Parliamentary questions

348. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childminders registered or engaged with the National Action Plan for Childminding in Cork city and county; the steps being taken to increase the number of regulated childminding places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53769/26]

349. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children with additional needs accessing early learning and childcare services in Cork city and county; the supports available under the access and inclusion model; the number of applications approved in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the ma…

350. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare services in Cork city and county currently operating at full capacity; the number with waiting lists; the number with vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53771/26]

351. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the projected demand for childcare places in Cork city and county over the next five years; the planned increase in supply to meet that demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53772/26]

352. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE physiotherapists posts filled at Kilkenny children's disability network team as of 30 June 2026; and if she will provide the same figures as of 30 June 2023, in tabular form. [53803/26]

353. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE speech and language therapist posts filled at Thomastown children's disability network team as of 30 June 2026; and if she will provide the same figures as of 30 June 2023, in tabular form. [53804/26]

354. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE dietitian posts filled at Carlow children's disability network team as of 30 June 2026; and if she will provide the same figures as of 30 June 2023, in tabular form. [53805/26]

355. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of adults with intellectual disabilities in County Clare awaiting residential placements. [53839/26]

356. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of County Clare children awaiting an assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005, broken down by waiting time. [53841/26]

357. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53869/26]

358. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the range of topics covered and the outcome of her discussions in Cork with Members of the European Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53922/26]

359. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will introduce a national safeguarding authority to ensure improved safeguarding duties, accountability mechanisms and oversight enforcement across sectors and settings for the protection of people living with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53927/26]

360. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the disparity whereby childcare providers operating on school grounds may be exempt from commercial rates, while providers delivering the same ECCE, NCS and afterschool services from independent premises are liable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54241/26]

361. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed the impact of commercial rates on the financial sustainability of private childcare providers, particularly those whose income is largely derived from State-funded childcare schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54242/26]

362. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has engaged with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage or Tailte Éireann regarding the treatment of private childcare providers under the commercial rates system; and if she will outline the cross-departmental work underway to ensure equitable treatment of providers. [54243/26]

363. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider supporting legislative or regulatory changes to ensure that private childcare providers delivering ECCE, NCS and afterschool services are not disproportionately burdened by commercial rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54244/26]

364. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department is aware of delays in the opening of a new creche (details supplied) due to Tusla sign-off, given the current issues facing towns in north Kildare with population increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54252/26]

634. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to address the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53121/26]

635. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current status of the transposition of the EU Pay Transparency Directive into Irish law; when the relevant legislation is expected to be introduced and enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53579/26]

636. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to set out whether her Department has conducted or intends to conduct any review of the current two-week paid paternity leave entitlement, with particular reference to international best practice and the evidence supporting longer periods of leave for fathers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53638/26]

637. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale for maintaining the current two week paid paternity leave provision in circumstances where a number of EU member states have significantly expanded entitlements for fathers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53639/26]

638. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has examined the potential social, economic and health impacts of extending paid paternity leave to eight weeks, including impacts on child development, maternal recovery, workplace retention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53640/26]

639. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide details of any engagement her Department has had with stakeholders, including employer groups, trade unions and family advocacy organisations, regarding proposals to extend paid paternity leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53641/26]

640. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will confirm whether her Department has developed or intends to develop a timeline for reviewing or expanding paid paternity leave entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53642/26]

641. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will report on any analysis undertaken by her Department regarding the uptake of paternity benefit since its introduction; whether this data informs consideration of an extended leave period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53644/26]