Parliamentary questions

361. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the next round of the building blocks scheme will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9100/26]

362. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when it is expected that approvals will issue in respect of the establishment of more family resource centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9109/26]

888. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of historic sexual abuse cases that have been opened with Tusla for each of the years, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; the numbers of those that were determined as ‘founded’ or ‘unfounded’ for each of those years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8509/26]

889. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current shortage of occupational therapists in Blanchardstown CDNT and Blakestown CDNT; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8542/26]

890. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the list of all of the remaining measures required for ratification of the second optional protocol of the UNCRC; the responsible department for each of these measures; and the expected timeline for completion. [7355/26]

891. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children waiting for their initial CDNT appointment in CHO8, in tabular form. [7382/26]

892. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an assessment for autism will be arranged as a matter of urgency for a child (details supplied). [7429/26]

893. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a person avails of domestic violence leave under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, the information they must provide to their employer; if the employer is allowed to ask questions to establish eligibility for domestic violence leave; the documentation or evidence which an employer can…

894. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the assessment her Department has made of the risk of sexual exploitation of children placed in residential care and special emergency arrangements; the formal risk classifications which apply to such placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7490/26]

895. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the safeguards which are in place to prevent grooming, coercion, and sexual exploitation of children placed in open or non-restrictive residential care and special emergency arrangements; the way in which compliance with those safeguards is monitored; and if she will publish the most recent internal review or evaluati…

896. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department reviewed the findings and recommendations of a report (details supplied) on sexual exploitation risks faced by children in residential and emergency care; the actions which were taken following its publication; and which recommendations, if any, remain outstanding. [7492/26]

897. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of incidents in which children absconded from residential care and special emergency arrangements in each of the past five years; the number of those cases in which sexual exploitation risk factors were identified; and the policy or procedural changes that were introduced in response. [7493/26]

898. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the governance and oversight mechanisms which are in place to review decisions to place high-risk children in open or non-restrictive emergency arrangements; whether such decisions are subject to periodic review by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7494/26]

899. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will ensure that the recently implemented Tusla structural reform will not alter the national programme status, ring-fenced programme budget, local governance and autonomy, and cradle to grave community development approach by family resource centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7565/26]

900. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total Exchequer funding allocated to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in each year from 2020 to 2025, inclusive; the breakdown of this funding by staffing, legal work, research, public advocacy, grants and communications; and whether the Minister is satisfied that this expenditure reflects a balanced…

901. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she has sought or received any analysis from her Department on the thematic focus of the work undertaken by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission; whether such analysis identifies a concentration of resources or public advocacy in particular policy areas; and what oversight mechanisms exist to ensure …

902. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she is satisfied that IHREC gives equal and appropriate consideration to competing rights, including sex-based rights, in its advice to Government and the Oireachtas; whether the Minister has raised concerns regarding the absence of explicit balancing analysis in any submissions made by the commission in recen…

903. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has reviewed the position taken by the former Irish Human Rights Commission during the passage of the Gender Recognition Bill 2013 in opposing the inclusion of specific protections for women and girls in sport and single-sex spaces; whether that position continues to inform the approach of the I…

904. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures in place to assess whether the work of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission commands broad public confidence; whether any value-for-money or governance review of the Commission has been carried out since 2019; and whether the Minister intends to initiate such a review in light of increased fundi…

905. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the nature and frequency of formal engagement between her Department and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission regarding strategic priorities; whether the Minister has issued any guidance concerning the importance of neutrality and restraint in relation to contested social policy issues; and how the Minister …

906. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans which are in place in Swords, Fingal East for increased availability of crèche places, particularly for children under one year of age; if this will include greater flexibility within the national childcare scheme, including consideration of regulated childminders, and immediate short-term supports for parent…

907. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the process for registering as an early years provider will be streamlined to allow for faster registration; and if those going through the registration process with Tusla will be granted some leeway to remain operational while they register (details supplied). [7742/26]

908. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans for the allocation of €135 million which the Government has allocated to funded childcare facilities; the geographical areas covered; and if she will ensure that rural areas, with large distances between crèches, be adequately covered by this funding allocation. [7743/26]

909. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the agencies and bodies under the aegis of her Department; the contact information of each available to members of the Oireachtas as per the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Circular 25/2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7759/26]

910. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of significant delays in the commencement of assessment of need, AON, service statements, including the case of a child (details supplied); the actions which are being taken by her Department and the HSE to address the delays in implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7808/2…