Questions

1108. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to consider removing the age eligibility of two years and eight months by 31 August for the free ECCE scheme, allowing children to have two free years of preschool regardless of their starting age, preventing an extra cost on parents of children who are ready for preschool before two years and eight months; and if she will make a state…

1109. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will ensure that a Montessori operating an inclusive model of education and care (details supplied) is not forced to reduce services due to funding constraints; and that this Montessori is not forced to abandon an inclusive model of care in favour of mainstream or special status which would exclude some of the children curren…

1110. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will ensure that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is formally considered by the Cabinet Committee on Disability, in order that people with IBD are included in national discussions on disability rights and supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49048/25]

1111. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the location of each young parent support programme; the catchment for each of these young parent support programmes, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49245/25]

1112. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will support the establishment of a young parent support programme in the Dublin 1, Dublin 3 and Dublin 7 area, which has the highest numbers of young parents in the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49246/25]

1856. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will request a review of the amount of the financial contribution being sought by the HSE under the fair deal scheme in respect of a person (details supplied). [46121/25]

1857. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the employment of nine additional senior physiotherapists to assist those with multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions receive the care that they need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46768/25]

1858. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the last review into the foster carers allowance took place; the steps her Department have taken to review the foster carers allowance with regard to the increased cost- of- living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46889/25]

1859. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide information (details supplied) in relation to children's disability network teams in CHO3, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47164/25]

1860. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to estimate the full year cost of reintroducing the mobility allowance scheme phased out in 2011 (details supplied). [47494/25]

1861. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a funding scheme for the construction of purpose built residential units for adults with disabilities. [44451/25]

1862. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a funding scheme for the construction of purpose built day services centres for adults with disabilities. [44452/25]

1863. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when she will publish the findings and recommendations of the Advisory Group on Administrative and Regulatory Simplification for the Early Years Sector, which met during 2023 and 2024; to outline the actions that have been or will be taken on foot of the group’s work to reduce the administrative burden on providers; and if she wil…

1864. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions his Department will take in advance of Ireland ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; the mechanisms he intends to utilise to meet these obligations; the timeframe in which he intends to do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44487/25]

1865. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 261 of 2 April 2025, the reason the Department has not conducted an audit comparing the number of hours funded versus the actual hours provided to disability day service users.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44573/25]

1866. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to establish an Ombudsman for Disability (details supplied) given that at least 22% of the population is living with a disability and/or a chronic illness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44587/25]

1867. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of monthly applications received by the Decision Support Service for decision-making assistance agreements since the service became operational in April 2023; number of monthly decisions made in respect of those applications, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44611/25]

1868. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the breakdown of the number of Co-Decision-Making Agreement applications received by the Decision Support Service, by calendar month from April 2023 to date; the number of such applications that were approved or declined during each month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44612/25]

1869. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide monthly statistics from April 2023 to date on the number of applications made to the Decision Support Service or processed by it in respect of decision-making representation orders; the number of decisions made in each month, including any refusals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44613/25]

1870. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of enduring power of attorney applications received by the Decision Support Service, by month since April 2023; , and the number of decisions made in relation to these applications that is registrations or refusals, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44614/25]

1871. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when a review of the Decision Support Service is scheduled to take place to ensure it is fit for purpose and serving the needs of service users and practitioners; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44616/25]

1872. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on plans to introduce the new European disability card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44621/25]

1873. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of an application for assessment of need for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44628/25]

1874. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason widowed parents are not entitled to any additional parental leave in recognition of the fact that they are parenting single handedly; if there are plans in place to review this in the interest of fairness and support for bereaved families, considering that many widowed parents face the full demands of raising children…

1875. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the reason for deductions made to pay for persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44694/25]