Parliamentary questions

1454. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the current use of a building (details supplied) in County Tipperary, given the immediate shortage of special school places in south Tipperary if the school could be used for the establishment of a new special school in south Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…

364. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 311 of 20 February 2025, how a decision was made to award the contract in question since demonstrating compliance with planning law was a mandatory requirement of his Department’s own request for tender and as it would have been evident to his Department that t…

365. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to extending the accommodation recognition payment of €800 monthly in its current state until at least the end of the year in order to continue to support households which have taken in families fleeing from war; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10381/…

366. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of 25 February 2025, to provide details indicating the length of time the 175 children in Mayo have been waiting for their assessments of need, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10248/25]

367. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of vacancies in County Mayo within children’s disability network teams; the length of time these positions have been vacant; if they are currently being advertised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10249/25]

368. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of her plans for affordable childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10276/25]

369. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the Statutory Instruments she envisages being brought forward and signed by her Department during the first six months of 2025; to highlight in particular those concerned with the transposition and or implementation of further implementation of EU law requirements; those Statutory Instrument…

370. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine the issue of childcare shortages (details supplied); her plans to resolve this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10363/25]

371. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will consider creating more peer support for children who have lost a parent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10454/25]

372. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of staff in CDNTs in County Offaly, in tabular form; and the percentage of full-time posts filled for occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech-and-language therapists within each respective unit. [10485/25]

373. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide assurances that her Department’s exclusion of the only disabled persons’ representative organisations (DPRO) specific to visual and physical impairment, respectively (details supplied), will not be reflected in its advice on DPRO participation to other public bodies; and if s…

374. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she accepts that General Comments of UN Conventions are “legally persuasive” documents as per citations in the Irish Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights, and that as such, their definitions and clarifications are of utmost importance to the implementation of the UNCRPD in Ireland…

375. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she has any concerns over the credibility of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy due to the exclusion of an organisation (details supplied), from the DPO Consultative Framework, these are the only disabled persons’ representative organisations specifically representing the key constitu…

376. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will explain to the UN Committee why the only disabled persons’ representative organisations specifically representing visual impairment and physical impairment (details supplied), have been excluded from the DPO Consultative Framework since its inception in 2023; and if she will make a s…

377. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she considers the exclusion of two organisations (details supplied), the only disabled persons’ representative organisations specifically representing visual and physical impairments, from her Department’s disabled persons’ representative organisations-specific consultations to be case of ind…

378. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how the ongoing exclusion by her Department of the only specialised disabled persons’ representative organisations in visual impairment and physical impairment, respectively (details supplied), is compatible with her Department’s obligations under Article 29 (b (ii)) of the UNCRPD to incentivise…

379. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what steps her Department has taken to ensure that the disabled persons’ organisations/disabled persons’ representative organisations her Department is currently closely consulting with on strengthening DPOs/DPROs meet the criteria for being DPROs considering General Comment No. 7, paras. 10-4; …

380. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the proposals there are to expand and/or provide new family resource centres in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10521/25]

381. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will ensure that an application for a new service will be given detailed and favourable consideration (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10522/25]

382. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be provided with an additional allocation of WTE therapist hours for the new 12 children it is to admit as it has for the existing 36 students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10550/25]

147. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will establish a fund to assist childcare facilities to purchase a generator to ensure that when power is lost, they can open as normal, to ensure education for children is not interrupted and parents are not left without this essential service, as seen following storm Éowyn; and if she w…

148. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps being taken to reduce the waiting times for autism assessments in South Tipperary which are currently taking over two years; if those waiting for over six months can obtain an assessment privately and be reimbursed by the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9883/25]

149. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Leanaí, Comhionannais, Míchumais, Lánpháirtíochta agus Óige cad é líon foirne a Roinne agus cé mhéad díobh sin atá inniúlach sa Ghaeilge; agus cad iad na bearta atá á ndéanamh aici agus ag a Roinn chun an céatadán Gaeilgeoirí sin a ardú. [9971/25]

150. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she is aware of the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10027/25]

151. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will request the HSE and other disability service providers in County Kerry to put long-term plans in place to ensure respite centres and other essential services (details supplied) remain open, even in the face of challenges and that a plan is put in place to provide additional greatly-n…