Questions

356. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of County Clare children awaiting an assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005, broken down by waiting time. [53841/26]

357. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53869/26]

358. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the range of topics covered and the outcome of her discussions in Cork with Members of the European Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53922/26]

359. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will introduce a national safeguarding authority to ensure improved safeguarding duties, accountability mechanisms and oversight enforcement across sectors and settings for the protection of people living with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53927/26]

360. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the disparity whereby childcare providers operating on school grounds may be exempt from commercial rates, while providers delivering the same ECCE, NCS and afterschool services from independent premises are liable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54241/26]

361. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed the impact of commercial rates on the financial sustainability of private childcare providers, particularly those whose income is largely derived from State-funded childcare schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54242/26]

362. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has engaged with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage or Tailte Éireann regarding the treatment of private childcare providers under the commercial rates system; and if she will outline the cross-departmental work underway to ensure equitable treatment of providers. [54243/26]

363. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider supporting legislative or regulatory changes to ensure that private childcare providers delivering ECCE, NCS and afterschool services are not disproportionately burdened by commercial rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54244/26]

364. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department is aware of delays in the opening of a new creche (details supplied) due to Tusla sign-off, given the current issues facing towns in north Kildare with population increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54252/26]

634. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to address the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53121/26]

635. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current status of the transposition of the EU Pay Transparency Directive into Irish law; when the relevant legislation is expected to be introduced and enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53579/26]

636. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to set out whether her Department has conducted or intends to conduct any review of the current two-week paid paternity leave entitlement, with particular reference to international best practice and the evidence supporting longer periods of leave for fathers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53638/26]

637. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale for maintaining the current two week paid paternity leave provision in circumstances where a number of EU member states have significantly expanded entitlements for fathers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53639/26]

638. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has examined the potential social, economic and health impacts of extending paid paternity leave to eight weeks, including impacts on child development, maternal recovery, workplace retention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53640/26]

639. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide details of any engagement her Department has had with stakeholders, including employer groups, trade unions and family advocacy organisations, regarding proposals to extend paid paternity leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53641/26]

640. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will confirm whether her Department has developed or intends to develop a timeline for reviewing or expanding paid paternity leave entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53642/26]

641. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will report on any analysis undertaken by her Department regarding the uptake of paternity benefit since its introduction; whether this data informs consideration of an extended leave period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53644/26]

642. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider piloting an extended paternity leave scheme or phased increase in entitlements, in line with international developments and domestic demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53645/26]

643. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE psychologist posts, by grade filled, at Clontarf CDNT as of 30 June 2026, in tabular form. [52638/26]

644. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE qualified social workers that joined TUSLA in 2024, 2025 and to-date in 2026; and the number of qualified social workers that left TUSLA during same period, in tabular form. [52639/26]

645. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated cost in 2027 if the budget for TUSLA increased by 12.5%. [52655/26]

646. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has considered the introduction of a national transition framework for young people with intellectual disabilities on reaching adulthood, including structured planning for residential and support needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52673/26]

647. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the level of capital funding allocated in each of the past five years, and planned for the coming three years, to support the delivery of small-scale community-based housing for persons with intellectual disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52674/26]

648. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a formal cross departmental structure is in place between her Department, the Department of Health and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to support the delivery of residential placements for persons with intellectual disabilities; if so, the timelines or targets in place; and if she will make a statement on t…

649. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the data that is collected and published annually in relation to unmet need for residential placements for persons with intellectual disabilities, including waiting lists and new placements delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52676/26]