Questions

422. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider amending the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 so that parents can take parental leave in blocks of less than seven days at a time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21323/26]

1473. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps the Government are taking to prevent situations where children with additional needs are left in hospital simply because there is nowhere else for them to go; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19647/26]

1474. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of an application for funding for a person (details supplied) in terms of a long-term residential place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20761/26]

1475. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will report on his meetings with survivor groups since his intervention at the 2025 Bessborough Commemoration; her plans to meet with other survivor groups; and if she has made representations to Cork City Council in respect of the Bessborough site, and public acquisition of the site, in particular. [20768/26]

1476. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been brought to the proposed commercial development at the former Bessborough mother and baby home site in Cork; if she has engaged with the owners or Cork City Council regarding the future of the site; and if she will outline the steps the Government is taking to ensure the site is treated with appropriate sen…

1477. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration has been given to the preservation, memorialisation, or public commemoration of the Bessborough site, in consultation with survivors and advocacy groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20866/26]

1478. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE senior dietitians posts currently filled within Limerick CDNT services, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18230/26]

1479. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the proposed family resource centre in Carrickmacross; the likely timeframe for when the centre will become operational; the services that will be provided upon commencement; the initial staffing allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18245/26]

1480. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of withdrawals from Core Funding in Dublin 2, 4, 6, 6W and 8 in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to-date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18254/26]

1481. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when pre-school fees will reduce in line with the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18255/26]

1482. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a family resource centre funding was not allocated to a centre (details supplied); the details of the criteria that the centre was judged on; and if they can provide a copy of the recommendations that was issued to the Minister in respect of her Departments shortlist and was the resource centre in question mentioned on t…

1483. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will confirm that all legal requirements necessary for the State's ratification of the UNCRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children are in place and have been fully met; and the timelines for completing the drafting of the remaining orders required to enable ratification. [18282/26]

1484. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of meetings she or her officials attended regarding the establishment of the Tusla training college; the extent to which the Department consulted on the curriculum and the type of qualifications students will receive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18286/26]

1485. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total budget allocated for the Tusla training college in 2024, 2025 and 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18287/26]

1486. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of teaching staff allocated to the Tusla training college; whether they are internal or external appointments; full-time or part-time; the duration of such agreements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18288/26]

1487. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated number of childminders operating in Ireland from the childminder's home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18298/26]

1488. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated number of childminders operating in Ireland from the family's home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18299/26]

1489. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the sum of money ringfenced for the NCS for childminders for 2025/2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18300/26]

1490. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average monthly fees paid for childminders operating in the childminder's home, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18301/26]

1491. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average monthly fees paid for childminders operating in the family's home, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18302/26]

1492. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the annual average national cost of childcare; the average amount of financial relief provided through the NCS universal subsidy per annum to a family; the average amount of financial relief provided through the NCS income assessed subsidy per annum to a family (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18303/2…

1493. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the relief provided to families on the cost of childcare through the NCS income assessed subsidy and the NCS universal subsidy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18304/26]

1494. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in the context of the protection of school children, is she aware of the fact that the previous Minister of Housing, Local Government and Heritage/National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), upon the advice of his then Department/NPWS, withdrew the proactive, elective Derogation Regulation, ; her views on whether the derogation must…

1495. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Brendan Smith den Aire Leanaí, Míchumais agus Comhionannais an gcuirfear bearta breise i bhfeidhm chun cabhrú le forbairt naíonraí lasmuigh de cheantair Ghaeltachta, an bhfuil bearta áirithe i bhfeidhm faoi láthair chun tacú le forbairtí den sórt sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [18364/26]

1496. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in the care of the State (Tusla) who were identified as victims of human trafficking and identified as victims of sexual abuse occurring while in State care, in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and if he will provide a breakdown of the specific exploitation types (e.g., labour, sexual) for tho…