Parliamentary questions

87. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the engagement she and her officials have had in 2025 with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with respect to changing or improving planning rules to ensure delivery of childcare facilities in housing developments; the progress she can report on this; and if she will make a statement on the ma…

88. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Fingal has been identified as a priority area by the forward planning unit; the criteria used to determine such prioritisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61499/25]

89. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has addressed the IT issue whereby historical fee data was unavailable on the national childcare scheme website; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61745/25]

90. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of staff recruited in CDNTs in Cork in the past 12 months; and the number who resigned or left. [61723/25]

91. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to address the shortage of early childcare places, particularly for children between the age of 0 to two years which is preventing many parents, especially women, from returning to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60793/25]

92. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures taken to address the huge shortage of childcare places in the whole of County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61584/25]

93. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to increase the number of State-owned early learning and care facilities progressively; the number of facilities planned to be purchased in 2026; if it is her intention to move forward with a public model of childcare delivery as a significan…

94. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting time for assessment of needs in the Dublin Midwest constituency; the steps which are being taken to reduce waiting times in the Dublin Midwest area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61910/25]

95. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of times she has met with the CEO of Tusla since she took office. [61892/25]

96. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of applications received in 2025 for Cork county under the building blocks extension grant scheme; the number of these applications approved under this scheme for Cork county; if there will be an increase in the funding allocation for the building blocks extension grant scheme in 2026; and if she will …

97. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update regarding her Department’s review of core funding. [61423/25]

98. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the action plan on childcare, early years; the stage that it is at; when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61491/25]

99. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to address the continued shortage of therapists across children’s disability network teams, particularly in North Dublin where many families have now waited years without access to occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, or psychology supports for their children; and if she will m…

100. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount of funding provided to childcare service providers under the Core Funding model each year since its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61580/25]

101. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to place an autism innovation strategy on a statutory footing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61512/25]

102. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who have been temporarily missing, or as stated by Tusla, “absconded”, from Tusla, or Tusla-funded, care in the past 12 months; the number of these based in Cork; and the process undertaken when a child goes missing from State care. [61722/25]

103. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to provide urgently needed respite for families of children/adults with profound disabilities in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61583/25]

104. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reforms she will make to the child protection system to make it fit for purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59241/25]

105. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how Ireland’s obligations under the UNCRC are currently being met; the steps her Department is taking to incorporate the UNCRC into domestic legislation, in full or in part, in view of the fact that incorporation will strengthen compliance with international human rights standards; the timeline she envisages for this …

106. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current average waiting time for assessments of need for children in County Offaly; the measures being taken by her Department to address delays in these assessments and ensure timely access to early intervention services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61544/25]

107. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who have been temporarily missing (absconded) from Tusla, or Tusla-funded, care in the past 12 month; the number of these based in Fingal West; the process undertaken when a child goes missing from State care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61882/25]

108. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on tackling the issues of non-refundable deposits in childcare services. [61906/25]

109. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the means by which she intends to tackle the severe shortage of childcare places across the State; the means by which she intends to quickly build capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61493/25]

110. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Minister for Children, Disability and Equality cén cur chuige atá maidir le naíonraí agus naíscoileanna Gaeilge a bhunú, agus ansin tacaíocht fanacht ar an bhfód. [61328/25]

111. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the development of the National Equality Data Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61579/25]