Questions

669. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a blanket one-maintenance of reduced ratio-per-room rule would prevent a service needs review from recommending a further reduced ratio where the evidence demonstrates it is the most appropriate support; and the way in which the Department has satisfied itself that this restriction will not adversely affect the safety, wellbeing…

145. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the work of the steering group for the development of a national policy regarding Kinship Care; and if a timeline is available for the completion of the work. [67477/26]

61. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the mechanism her Department uses to assess whether policies developed in the name of equality are having unintended or disproportionate impacts on the rights of other groups, particularly children, women and girls; whether she considers that equality policy should require an assessment of the competing rights, privacy, dignity and safety…

631. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the main policy achievements of her Department since 22 January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50795/26]

647. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific criteria and guidelines that are used in the planning and allocation of residential accommodation to adults with intellectual disabilities; the details of the steps taken in ascertaining the preference and choices of the adult person to whom accommodation is being provided; the steps taken to ensure ease of access to family m…

48. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her plans to roll out a new autism protocol; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46890/26]

1567. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the policy for de-congregation of disability residential services; the way in which such a policy should best be implemented in a context where demand for residential services for disabled people is rapidly increasing and in which there is a high prevalence of disabled adults living with ageing carers; and if she will make a…

1655. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the actions her Department is undertaking to support those who suffer from foetal alcohol spectrum disorder; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43309/26]

1670. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeframe for the publication of the Alternative Care Framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43365/26]

1671. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the specific issue of pension provision for foster carers will be addressed in the forthcoming Alternative Care Framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43366/26]

1066. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration has been given to the development of accessibility guidance or universal design standards for reverse vending machines and similar public service infrastructure to ensure independent access for persons with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40216/26]

1085. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason children are being placed in residential care in HIQA-designated disability centres, including family crisis, absence of appropriate community supports, safeguarding concerns, complex behavioural support needs, lack of respite, or other reasons; if these reasons are formally recorded by the HSE, in tabular form. [40289/26]

903. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37195/26]

906. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will clarify whether it is the policy of the HSE to require a person with a physical disability, who is in receipt of personal assistant hours for essential daily living tasks, to 'bank' or reduce their existing daily allocated P.A. hours in order to attend medical or other vital appointments which require assistance; and if s…

907. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she acknowledges that such a practice may leave a person with a disability without the necessary supports to carry out essential daily activities within their home and community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37253/26]

908. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the pathway that exists for a person with a disability to secure additional assistance or support from the HSE to attend vital appointments where attendance is not possible without support from a personal assistant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37254/26]

909. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if any national policy or guidance has been issued to disability services regarding supports for attendance at medical, therapeutic, hospital, social care, or other essential appointments. [37255/26]

910. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide details of any review being undertaken into the adequacy of personal assistance hour allocations for people with complex physical disabilities who require support beyond basic daily living tasks, including attendance at appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37256/26]

911. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reasons the HSE only allows clients in receipt of personal assistant support hours to bank unused hours for use within the same week only, even in circumstances where the service provider may be in a position to facilitate those hours at a later date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37258/26]

912. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to introducing greater flexibility in the use of banked personal assistance hours for people with disabilities who may require support for vital medical appointments, social participation, education or other essential activities outside of the same weekly period; and if she will make a statement on the …

913. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will clarify whether a client whose care package is temporarily paused or underutilised can later access unused funding from their allocated yearly HSE budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37260/26]

914. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding unused funding remaining within an individual's allocated yearly budget; whether those funds are returned to central HSE budgets, reallocated elsewhere, or carried forward in any capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37261/26]

1000. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when Ireland will implement the European Union Disability Card Directive; the steps currently being taken by her Department towards its transposition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35162/26]

231. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a person fostering an 18-year-old still in school can remain on the foster care allowance until the young person has completed secondary school. [31127/26]

247. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the mechanisms in place to support agencies under her remit to manage increasing operating costs including insurance, energy and fuel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31390/26]