Questions

759. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has any intention of taking up the issues arising from the Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021, which would give workplace leave in the event of miscarriage or fertility treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25472/25]

760. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the case of a child (details supplied) will be considered; if she will ensure that the support of a children's disability network team will be put in place as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25519/25]

761. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if funding will be provided in this year's Budget to fully staff the community neurorehabilitation team for the north-west in line with the Programme for Government commitment to complete the roll out of community neurorehabilitation teams across the country (details supplied). [25627/25]

762. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how the higher effective poverty rates among people with disabilities are being incorporated into national disability inclusion strategies; and whether she will initiate a cross-departmental task force to address the cost for people living with a disability. [25629/25]

763. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed Ireland's obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in light of the economic disadvantage experienced by disabled people; and whether she plans measures to improve compliance. [25630/25]

764. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality what steps are being taken to formally recognise the cost of disability in Government policy; and whether she will lead on developing a published Government action plan listing reforms to address extra living costs for disabled individuals. [25631/25]

765. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will commission or support ongoing research and data collection on disability and poverty; and whether she will ensure that such evidence informs policy by reporting regularly to the Oireachtas on indicators like the disability poverty gap. [25632/25]

766. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current status of childcare waiting lists in Wicklow; the measures being taken to address the shortage of places for children under three years old; the means by which she plans to expand capacity and improve access to early learning and care services in the region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25724/25]

767. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of HIQA inspections conducted on foster care services annually since 2019, across each of the 17 Tusla service areas, including the key findings and areas identified for improvement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25725/25]

768. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps taken in response to recent HIQA reports highlighting deficiencies in the governance and oversight of foster care services; the means by which the Department is working with Tusla to ensure compliance with national child protection standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25726/25]

769. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the reinstatement of therapists from children disability network teams back to special schools since August 2024, and a breakdown of relevant figures including of recruitment attempts to backfill those posts within CDNTs following reinstatement of those therapists in special schools. [25749/25]

770. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she is taking to address the waiting lists regarding assessment of needs tests for children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25770/25]

771. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the interventions to be taken to assist with the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25873/25]

772. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the annual reports from the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection (details supplied) who was appointed in January 2023; when each annual report will be published and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas given the importance of this independent role in identifying developments in child protection law and practice bo…

773. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of persons on waiting lists for home care and for additional home care hours in counties Roscommon and Galway; and the average waiting time for each waiting lists in each county, in tabular form. [25966/25]

774. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current staffing vacancies within each of the children's disability network teams in New Ross, Enniscorthy, Wexford and Gorey in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26008/25]

775. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of occupational therapists currently employed as part of the children's disability network teams in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26010/25]

776. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the breakdown CDNT data for County Wexford teams to date in 2025 regarding staff numbers, positions filled, positions vacant and the caseload, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26020/25]

296. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures she will take to ensure assessments of needs are completed within the statutory timeline to reduce the waiting lists across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25044/25]

297. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has carried out any research on aligning Ireland’s family leave options with those of other EU countries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25058/25]

298. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline the number of agencies or quangos established by her Department in each of the past ten years and the cost to the State of funding each one. [24928/25]

299. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 566 of 22 January 2024, if the high-level group has reported on the proposed terms of reference; and, if so, when they will be published. [24946/25]

300. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to help reduce fees in creches not in the core funding model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25031/25]

301. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of applications under the building blocks scheme that were received; the number processed by the OPW; the number of projects that have received approval in order for them to go to the e-tender stage, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25034/25]

302. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason for the delays in making approvals in the building blocks scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25035/25]