Parliamentary questions

414. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children and young persons on waiting lists for an assessment of need, by health region and integrated healthcare area, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [21215/26]

415. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children on a waiting list for initial contact from a CDNT, by health region and integrated healthcare area, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [21218/26]

416. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total annual expenditure by Tusla on placements purchased from privately operated children’s residential centres in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; the total expenditure on all residential care placements in those years; and the percentage share represented by private placements in each year, in…

417. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department, or Tusla, has conducted any analysis of the cost differential between privately operated residential placements and placements within Tusla-operated centres; and if she will provide the average weekly cost per placement under each model. [21241/26]

418. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla has set any strategic target to reduce reliance on privately operated children’s residential placements, given that approximately 73% of placements were provided by private operators in 2024. [21242/26]

419. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department, or Tusla, has engaged with the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General regarding the expenditure incurred on privately operated children’s residential care placements; whether the Comptroller and Auditor General has examined or intends to examine the governance, procurement arrangements o…

420. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department, or Tusla, has conducted any value-for-money or cost-effectiveness analysis comparing privately operated residential care placements with placements within Tusla-operated residential centres; and whether any such analysis has been provided to the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. [2…

421. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will meet with an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21316/26]

422. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider amending the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 so that parents can take parental leave in blocks of less than seven days at a time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21323/26]

1473. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps the Government are taking to prevent situations where children with additional needs are left in hospital simply because there is nowhere else for them to go; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19647/26]

1474. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of an application for funding for a person (details supplied) in terms of a long-term residential place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20761/26]

1475. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will report on his meetings with survivor groups since his intervention at the 2025 Bessborough Commemoration; her plans to meet with other survivor groups; and if she has made representations to Cork City Council in respect of the Bessborough site, and public acquisition of the site, in particular. [20768/26]

1476. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been brought to the proposed commercial development at the former Bessborough mother and baby home site in Cork; if she has engaged with the owners or Cork City Council regarding the future of the site; and if she will outline the steps the Government is taking to ensure the site is treated …

1477. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration has been given to the preservation, memorialisation, or public commemoration of the Bessborough site, in consultation with survivors and advocacy groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20866/26]

1478. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE senior dietitians posts currently filled within Limerick CDNT services, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18230/26]

1479. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the proposed family resource centre in Carrickmacross; the likely timeframe for when the centre will become operational; the services that will be provided upon commencement; the initial staffing allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18245/26]

1480. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of withdrawals from Core Funding in Dublin 2, 4, 6, 6W and 8 in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to-date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18254/26]

1481. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when pre-school fees will reduce in line with the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18255/26]

1482. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a family resource centre funding was not allocated to a centre (details supplied); the details of the criteria that the centre was judged on; and if they can provide a copy of the recommendations that was issued to the Minister in respect of her Departments shortlist and was the resource centre in que…

1483. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will confirm that all legal requirements necessary for the State's ratification of the UNCRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children are in place and have been fully met; and the timelines for completing the drafting of the remaining orders required to enable ratification. [18282/26]

1484. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of meetings she or her officials attended regarding the establishment of the Tusla training college; the extent to which the Department consulted on the curriculum and the type of qualifications students will receive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18286/26]

1485. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total budget allocated for the Tusla training college in 2024, 2025 and 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18287/26]

1486. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of teaching staff allocated to the Tusla training college; whether they are internal or external appointments; full-time or part-time; the duration of such agreements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18288/26]

1487. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated number of childminders operating in Ireland from the childminder's home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18298/26]

1488. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated number of childminders operating in Ireland from the family's home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18299/26]