500. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 12 November 2025, if she will provide a copy of the independent external review of the draft Childminding Regulations which was carried out by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67974/25]
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.
501. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to opening applications for Core Funding early, as some childcare providers who have not increased their fees for a number of years are struggling to remain open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67978/25]
505. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a copy of the independent external review of the draft Childminding Regulations which was carried out by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68018/25]
507. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that a childcare provider in Louth (details supplied) has left the Core Funding system; if additional support can be provided to the operator to ensure they remain within the system and continue to provide early years care to the cohort of families that currently use the service; and if she will make a statement on the matte…
461. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of Irish language child-care places available outside the Gaeltacht, with particular reference to Gaeltacht service towns and Irish language networks; the provision made in her Department’s budget estimates for 2026 to support the establishment of new provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66780…
476. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding childminders who now seek Garda vetting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67078/25]
477. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childminders in the country; how that figure is calculated, the number of children for which they care; the number registered with Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67079/25]
747. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a social worker has been appointed to the Dungarvan children's disability network team (CDNT 6) to advocate for children with disabilities [65616/25]
760. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to address the childcare capacity shortage in Dungarvan, County Waterford given that a large number of children are missing out on early years education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65373/25]
763. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions being taken by her Department to address shortfalls in child services identified by various working groups (details supplied). [65406/25]
769. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the administrative requirements under the national childcare scheme regarding hourly attendance checks, in cases where creches operate on a fixed-rate billing model; if she will ensure families and providers are not penalised for discrepancies between claimed hours and actual attendance (details supplied); and if she…
770. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of concerns among Tusla staff in relation to changes being brought in from January 2026 which will see social care workers completing assessments on children, which only social workers are qualified to carry out, if she is aware of issues being raised with these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. …
777. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to opening applications for core funding early, as some childcare providers who have not increased their fees for a number of years are struggling to remain open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65991/25]
779. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions her Department is taking in response to reports from early-years childcare operators that rising costs are placing unsustainable pressure on services, resulting in over 150 creches withdrawing from the Government scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66026/25]
780. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department will take to address the warnings from childcare operators that parents' bills could rise to €1,400 per month due to support funding not keeping pace with costs, leading to fears of closures across the sector (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66027/25]
544. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department will take to increase transparency and oversight of private companies providing child care placements on behalf of the State. [64899/25]
546. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if any external reviews have been commissioned into the regulatory oversight of providers contracted by Tusla, and if she will publish the terms of reference and completion dates. [64927/25]
548. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the contingency measures which are in place to support families who lose childcare places as a result of providers withdrawing from core funding or ceasing operations; the extent to which her Department is tracking the emerging capacity gap at local and regional level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65052/25]
549. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has met with representative bodies for private childcare providers in recent months to discuss concerns regarding staffing costs, administrative burden, and funding adequacy under the core funding scheme; the outcomes of those engagements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65053/25]
550. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the administrative and compliance obligations associated with the core funding model, which providers have described as onerous and disproportionate; the planned reforms to reduce the reporting burden; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65054/25]
551. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will address concerns that the current funding model does not adequately reflect the higher staffing ratios and operating costs associated with infant and wobbler care; and if she will consider adjusting the funding to prevent further contraction of places in this age cohort; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [650…
552. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to address recruitment and retention challenges in the early learning and care sector; if her Department plans to introduce additional supports to improve pay, conditions and career pathways for educators; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65056/25]
553. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide data on regional disparities in childcare availability, including areas where supply is failing to meet demand; the targeted interventions which are being developed to alleviate childcare shortages in those areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65057/25]
554. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has carried out any impact assessment of the core funding model since its introduction; if her Department plans to review or revise the model in view of recent provider withdrawals and operational challenges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65058/25]
555. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department's long-term vision for childcare sector reform, including the way in which she plans to balance affordability for parents with sustainability for providers; if further structural changes to the funding model are under consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65059/25]