Parliamentary questions

232. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed the financial impact on foster carers of the decision not to provide a Christmas bonus in 2025; the supports being considered to assist foster carers during periods of increased costs such as Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68513/25]

467. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on a complaint regarding the breach of core funding rules by a service provider (details supplied); the length of time this complaint took to be concluded at Stage 1 and Stage 2; the length of time the complaint has been at Stage 3; the timeline for the full resolution of the complaint; the preci…

468. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of funded speech and language therapist and occupational therapist posts that are currently in place in the Irish health and disability systems; the number of posts that are currently vacant; and the measures to ensure those posts are filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67293/25]

469. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the options available to a family resource centre desperately in need of more space, which owns its own site and is seeking funds to build on it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67317/25]

470. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on an assessment for autism for a person (detail supplied); if the full range of services required arising from the assessment are in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67319/25]

471. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to provide the Clonmel Children's Disability Network Team with its own dedicated space as the service currently shares a building with CAMHS and primary care with insufficient therapy room space; if the lack of therapy space is contributing to the difficulties recruiting therapists; if a request for addit…

472. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the children on the open case load of the Clonmel CDNT team with an age breakdown; the number of children on the open case load who have not received any therapies; the breakdown of children waiting for therapies by age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67362/25]

473. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who had been referred to the Clonmel CDNT team by the primary care team and subsequently referred back to the primary care team; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67363/25]

474. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people with disabilities in receipt of home support hours in each LHO area as of 1st November 2025 or latest date available; the number of people currently on the waiting list for same in each LHO area; the number waiting 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, and the number waiting 12 months plus, in tabu…

475. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people with disabilities in receipt of personal assistance hours in each LHO area as of 1st November 2025 or latest date available; the number of people currently on the waiting list for same in each LHO area; the number waiting 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, and the number waiting 12 months plus, …

476. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of residential places for people with a disability currently being provided as of 1st November 2025 or latest date available; broken down by CHO area, in tabular form. [67380/25]

477. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new emergency places provided to people with a disability as of 1st November 2025; broken down by local health office, in tabular form. [67381/25]

478. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children as of 1st November 2025 or latest date available that were awaiting a first assessment from the HSE under the Disability Act 2005; broken down by local health office, in tabular form. [67382/25]

479. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people as of 1st November 2025 or latest date available on the speech and language therapy assessment waiting list; the number waiting less than 4 months, 4-12 months, and the number waiting more than 12 months; the numbers for each category waiting aged 0-17 years (both CDNT and Primary Care Services); …

480. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people for each local health area as of 1st November 2025 or latest date available, on the speech and language therapy initial treatment waiting list; the number waiting less than 4 months, 4-12 months, and the number waiting more than 12 months; the numbers for each category waiting aged 0-17 years (bot…

481. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people for each local health area as of 1st November 2025 or latest date available, on the speech and language therapy further treatment waiting list; the number waiting less than 4 months, 4-12 months, and the number waiting more than 12 months; and the numbers for each category waiting aged 0-17 years …

482. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the options available to an existing family resource centre, under the national forum to buy a premises as a permanent home in order to develop; the funding which is available; if an existing vacant building can be purchased; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67441/25]

483. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the type of training provided to staff within her Department in the use of, or understanding of artificial intelligence; if a programme is planned for all staff on their obligations under the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67456/25]

484. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions her Department is taking to increase childcare capacity in Dublin Bay North, given the growing number of parents who cannot secure a crèche place despite applying well in advance of birth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67503/25]

485. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current supports and planned measures to expand the number of early learning and childcare places nationally and within Dublin Bay North in order to address long waiting lists and capacity pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67504/25]

486. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to reduce the reliance of parents on childminders, where families are unable to access a crèche place despite early applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67505/25]

487. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department will ensure that parents on maternity leave are not required to spend significant time seeking childcare places due to capacity shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67506/25]

488. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total amount of funding provided by Tusla to an organisation (details supplied); to outline the oversight and safeguarding checks carried out on staff working for organisations that receive Tusla funding in order to protect vulnerable young people, to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on t…

489. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to examine the case of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67557/25]

490. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the assessment of need appointment for a person (details supplied). [67560/25]