Parliamentary questions

1236. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on her plans to examine and expand the access and inclusion model and make it available to younger children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30380/25]

1237. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on how we can continue to build up the Equal Start Programme, ensuring children experiencing disadvantage will access and participate fully in early learning and childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30381/25]

1238. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated cost of making available an extra hour of ECCE each day in the second year of preschool; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30382/25]

1239. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of Early Learning and Childcare and School Age Childcare closures, by county in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30383/25]

1240. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of services providing a baby room for babies aged 0-1, by county; the number of baby rooms available in each county in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30384/25]

1241. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of community childcare facilities who have entered the sector in each of the past five years, by county; and the number of community childcare providers who have left the sector in each of the past five years, by Local Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30385/25]

1242. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full-year costs of providing 60,000 additional home support hours. [30408/25]

1243. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full-year costs of providing 125,000 additional personal assistance hours. [30409/25]

1244. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider expanding the access and inclusion (AIMS) model to support children below the current age of eligibility which is two years and eight months; the equivalent supports that exist for children who otherwise would qualify for AIMS but do not meet the age eligibility requirement; and if she will m…

1245. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to correspondences with the Minister for Justice (details supplied), to clarify exactly the scope of her Department’s remit with respect to equality policy. [30448/25]

1246. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount of the €25 million funding allocated through the building blocks scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30493/25]

1247. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason Parliamentary Question No. 1831 of 29 April 2025 has not been answered; when an answer will be forthcoming; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30551/25]

1248. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to ensure there is incentives for graduates to remain in the early years education sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30574/25]

1249. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reasons a child (details supplied) has not gotten his assessment of needs appointment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30597/25]

1250. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department provide urgent nurse-led respite care services for children with complex need in Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30640/25]

1251. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current capacity of respite care for children with disabilities in County Laois; the number of children provided with respite care each week; her plans to increase capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30642/25]

1252. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will provide urgent nurse-led respite care services for children with complex need in Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30643/25]

1253. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of referrals or disclosures received by Tusla concerning sexual abuse, where the person subject of abuse allegations was a minor, in each of the years 2016 to 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30652/25]

1254. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of allegations of sexual abuse made to Tusla where the person subject of abuse allegations was a minor, in each of the years 2016 to 2024, in tabular form. [30653/25]

1255. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number allegations of sexual abuse, where the person subject of abuse allegations was a minor, that were concluded by Tusla to be founded, in each of the years 2016 to 2024, in tabular form. [30654/25]

1256. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of allegations of sexual abuse, where the person subject of abuse allegations was a minor, that were concluded by Tusla to be unfounded, in each of the years 2016 to 2024, in tabular form. [30655/25]

495. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the number of staff by position in a centre (details supplied); the staffing cost by position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28404/25]

496. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether there is any capital funding that a family centre in Clondalkin that receives funding from Tusla can apply for to finance a new build; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28536/25]

497. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28557/25]

498. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the State intends to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Details Supplied) before the summer recess or before the end of 2025, given that Ireland remains one of only 20 countries worldwide yet to ratify the protocol; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…