Parliamentary questions

426. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a list of all capital projects, including early years, childcare and disability infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of her Department, and bodies under her aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Carlow in each of the past five years, in tabular form; an…

427. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a list of all capital projects, including early years, childcare and disability infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of her Department, and bodies under her aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Kilkenny in each of the past five years, in tabular form; …

428. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the date an assessment of needs will be carried out for a child (details supplied). [33480/26]

429. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the consideration that has been given to introducing greater flexibility within the national childcare scheme for families with part-time, reduced or variable working hours; whether any review is underway to ensure that NCS subsidies better reflect modern working patterns; and if she will make a statement on the matt…

430. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the engagement her Department has had with childcare providers regarding the availability of part-time or flexible places under the national childcare scheme; whether supports or incentives are available to encourage providers to offer more flexible childcare arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matt…

431. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she recognises the financial pressure faced by families with multiple children in childcare where reduced hours of care lead to higher overall costs under the national childcare scheme; whether changes are planned to ensure the scheme supports affordability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33571/2…

432. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has received representations from families in north County Dublin regarding the lack of flexible childcare options under the national childcare scheme; the policy or operational changes planned to address these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33572/26]

433. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a list of all capital projects, including early years, childcare and disability infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of her Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Louth in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if s…

434. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a list of all capital projects, including early years, childcare and disability infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of her Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Dublin West in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and i…

435. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 917 of 28 April 2026, the specific diplomatic and policy actions planned to progress the proposed European Union Equal Treatment Directive during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, including any planned bilateral engagements with Member States maintaining …

436. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to set out the policy basis on which reports of the National Review Panel are selected for publication or non-publication; the number of completed reports not published to date; the reasons for non-publication in each category; and whether she will commit to publishing all outstanding reports or summaries within a def…

437. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to detail the current legal powers of the National Review Panel in relation to compelling documentation, witness testimony, and inter-agency cooperation; and to outline the specific additional powers proposed under the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2025. [33689/26]

438. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to specify which Department or statutory body currently holds overall responsibility for the review of child deaths at national level; and if no single body holds such responsibility; the way in which accountability is assigned across Government. [33690/26]

439. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has assessed the absence of a national dataset tracking reopened child protection cases; whether this gap has been identified as a governance or oversight risk; and if so, the actions that are being taken to address it. [33691/26]

440. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she accepts that data on re-referrals is not equivalent to data on reopened social work cases; and whether her Department intends to require Tusla to maintain a distinct dataset on formally reopened cases. [33692/26]

441. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to clarify whether her Department retains any policy, oversight, or reporting role in relation to follow-up actions arising from Section 12 removals under the Child Care Act 1991; and if so, to detail the mechanisms through which such oversight is exercised. [33693/26]

442. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any formal interdepartmental or inter-agency governance framework exists governing the review of child deaths involving Tusla, An Garda Síochána, health services, and other relevant bodies; and if so, to provide details. [33694/26]

443. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a clear timeline for the establishment of a national statutory child death review mechanism, as referenced in the Programme for Government; and to outline the key milestones for delivery. [33695/26]

444. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether all deaths of children known to Tusla are subject to review by the National Review Panel; and if not, the criteria used to determine which cases are reviewed. [33696/26]

445. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any audit, evaluation, or performance review of the National Review Panel has been conducted since its establishment; and if so, to provide details and findings. [33697/26]

446. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department or any bodies and agencies under her aegis use software and or products from a company (details supplied); and the duration and cost of the contract; and the services they avail of from the company. [33714/26]

447. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the potential extension of paternity leave beyond the two weeks currently legislated for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33731/26]

448. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the median and average length of time from a child’s entry into State care to the achievement of a permanency outcome, including reunification, adoption, guardianship, or long-term foster care, in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33782/26]

449. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently in State care who do not have an identified permanency pathway recorded in their care plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33783/26]

450. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in State care for more than two years who have not yet achieved a permanency outcome; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33784/26]