Parliamentary questions

2543. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has undertaken any assessment of the extent to which childcare costs and inflexible working arrangements are pushing parents, particularly mothers, out of the workforce; and if she will publish that assessment. [26049/26]

2544. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the population of children aged 0-18 years assigned to each children's disability network team in Cork; the current approved whole-time equivalent staffing of each such team, by discipline; and the staffing-to-population ratio in each case. [26055/26]

2545. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE social care workers posts filled at each CDNT within CHO8, as of 1 April 2026, in tabular form. [26081/26]

2546. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a condition known as functional neurological disorder where an individual has a problem with their balance is a recognised disability; if persons with this diagnosis are allowed continue in the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26083/26]

2547. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of filled and unfilled places in supported housing units in Mayo for adults living with intellectual disabilities; the number of these spaces currently unfilled; the number of adults with an intellectual disability in Mayo that are on a waiting list for a space in a supported housing unit; if t…

2548. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the outcome of the little baby bundle pilot scheme by her Department in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26103/26]

2549. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she is satisfied that St. John Ambulance is fully implementing the recommendations of the Shannon report given that the National Safeguarding Officer’s own audit report of August 2025 identifies ongoing safeguarding deficiencies and makes further recommendations for corrective action; his views on whether the…

2550. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of non-governmental organisations that have received State funding from her Department in each of the past five years; the number of such organisations currently registered in the State which have been funded by her Department; the number located outside the State that have received Irish public funds fro…

2551. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the transport cost coverage options available for the parents of a child (details supplied). [26189/26]

2552. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the future of care options available to a person (details supplied). [26190/26]

2553. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if students who have just completed their first/second year of studies in the early childhood education and care (level 8) students at Munster Technological University, Tralee, could be eligible to work in childcare services during the summer periods despite not having completed work placement (details supplied…

2554. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the level of reliance on for-profit organisations in supporting people with intellectual disabilities; the proportion of funding allocated to Section 38 providers versus for-profit providers in each year from 2019 to 2026; the policy rationale for this shift; if her Department has plans to move…

2555. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason Section 38 providers have experienced limited growth in residential capacity since 2019 compared to significant expansion in the for-profit sector; the plans in place to address this imbalance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26274/26]

2556. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average cost per residential placement in Section 38 organisations compared to for-profit providers; the steps being taken to ensure adequate resourcing and value-for-money in service provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26275/26]

2557. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the safeguards in place to ensure that public funding allocated to disability services delivers maximum benefit to service users rather than contributing to private profit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26276/26]

2558. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to provide advance funding to voluntary disability service providers to enable them to plan for future demand, rather than responding only in crisis situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26277/26]

2559. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her efforts to extend the NCS for childminding in the childminder's home and childminding in the family home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26315/26]

2560. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for a detailed update on the funding being provided to an organisation (details supplied) as committed to in the HSE National Service Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26394/26]

2561. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to consider legislating to extend paid paternity leave to eight-weeks from the current two-weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26515/26]

2562. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a letter to travel is required in respect of children in State care by Tusla; the reason there is not the same right for all children in care or not to travel the island of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26525/26]

2563. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current annual expenditure on family mediation services for young people at risk of homelessness; the estimated cost of expanding these services nationally to prevent relationship breakdown driven homelessness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26535/26]

2564. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of delays in the provision of approved respite care hours for children with disabilities; the steps being taken to address such delays; and if she will provide an update on a case (details supplied) where two children were approved for four hours respite per week but have not received any service f…

2565. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by her Department in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by third parties (details supplied); the title and final cost of same; and whether the report is published and or laid in the Houses o…

2566. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by her in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by her officials; the title and final cost of same, if applicable; to provide a breakdown of where costs were incurred; and whether the report is…

2567. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide the web link to her Department’s Q1 2026 published report of purchase orders/payments over €20,000, in line with the FOI model publication scheme requirements; to confirm the date on which this report was published; and, if it has not yet been published, to state the planned publication date. [26902/26]