855. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in relation to your recent announcement concerning the assessment of need process, can you prioritise adequate staffing and funding, so the system can meet demand without lowering standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72210/25]
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
Browse the questions
Showing questions under the heading Childcare Services.
1,391 questions match, newest first.
860. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the key measures taken to improve childcare and early learning services during 2025; her priorities for same in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72473/25]
861. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the key measures taken to improve employment conditions in the childcare and early learning services during 2025; her priorities for same in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72474/25]
867. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the options available to children not yet eligible for ECCE to access assistive technology in cases in which that they are deaf or hard of hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72510/25]
874. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in light of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021–2028, the key changes made to the regulations as a result of the public consultation earlier in 2025; the supports and guidance that will be made available to childminders during the three-year transition period before registration with Tusla becomes mandatory; and if she will m…
875. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in light of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021–2028, the measures in place to ensure parents are aware of the new regulations and the safeguards they provide for children; her plans to monitor and evaluate the impact of the new regulations on childminding services, child safety, and quality assurance during the transition pe…
881. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of social workers employed in Tusla services in County Laois; the number of vacancies for social workers; the length of time those positions have been vacant, the number of children with no allocated social worker; the number of children in need of either foster or residential care who are not currently placed; and if she wil…
526. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures to support families and carers affected by prolonged delays in accessing occupational therapy for children with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70955/25]
535. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the provisions being made for childcare providers participating in core funding to cover the cost of PRSA contributions.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71187/25]
286. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the fee increase and assessment process will be open for application for eligible childcare providers and partner services who are in the core funding scheme in Louth and elsewhere; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70640/25]
791. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 769 of 25 November 2025, if under the current national childcare scheme attendance compliance rules, a pattern of under-attendance for seven consecutive weeks followed by one week of full attendance would effectively reset the under-attendance count; if such a pattern could be repeated indefinitely…
797. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of meetings her Department have had with an organisation (details supplied) over the past number of years in advance of the new regulations for the section; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69775/25]
801. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to improve access to affordable and flexible after school care for families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69827/25]
221. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to examine a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68251/25]
228. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to increase the availability of childcare places in Kilcock, County Kildare, where families are facing waiting lists extending into late 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68509/25]
229. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that the shortage of childcare places in Kilcock is forcing some parents out of the workforce; the supports or interventions which are planned to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68510/25]
230. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if population growth projections for Kilcock have been factored into childcare service planning; whether additional funding or capacity-building measures will be introduced to reduce waiting lists and support families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68511/25]
231. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the decision not to provide a Christmas bonus to foster carers in 2025; if consideration will be given to reinstating the payment in future years given the extra costs at Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68512/25]
232. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed the financial impact on foster carers of the decision not to provide a Christmas bonus in 2025; the supports being considered to assist foster carers during periods of increased costs such as Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68513/25]
467. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on a complaint regarding the breach of core funding rules by a service provider (details supplied); the length of time this complaint took to be concluded at Stage 1 and Stage 2; the length of time the complaint has been at Stage 3; the timeline for the full resolution of the complaint; the precise steps that will b…
484. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions her Department is taking to increase childcare capacity in Dublin Bay North, given the growing number of parents who cannot secure a crèche place despite applying well in advance of birth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67503/25]
486. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to reduce the reliance of parents on childminders, where families are unable to access a crèche place despite early applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67505/25]
487. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department will ensure that parents on maternity leave are not required to spend significant time seeking childcare places due to capacity shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67506/25]
489. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to examine the case of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67557/25]
494. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of unannounced inspections carried out on subcontracted private childcare providers in each of the past three years; the inspection outcomes, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67847/25]