intellectual disability is not suspected; the way in which the revised framework ensures that children with uneven developmental profiles, including those who may be gifted or twice-that …

838. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has conducted any impact assessment on the way in which the revised assessment of need model may affect the identification of children whose needs are masked by high cognitive ability or compensatory functioning; the safeguards that are in place to prevent under-identification of such children, particularly i…

839. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the training or guidance being provided to assessment of need officers and multidisciplinary teams to ensure that complex presentations, including masking and twice-exceptionality, are recognised under the revised model; if her Department intends to review the implementation of the revised assessment of need framework to ensure tha…

388. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the imminent collapse of an organisation (details supplied) which has been in operation for over 40 years and is one of Ireland’s longest-standing Traveller organisations providing invaluable advocacy and community development with the Traveller community; if her attention has been drawn to the…

389. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will acknowledge that while it has been stated that legislation prevents the release of records relating to mother and baby homes, the relevant legislation was previously amended through the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) Records Act 2020 to allow adopted persons and mothers access …

390. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality given that the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) Records Act 2020 was previously amended to allow adopted persons and mothers access to information relating to themselves, if she accepts that this demonstrates that the legislative framework governing the archive can be amended where necessary…

391. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has received legal advice indicating that the wider mother and baby homes archive cannot be released even where personal data and identifying information are redacted; if she will outline the legal basis for the continued sealing of the archive for 30 years; if she will confirm whether alternative approaches, inclu…

392. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding developments towards reaching the commitment to reducing childcare costs to €200 per child, per month, in the context of a number of childcare providers pulling out of the core funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20999/26]

393. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she is taking to reduce the cost of childcare in the short-term as the wider project of reaching the commitment of hitting childcare costs of €200 per child, per month, is progressing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21000/26]

394. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she is taking to address the issue of childcare providers pulling out of the core funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21001/26]

395. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she is taking at a national level to increase the provision of childcare centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21002/26]

396. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any incentives she is considering to increase the provision of childcare centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21003/26]