Questions

232. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children living in emergency accommodation or in homeless families' accommodation who are currently awaiting their first contact from a Children's Disability Network Team or awaiting an assessment of need; if she is aware that the number of homeless children in the State rose from 4,510 in January 2025 to 5,188 in De…

233. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of social workers recruited by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in each of the past five years; if she is aware that Tusla's own Chief Executive has stated that at least 500 new social workers need to be recruited annually to keep pace with demand, while only 143 were appointed in 2024; the portion of the €6 million …

234. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which the Health Service Executive is addressing the clear gap in service provision for adults with severe autism who transition out of children’s services, particularly in cases where families are left without adequate supports; if she accepts that the failure to provide appropriate residential or high-support placements is pla…

235. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the date on which the last organisational capability review was carried out in respect of Tusla; if she will provide a schedule recommendations arising from the review; the number implemented to date; and the independent body that carried out the organisational capability review. [38101/26]

236. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. [38121/26]

237. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to increase employment opportunities for autistic people. [38122/26]

238. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm the staffing of Trim CDNT; the number of positions; the number that are filled; and the number that are being actively recruited. [38135/26]

239. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the funding allocated to CDNTs in CHO 9 in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38191/26]

240. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the funding allocated to CDNTs in CHO 9 per year from 2019 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38193/26]

828. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to respond to correspondence (details supplied) in relation to early years education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37674/26]

829. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Ireland supports the principle that investment in democracy, civic participation, equality, and independent media should form a strategic priority within the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework; whether the Government will advocate for an enhanced financial envelope for AgoraEU during negotiations at the Council level; and if …

830. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla maintains any centralised audit, review or quality assurance process relating to emergency child removals carried out under sections 12 and 13 of the Child Care Act 1991. [36688/26]

831. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of emergency child removal applications made under sections 12 and 13 of the Child Care Act 1991 in each year from 2020 to 2025, and the number granted, refused or withdrawn. [36689/26]

832. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla records or analyses complaints, adverse findings, judicial criticisms or legal challenges arising from emergency child removal decisions under sections 12 and 13 of the Child Care Act 1991. [36690/26]

833. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla has conducted any internal review of the governance, oversight, consistency or proportionality of emergency child removal practices under the Child Care Act 1991 since 2020. [36691/26]

834. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any national policy, procedural framework or mandatory oversight mechanism exists governing decision-making thresholds for emergency child removals under sections 12 and 13 of the Child Care Act 1991. [36692/26]

835. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration will now be given to including emergency child removal decisions within Tusla’s enterprise risk management or corporate governance framework following confirmation that no such consideration has previously taken place. [36693/26]

836. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason Tusla does not readily hold annual expenditure data on private childcare placements prior to 2024; and whether she is satisfied with the Agency’s financial data retention and reporting systems. [36695/26]

837. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla maintains a central database recording expenditure by private childcare placement provider; and if so, whether she will provide the total expenditure by provider for 2024 and 2025. [36696/26]

838. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of children placed in private residential childcare settings in each year from 2020 to 2026, in tabular form. [36697/26]

839. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the proportion of all residential childcare expenditure accounted for by private providers in each year from 2020 to 2026. [36700/26]

840. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of Tusla-operated residential childcare places added nationally in each year from 2020 to 2026. [36702/26]

841. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla tracks the number of emergency placements made due to shortages in public residential capacity; and if she will provide the annual figures from 2020 to 2026. [36703/26]

842. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the Department has received any briefing regarding risks associated with reliance on private residential childcare placements, including cost inflation, placement shortages, or geographic dependency. [36704/26]

843. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if childcare providers in receipt of core funding are obliged under their funding agreement to maintain continuity of services for enrolled families; the obligations that exist where a provider changes the age cohorts it caters for, resulting in families losing access to childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the m…