Parliamentary questions

694. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if private respite providers are being contracted to supplement oversubscribed HSE-run services; and if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56852/25]

695. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting time for a child to access respite services in each CHO; the way in which these figures have changed since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56853/25]

696. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children with complex needs which are currently awaiting access to any form of respite (in-home, after-school, or weekend) in CHO7; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56854/25]

697. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new respite referrals which have been refused in the past 12 months; the primary reasons given for refusal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56855/25]

698. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the eligibility criteria for children's respite; if there are age restrictions (such as the rule preventing approval under age eight); the rationale for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56856/25]

699. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider introducing short-term or emergency respite options for children under eight with complex needs, in cases where families are in crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56857/25]

700. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to ensure equitable access to respite across regions, given the reports of oversubscription in some CHOs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56858/25]

701. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a breakdown of staff vacancies across respite and children's disability services; the way in which these vacancies are impacting the delivery of after-school and weekend supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56859/25]

702. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans in place to expand the respite workforce, including SNAs, care assistants, and respite nurses, in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56860/25]

703. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will introduce a national recruitment and retention strategy specific to respite and community support services for children with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56861/25]

704. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the in-home supports which are currently funded for children with high support needs; if these can be expanded as an interim measure while respite services are oversubscribed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56862/25]

705. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if CDNT teams have discretion to approve in-home respite on compassionate grounds; the frequency with which this has occurred in the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56863/25]

706. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will publish quarterly updates on the number of children receiving respite; the number waiting, by CHO; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56864/25]

707. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the oversight mechanisms which exist to ensure that HSE disability managers are delivering on national respite targets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56865/25]

708. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an audit of children's respite provision has been undertaken since 2022; and, if so, to publish its findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56866/25]

709. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that, 100 years after the foundation of the State, there is still no statutory provision for childcare services through the medium of Irish, outside of the Gaeltacht; if she accepts that this represents a significant gap in the State's commitment to the Irish language; and the steps she intends to …

710. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the guidelines and procedures in place for the vetting of individuals working or volunteering in sectors that provide services to children; and if an individual may continue to work or volunteer in such a capacity while their vetting application is being processed and not yet completed. [56871/25]

711. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will address the issue of NCS funding being reduced for parents who have to collect their children early from creche; if she is considering changes to NCS funding that will allow more flexibility for parents in such a position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57020/25]

712. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on a report (details supplied) on the end-to-end processes linked to publicly funded early learning and childcare schemes/programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57021/25]

713. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to give a detailed progress report in regard to the urgent provision of respite and additional disability services adjacent to a school (details supplied); if she will outline the progress the working group has made in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57092/25]

714. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on extending paid parental leave to those who become parents through surrogacy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57101/25]

715. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the vacant buildings owned by her Department or by agencies under the remit of her Department in Dublin 2, 4, 6, and 6W, including, the address and size in square meters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57104/25]

716. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a list of vacancies in CDNTs in County Offaly. [57216/25]

717. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide details of the factors that are taken into consideration in determining if the determination of disability is correct or, if it will conclude that it is not and, perhaps, recommend further assessment be carried out when a complaint is lodged under Section 14(1)(a) of the Disability Act 2005 and a clinica…

718. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of all reports, including consultancy reports commissioned by her Department from 1 January 2024 to date in 2025, that could be categorised as not for external publication or marked for internal use only; the cost of each report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57284/25]