Parliamentary questions

711. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will commit to funding a community neuro-rehabilitation team for the south east in Budget 2026 in line with the commitment in the current Programme for Government to complete the nationwide rollout of community neuro-rehabilitation teams (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [337…

712. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the practice of early years facilities charging prospective parents a non-refundable administrative fee in circumstances (details supplied); if the practice is permissible under the core funding agreement; and if she will make a statement on the need to transition childcare to being universally prov…

713. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently address and clarify the recent decision to decline reduced ratio funding to a school (details supplied) for the 2025-2026 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33770/25]

714. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for a full list of all documents, reports, strategies, and resources that have been “unpublished” by her Department over the past ten years (details supplied), including all such materials that have been “unpublished” by divisions, sections and units of his Department that became part of the Minister’s Depart…

715. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to consider a review of leave entitlements for parents of multiple children; the reason the Government has not acceded to such a measure in the past; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33859/25]

716. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the consideration he has given to the introduction of specific leave entitlements for reproductive and gynaecological health, including miscarriage, endometriosis and other related conditions. [33875/25]

717. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the potential total cost of increasing the foster care allowance by the equivalent of the current rates of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33917/25]

718. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether TUSLA has emergency out-of-hours social workers available nationwide. [33976/25]

719. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when a person (details supplied) will receive respite care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33982/25]

720. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the breakdown of funding to local authorities under the play and recreation capital funding scheme in the years 2020 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33991/25]

721. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when a centre (details supplied) will again be able to offer full respite services to children and families, which I am advised, has not been provided since January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34010/25]

722. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will examine the new regulations for childminders to ensure that they are not leading to increased paperwork for childminders, who want to be spending time with the children they look after rather than sitting doing paperwork; if she will ensure the additional requirements are as straightforward as possible …

723. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the infrastructure projects being built or commissioned by her Department that are currently late in their delivery; and the infrastructure projects currently over budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34085/25]

724. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on a review into administration for childminders as referenced by her at the Joint Committee meeting on children on 12 June in which she advised that “in terms of red tape, a review is ongoing with a view to minimising it. Our purpose is to make things easier, not more difficult, as we go forwa…

725. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the baby bundle project that was trialled in 2023; the amount of families that benefited; the net cost of the scheme to date, in tabular form; if it is intended to proceed with a pilot expansion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34120/25]

726. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that communities seeking to establish new childcare facilities are precluded from accessing Building Blocks, the only financial support available, as they are not an existing service; if she will rectify this to ensure the funding is more accessible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. […

727. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider greater flexibility for Building Blocks, the only financial support available for childcare facilities, where there is an opportunity for a community to buy an existing premises (not new), therefore bringing life back to a closed building, usually in the heart of a town which is an ideal locati…

728. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE ICT data specialists employed by her Department in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [34200/25]

729. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of vacancies on the north Tipperary CDNT; when it is intended to fill these vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34213/25]

730. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of vacancies, by job title, at each CDNT within CHO9 and CHO7, in tabular form. [34264/25]

731. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the National strategy for women and girls; when it is expected to be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34315/25]

732. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when her Department's action plan for administrative and regulatory simplification will be complete. [34384/25]

733. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her Department's plans to ensure all childminders are registered by 2027. [34385/25]

734. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her Department's work to ensure the additional bureaucracy involved in registering childminders does not result in a decrease of available childminders. [34386/25]

735. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the creation of the new nurturing skills website by her Department. [34387/25]