Parliamentary questions

65. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the changes made to assessment of need; the benefits that will be brought with these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73265/25]

66. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to deal with childcare facilities that have been affected by defective concrete blocks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73271/25]

67. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on engagement with providers in relation to concerns around core funding. [73263/25]

68. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the costs associated with privately outsourced residential services for people with disabilities for the years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date 2025; the geographical spread of these services; and the amount paid to each relevant company for the year in question. [72529/25]

69. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the data her Department has on the number of people with Down's syndrome in Ireland, by age profile of people and levels of support required for them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72833/25]

70. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the next round of funding for the building blocks scheme will be announced. [73391/25]

71. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which the plans announced recently for assessment of needs will help to reduce waiting list for the 18,000 children currently waiting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72861/25]

72. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the level of staff vacancies across the AON teams and CDNTs in Dublin, in tabular form; the measures the HSE has undertaken to recruit and retain more staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72848/25]

73. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the implementation of a single-point-of-access system, which will make it easier for families of children considered to have a need to be referred to the right service, whether that is a children's disability network team, primary care or child and adolescent mental health services; and if she will m…

74. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the recently announced reforms to the assessment of need process will address regional disparities, especially in Cork where there are severe shortages; if regions with the longest waiting lists will receive priority hiring and deployment of in reach teams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [722…

75. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the First Programme Plan of Action to deliver the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 will make meaningful changes to the lives of people with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72862/25]

76. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the measures being taken by her Department to increase the provision of childcare places in east Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73195/25]

77. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider regularising pay and pensions for creche and early years educators on an annualised basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73262/25]

78. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the commitments she has made to provide community childcare in multi-purpose community hubs and centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73015/25]

79. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total expenditure in 2025 in assisting the upgrading or provision of new childcare accommodation, both for community providers and private providers; the level of funding to be provided for such developments in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72935/25]

80. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the greatest length of time a child is waiting in Laois-Offaly to have a referral for an assessment of needs, AON; and the greatest length of time currently to have an AON completed. [72810/25]

81. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is considering a review of the childminding sector, appreciating that current regulations do not allow childminders to hire an assistant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73107/25]

82. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the way in which she envisages the new assessment of need process working; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72890/25]

83. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason that CDNT 8 of CHO 7 based in Chamber House, Tallaght, has not seen an increase in staffing or resources given the extremely high waiting list for both assessment of need and therapies; her views on whether that an almost five-year waiting list for therapies hinders a child’s participation in education and vi…

84. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II - Action Plan 2024-2026; the measures that are still outstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72964/25]

85. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans to increase public funding for early learning and care and school-age care to bring it up to the same level as other countries in the EU. [73264/25]

86. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has conducted or commissioned any recent analysis of the financial sustainability of small and medium-sized childcare providers under the current core funding model; and if she will publish the findings of such analysis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65167/25]

87. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the action plan on childcare will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71910/25]

88. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the implementation of a programme of acquisition and fit-out of State-led early learning and childcare services, as proposed in the programme for Government and budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72982/25]

89. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently missing from Tusla’s care; and the longest length of time any one child has been missing. [71657/25]