Parliamentary questions

1967. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in her Department and within each agency for which she is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter…

1968. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated cost to her Department and each agency for which they are responsible arising from Ireland’s presidency of the European Council; the line items or events for which a cost is expected to arise and the estimated cost for each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [75243/25]

1969. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the priorities of her Department and each agency for which they are responsible for, in respect of Ireland’s presidency of the European Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [75261/25]

1970. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated number of people aged under 65 who entered nursing home care for each of the years 2021 to 2025, respectively; and for the estimated number of people in the same age group who transitioned out of nursing home care in each of those years, in tabular form. [75280/25]

1971. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality , further to Parliamentary Question No.14 of 8 December 2025, and the publication of the National Services Plan 2026, if she can provide assurances that a service (details supplied) will be operational until the opening of a permanent service; that sufficient funding has been made available for 2026; if she has revie…

1972. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a child who is under the care of a local children’s disability network team (CDNT), but unable to access occupational therapy through that team due to staffing shortages or prolonged waiting lists, may access occupational therapy through primary care without losing their place or ongoing eligibility with the CD…

1973. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently address the shortfall in respite beds across County Kerry for adults with profound disabilities; the number of additional respite beds that will be required in 2026 to adequately care for all clients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1031/26]

1974. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently address the shortfall in respite beds across County Kerry for children with profound disabilities; the number of additional respite beds that will be required in 2026 to adequately care for all clients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1032/26]

1975. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a capacity assessment will be given to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1058/26]

1976. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children with profound disabilities awaiting respite in County Kerry; the length of time they have been waiting; and the number of additional respite beds required in 2026 to adequately care for all clients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1105/26]

1977. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of adults with profound disabilities awaiting respite in County Kerry; the length of time they have been waiting; and the number of additional respite beds that will be required in 2026 to adequately care for all clients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1106/26]

1978. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the delivery of 199 residential placements, 58 decongregation transitions and 45 transitions from nursing homes for people under 65 is expected, as outlined in the HSE National Service Plan 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1149/26]

1979. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding Tusla applications (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1196/26]

1980. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to address the serious and ongoing concern regarding the lack of physical and therapeutic supports available through the CDNT based in east Limerick (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1370/26]

1981. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the practice within CDNTs (details supplied) of assessing children strictly on a chronological basis without triage according to level of clinical need; if she will outline plans to introduce needs-based prioritisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1371/26]

1982. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding issues relating to the locking away of files connected with mother and baby homes; the status of this matter, particularly over any outstanding legal matters that were required to be resolved at the time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1384/26]

1983. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the progress made in addressing the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 so the action that seeks the development of a "formal policy on respite, including agreed access and prioritisation criteria"; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1417/26]

1984. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the progress made in addressing the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 in terms of action A6.1 "Complete Personalised Budgets pilot and its evaluation, in line with recommendation of Task Force on Personalised Budgets"; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1418/26]

1985. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the progress made in addressing the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 in terms of action A9.2 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1419/26]

1986. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the progress made in addressing the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 in terms of action A9.4 (details supplied); and to make the aggregated data on account scale publicly available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1420/26]

1987. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the progress made in addressing the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 action A15.4 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1421/26]

1988. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the current progress in implementing the Transforming Lives/ Time to Move on from Congregated Settings strategy; the current number of individuals with a disability living in a congregated setting; the number of people with disabilities who have been transitioned to independent living from con…

1989. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current number of individuals aged under 65 residing in nursing homes; the total number of individuals who have been transitioned to their own home annually since 1 Jan 2023 to date; the average time the discharge process takes; the measures in place to improve the quality of life and independence of people unde…

1990. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of disabled people who are in receipt of intensive support packages currently; the number of people who are currently on assessment/waiting lists for these packages; and number of people the Minister plans to provide packages for next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1444/26]

1991. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide details on the progress made by working groups on personal assistance and home support to define personal assistance and home care services, develop policy, eligibility and prioritisation criteria, and examine the appropriate standards and form of regulatory oversight in the light of the work underway on …