Parliamentary questions

337. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken by her Department to increase capacity for childcare services in north Kildare; the number of families currently on a waiting list for childcare services in north Kildare; the average waiting times on those lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36809/25]

338. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the enforcement of disability parking spaces on both publicly owned streets and in private locations such as shopping centre car parks is being addressed in the draft National Disability Strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36971/25]

205. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people under 65 who have transitioned out of nursing homes since 2021; the number in the same cohort who have entered nursing homes in that same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36248/25]

206. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale behind cutting the budget for the enhanced quality of life scheme, which supports personal assistants and electric wheelchairs and so on, from €812,000 to €251,000 in the past year; if this reduction can be justified in the context of the Government’s stated aim to end the institutionalisation …

207. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the first-year and full-year cost of increasing the weekly foster care allowance by €10. [36585/25]

208. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the immediate and long-term measures being taken to address the severe shortage of childcare places; how the Government is planning to reform the national childcare scheme to better support working families and promote flexible working arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36311/25]

209. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the case of childcare fees outlined to her office by email (details supplied); if clarity will be provided regarding the qualifying criteria under the proposed fee cap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36368/25]

210. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the review of the regulatory framework for school-age children will be complete. [36385/25]

211. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on her Department’s work to progress the public provision of childcare. [36386/25]

212. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on her Department’s estimates for the supply and demand of ELC/SAC over the next five years. [36387/25]

213. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the outcomes of the public consultation process for the National Strategy for Women and Girls, conducted earlier this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36388/25]

214. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on the progress of her Department’s work to establish a gender pay gap IT portal. [36389/25]

215. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current waiting time for children’s therapy services, speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy under the early intervention scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36444/25]

216. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE social workers by grade based at the Chamber House children's disability network team in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36470/25]

217. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE psychologists by grade based at the Tymon children's disability network team in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36471/25]

218. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the last health and safety review of Oberstown Children Detention Campus took place, when the next health and safety review will take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36492/25]

219. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if all recommendations arising out of the last health and safety review of Oberstown Children Detention Campus were implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36493/25]

220. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions being taken to address capacity pressures at Oberstown Children Detention Campus in light of increasing demand for places; the measures being implemented to ensure the safety and well-being of staff at the facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36494/25]

221. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she intends to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Irish law; if so, the proposed timeline for implementation; if not, the reasons for this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36495/25]

222. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an application for family resource centre status for an organisation in County Kerry will be expedited (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36605/25]

626. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated cost of aligning the aftercare allowance to the foster care allowance (FCA) for all foster children in the State aged 18 and to be in receipt of this until they are 23 if living in the foster home, in order to avoid foster families in receipt of the FCA to not lose €125 per week, or in some cases losi…

627. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to providing more CDNT supports to mainstream schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36101/25]

628. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm whether people under 18 who are currently on the waiting list for an autism assessment will not be removed from that waiting list upon turning 18; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35214/25]

629. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 1205 and 1206 of 22 January 2025, the status of the jointly commissioned literature review; if the research company has submitted its report for consideration as anticipated (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35250/25]

630. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when a swimming pool in south Tipperary, owned by her Department, will be re-opened as its closure has had a huge impact on swimming lessons for hundreds of students in south Tipperary; the length of time the pool has been out of action; when the report on the works needed will be finalised; the reason for the dela…