Parliamentary questions

278. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures that have been taken to address the huge shortage of childcare places in Milltown, mid and south Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55965/25]

279. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures that will be taken to progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child through the national childcare scheme; if options will be explored to cap costs for larger families, as per the Programme for Government; the timeline for this reduction; and if she will make a statement on the mat…

280. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the additional money that has been allocated for Core Funding in 2026; the additional money which has been allocated for Core Funding across the 2026-27 programme year; for a breakdown of what the additional money is for, and the amount of it that is tied to staff pay; and if she will make a statement …

761. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of vacancies by job title at Kilbarrack children's disability network team; the time frame for filling each of those vacancies, in tabular form. [54616/25]

762. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reasons for a 20 month waiting time for an assessment of needs of a person in Laois (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54622/25]

763. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding a facility (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54648/25]

764. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54688/25]

765. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that only 15 of the 26 High Court-directed special care beds in the State are currently operational due to ongoing staffing shortages; the steps being taken to ensure full capacity is restored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54701/25]

766. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale for the proposed restructuring of Tusla’s special care services of a facility (details supplied); whether a full consultation with staff and their representative union took place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54702/25]

767. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has considered the impact of the proposed restructuring on the regulatory responsibilities of persons in charge; if HIQA has been consulted regarding the potential implications for the registration of special care centres (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54703/25]

768. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an updated job specification has been issued for new and revised roles under the proposed restructuring of facilities (details supplied); if not, when these documents will be provided to staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54704/25]

769. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an equality or risk assessment has been undertaken on the proposed restructuring of Tusla’s special care services, given widespread staff concerns that the changes could result in centre closures (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54705/25]

770. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will address concerns that the proposed amalgamation of the social care leader and social care worker grades into a single “special care worker” grade will erode the supervisory and support structures essential for safe service delivery in special care centres (details supplied); and if she will make a st…

771. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the outcome of Tusla’s recent overseas recruitment campaign for special care staff; the total cost of this initiative, including accommodation and relocation supports; whether it has delivered measurable improvements in staffing levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54707/25]

772. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will clarify whether Tusla’s previous “agency incentive scheme” was approved by her Department; the cost implications of this scheme; the safeguards now in place to prevent pay disparities between agency and directly employed staff (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54708…

773. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide details of any proposals submitted by Tusla to increase the “special care allowance” to improve recruitment and retention; whether her Department supports these measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54709/25]

774. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the engagement that has taken place between her Department, Tusla, and a union (details supplied) to address ongoing staff retention issues in special care; if she will ensure that the restructuring plan is paused pending meaningful consultation with affected staff; and if she will make a statement on…

775. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to explain the reason for the decision by her Department not to approve the proposed increase in the “special care allowance” for staff working in Tusla’s special care centres (details supplied); if she will reconsider this decision given the acute staffing crisis and associated High Court implications; and if s…

776. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of an application with Tusla to open a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54834/25]

777. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update regarding the gradual reduction of childcare costs, as committed to in the Programme for Government; the steps she has taken to progress this policy; the timeline for the publication of an official plan in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54848/25]

778. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the case of a non-verbal autistic child (details supplied), who has been neglected by the State in the non-provision of timely assessments, interventions and therapies; if she will commit to an immediate intervention to ensure this child is provided with the range of supports they urgently …

779. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when she anticipates the new building blocks scheme will open for applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54949/25]

780. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department have given any further consideration to improving flexibility in the NCS scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54950/25]

781. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are any technical, legal, operational, or policy constraints preventing her Department, when publishing quarterly reports of payments or purchase orders over €20,000, from including additional columns that link each payment to its underlying procurement process specifically tender/contract title; name and ad…

782. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if all contracting authorities under the aegis of her Department are in full compliance with Circular 05/2023, in particular the mandatory requirement to publish contract award notices for all contracts above €25,000; and if she will provide details of the monitoring or enforcement arrangements in place to ensure thi…