Parliamentary questions

137. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of adults with intellectual disability awaiting residential placement nationally, by county; and the number of people waiting in excess of one year, two years, three years and so on, in tabular form. [61573/25]

138. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports her Department will provide to a group (details supplied) in County Galway in its efforts to establish a new community creche in the town; if there is funding available from her Department for construction and initial operational costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61448/25]

139. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children’s disability network teams which are fully staffed in the State; and the number which are not fully staffed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61896/25]

140. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update regarding the work of her Department towards providing childcare places in County Dublin. [61424/25]

141. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is evaluating to assist childcare providers in constructing their own premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61581/25]

142. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports available to childcare providers in Core Funding who may require additional financial support. [61905/25]

143. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the means by which the proposed reforms to the assessment of need process will contribute to reducing the current backlog of over 18,000 children awaiting assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61542/25]

144. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the lack of funding for Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living, including the provision of funding for fuel costs for their accessibility vehicles. [58316/25]

145. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the work her Department is doing to evaluate the possibility of greater State involvement in providing childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61903/25]

146. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the supports she is providing for family resource centres in Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61295/25]

147. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to increase respite services for children in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61034/25]

148. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for a progress report on the Programme for Government Commitment to reduce childcare costs to €200 per month per child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61570/25]

149. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to consider introducing financial supports for community-based childcare providers operating outside the ECCE framework, particularly those based in schools that cannot operate during school closures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61541/25]

150. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department’s efforts to improve accessibility in rural towns and villages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61447/25]

151. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the need to improve pay and terms and conditions within the childcare sector in order to attract and retain staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61496/25]

152. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in County Louth that have had assessments of need outsourced by the HSE to private providers to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61455/25]

153. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she will take to address the shortage of creche/preschool places in south Dublin; if her attention has been drawn to significant waiting lists in many areas including Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire and Shankill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59968/25]

154. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on actions taken since the remains of a child (details supplied) were found, including the actions taken by Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61492/25]

155. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the means by which Budget 2026 will support the delivery of affordable and accessible childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61445/25]

156. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if it is the case that individuals who do not have an intellectual disability are not eligible for State-provided residential care (details supplied); if she will outline the rationale and policy position underpinning this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61571/25]

157. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to extend the national childcare scheme to childminders working in the family home, with sensible regulations that fit homebased care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61556/25]

158. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the action plan for childcare and a date for the launch. [61907/25]

159. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department’s plans to ensure that children with disabilities can fully participate in mainstream education, sport, and community life, through the provision of accessible transport, adequate special needs assistants, and inclusive facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61558/25]

160. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the warning of an organisations (details supplied) that if nothing changes, thousands of trusted childminders will be exited from the sector, thus reducing choice, flexibility, and affordability for parents; and the urgent action she will take to avert a crisis. [61329/25]

161. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans on publishing her Department’s childcare action plan before the end of 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61746/25]