Parliamentary questions

631. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1831 of 29 April 2025, the reason for the delay in providing an answer; the reason a second parliamentary question regarding the matter has been ignored; when an answer will be forthcoming; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35294/25]

632. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the significant shortfall in early years childcare provision in Boyle, County Roscommon (details supplied); if funding or support will be made available to develop suitable premises for additional childcare services in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35308/25]

633. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of service statements issued by each children’s disability network team in each area in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35344/25]

634. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of assessments of need completed by each children’s disability network team in each area in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [35345/25]

635. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children on waiting lists for an assessment of need, by area, in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; the number overdue for completion; and the number completed with a service statement. [35346/25]

636. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider implementing a streamlined approach for assessment of needs reports to ensure that each report completed is done to the same standard and with consistent use of language and terms. [35349/25]

637. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on her Department’s consideration of including socioeconomic background as a ground for discrimination under the Equality Acts; if she will outline the policy basis informing this review and the expected timeline for any proposed changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…

638. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of creche groups that have pulled out of core funding in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35391/25]

639. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of creches that have signed up to the core funding scheme in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35392/25]

640. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether there is a plan to support families whose only accessible creches are in the 7% of creches that are not signed up to the core funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35393/25]

641. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality as per her Department’s announcement in March, to clarify and outline on what date successful applicants of the children’s disability services grant will be provided funding under the grant; the amount of funding to be provided to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35403/25]

642. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any official within her Department was aware of the commitment given by a previous Minister of State, Anne Rabbitte, who publicly committed to funding of €200,000 for adult day care services and €150,000 for respite services at a disability services provider (details supplied) during a visit to the disabili…

643. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will commit to funding a community neuro-rehabilitation team for the southeast in Budget 2026, in line with the Programme for Government commitment to complete the national rollout. [34817/25]

644. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early years students on degree courses (NFQ Level 7 and above) who attended work placements in early years settings in 2023 and 2024; the number of new early years graduates (NFQ Level 7 and above) who began working in early years settings in 2023 and 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…

645. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any costing has been done on integrating early years mental health supports into childcare settings, including inpatient child therapeutic interventions or staff training. [35471/25]

646. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an NTPF type scheme exists for those waiting for an assessment of needs; the way they can apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35475/25]

647. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to list all the public services contracts worth €10 million or more, which have been granted by herself or the forerunner for her Department, or other State bodies in the past five years; the value of each contract; the length of term of each; the expiration date of each contract; and whether any contract was di…

648. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full-year cost of increasing childcare subsidies to 100% of fees paid by parents availing of childcare subsidies from the national childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35658/25]

649. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full-year cost of providing free school meals for all pre-school children in the ECCE scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35659/25]

650. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full-year cost of increasing wages for all childcare workers by €2 an hour via a public subsidy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35660/25]

651. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated cost of hiring 375 additional clinicians required to clear assessment of needs waiting lists with autism; the estimated full-year cost of ensuring that the timelines for assessment of needs outlined in the Disability Act 2005 are met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35661/25]

652. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will confirm that the promised uplift of the community neurorehabilitation team in the mid west region will take place in 2025, as committed to by the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35728/25]

653. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the community neurorehabilitation team in the mid west region, which provides critical therapies including physiotherapy, speech and language, psychology and so on to neurological patients, will be funded to increase the number of posts from 6 to 12, as stipulated in the national neurorehabilitation strateg…

654. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the necessary works will be carried out at the Saoirse Centre in Athboy for the adult services; if the centre will be well secured with fencing prior to doors opening (details supplied). [35828/25]

655. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 712 of 24 June 2025, her plans to amend core funding to restrict the keeping of deposits where a child does not avail of a place, either at all, or within a prescribed period; and her plans to review the rates of maximum deposits that can be charged. [35979/25]