Parliamentary questions

132. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to report on the mother and baby home payments scheme; if she is planning a review of the scheme; if so, what this review will entail; the person or body that will be conducting the review; the proposed timeline for the review; if has she considered expanding the eligibility criteria for the scheme; an…

133. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide an update on the provision of residential disability services in County Offaly, particularly in relation to capacity issues, waiting lists, and the availability of appropriate placements for children and young adults with complex needs; and if she will make a statement on the…

134. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the work at increasing capacity in respite services to meet known unmet need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20437/25]

135. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to report on her engagement with religious organisations regarding redress for survivors of abuse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20963/25]

136. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current capacity of childcare services in Kildare north; her plans to increase the number of childcare facilities in Kildare north; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20976/25]

137. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps she will take to compel religious organisations, who have not done so to date, to pay meaningful redress for survivors of abuse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20962/25]

138. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on progress to date on the provision of capital investment for the construction or purchase of State-owned childcare facilities; whether strategic investment in childcare facilities will be sufficiently expanded under the revised National Development Plan; and if she will make a state…

139. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement she has with other Government Departments and State agencies in encouraging private sector businesses to increase the numbers of people with disabilities employed in their organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20438/25]

140. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will report on the proportion of the Department’s budget that is allocated to private service providers in the disability sector; and if she believes the outsourcing of vital care to for-profit entities is in the best interest of children and families. [21012/25]

141. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline the steps being taken to entice childcare providers who have exited core funding back into core funding, thereby ensuring the fee cap is maintained for the benefit of all parents; if she will provide a forum for engagement with childcare providers who have exited core fundin…

142. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline her Department's efforts to make towns and villages more accessible for people with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20781/25]

143. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures enacted or are planned to give effect to the Programme for Government commitment to engage with stakeholders to "create more targeted, effective services for children with special needs". [20786/25]

144. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the outcome of the personalised budget demonstrator pilot; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20432/25]

145. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the measures being taken by her Department to encourage and support the opening of family resource centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20990/25]

146. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth given the HIQA overview report on the first year of inspecting international protection accommodation centres, published on 5 March 2025, found that 56% of centres inspected did not have effective governance and management arrangements in place, had poor, or no, reporting systems, and that 35% of s…

147. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide an update on the waiting times for assessment of needs across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20930/25]

148. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the work of her Department to support youth services and youth organisations, particularly in rural Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20987/25]

149. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her proposals to deliver affordable childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21005/25]

150. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps she is taking to ensure Programme for Government commitments to provide capital investment to build or purchase State-owned childcare facilities and create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exist, are delivered; if this will be a priority as part of the forthcoming NDP review;…

151. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the increase in respite services, including locations, envisaged for 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20796/25]

152. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she agrees that childcare providers’ administrative burden is too high; if she can detail the steps she will take to alleviate that burden, particularly for smaller providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20998/25]

153. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide an update on the provision of respite services for children with disabilities in the Dublin Bay North constituency; the number of families availing of respite; and whether any increase in respite capacity is planned for 2025. [20994/25]

154. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of money paid by the State to the providers of special emergency arrangements for accommodating children in State care, in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2025. [20960/25]

155. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps being taken to move towards the improvement of pay and conditions for youth workers. [20801/25]

156. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide an update on the delivery of disability services in County Offaly, particularly in relation to access to assessment of need, early intervention, and supports for families with children who have additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20768/25]