Parliamentary questions

774. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the 2025 and 2026 capital budget allocation for her Department, in tabular form. [65881/25]

775. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the additional funding that has been allocated towards the assessment of needs for children since the 3 April 2025 in order that no child has to wait over three years for an assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65951/25]

776. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current number of vacant posts within the children disability network teams in County Kerry; the recruitment strategies in place to fill these roles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65960/25]

777. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to opening applications for core funding early, as some childcare providers who have not increased their fees for a number of years are struggling to remain open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65991/25]

778. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of former secretary general’s, retired civil servants, directors of service, retired city/county managers or those of a similar grade in her Department that have subsequently served on State boards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66004/25]

779. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions her Department is taking in response to reports from early-years childcare operators that rising costs are placing unsustainable pressure on services, resulting in over 150 creches withdrawing from the Government scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66026/25]

780. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department will take to address the warnings from childcare operators that parents' bills could rise to €1,400 per month due to support funding not keeping pace with costs, leading to fears of closures across the sector (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66027/25]

781. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which a community group can establish a family resource centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66036/25]

782. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE speech and language therapists employed; the number of approved WTE speech and language therapists positions; the number of children under 18 waiting to be seen; the length of time they are waiting to be seen, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66056/…

783. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE occupational therapists employed; the number of approved WTE occupational therapists positions; the number of children under 18 waiting to be seen; the length of time they are waiting to be seen, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66058/25]

784. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of occupational therapists currently employed by the HSE in the southeast region; the number of OT’s approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66062/25]

785. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount her Department and any body under her aegis have spent on the services of a company (details supplied), by year and organisation in the years 2020 to 1 November 2025, in tabular form. [66072/25]

786. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount her Department and any body under her aegis have spent on the services of a company (details supplied), by year and organisation in the years 2020 to 1 November 2025, in tabular form. [66090/25]

787. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to facilitate the opening of a respite care centre 24 hours per day, 7 days of the week (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66159/25]

788. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of legal cases parents have taken against the HSE due to assessment of needs not being delivered within the statutory six months, in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the legal costs for the HSE associated with this, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66230/25]

789. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide the Department’s annual expenditure on State Claims Agency costs for the years 2020–2025. [66342/25]

527. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of section 16A of the Disability Act 2005 applications made, granted and implemented from January 2021 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64643/25]

528. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the guidance, or interim guidance, which is available on the operation of section 16A of the Disability Act 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64644/25]

529. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the oversight and risk management processes in place in relation to section 16A of the Disability Act 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64645/25]

530. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the HSE and her Department are considering the provision of an interim direction on section 16A of the Disability Act 2005 to ensure existing lawful determinations are implemented without further delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64646/25]

531. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of occasions in the past five years on which has Tusla flown children to the UK so they could be accommodated in secure units there; if a guardian ad litem accompanied children on every occasion; who else accompanied the children; the age profile of the children; the number of Irish children currently being…

532. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of occasions in the past five years on which Tusla has housed in eating disorder units or other CAMHS units children who had not been found to have a mental disorder, due to a lack of secure placements. [64663/25]

533. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of secure unit places available nationally for both girls and boys in Ireland; how that compares to the demand; and to outline whether there is ever a waiting list. [64664/25]

534. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of special emergency arrangement locations Kare Plus South has open with Tusla; the qualifications its staff must have in order to look after children living in these arrangements; if the staff have therapeutic crisis intervention training; if the staff working in a location (details supplied) where a serio…

535. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total annual expenditure by Tusla on subcontracted private providers, including limited companies, engaged to provide residential or emergency care placements for children in each of the past five years. [64890/25]