Questions

163. Deputy Daniel Ennis asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of providers who have left core funding since the scheme began; if any attempt has been made by her Department to incentivise providers who have left the scheme to rejoin; and the measures in place to prevent further providers from leaving the scheme. [74710/26]

654. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of parents that will benefit and from September 2027 pay €550 per month for childcare as announced in Budget 2027. [72031/26]

675. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the €550 cap on childcare fees as announced in Budget 2027; and if it will apply to all childcare bands, including Band F. [72468/26]

506. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the withdrawal of a childcare centre from the core funding scheme (details supplied) and what actions her Department has taken to engage with the management of this facility to try and maintain their membership of the scheme. [70028/26]

686. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide details of all grant schemes currently available through her Department for which individuals or community groups are eligible to apply; the purpose of each grant scheme; the eligibility criteria; the application process; the opening and closing dates for applicant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53410/26]

687. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm whether the establishment of a specific scheme to replace the mobility allowance and motorised transport schemes (discontinued in 2013) is included within the plan of action for transport, as per the national disability strategy; and, if so, to provide a timeline for same. [53441/26]

694. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration is being given to the reopening or replacement of the motorised transport grant scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53675/26]

688. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the nature of funding support sought under successful applications under the Sustainability Fund within her Department in each of the years since it was introduced. [51888/26]

690. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the grounds on which applications for funding under the Sustainability Fund were refused in each application since the fund was introduced. [51890/26]

1087. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the national childcare scheme (NCS), in particular on circumstances arising in a situation (details supplied); and her plans to amend section 4(3) of the Childcare Support Act 2018 to ensure that the NCS is flexible and responsive to families’ needs in practice by treating registered hours as a ceiling rather than…

192. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality based on current numbers, the estimated full year cost of increasing the universal hourly subsidy of €2.14 available under the National Childcare Scheme by €0.75; by €1; by €1.50; by €2 hour for a maximum of 45 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35561/26]

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]

740. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to list all schemes, funding programmes, capital funds, grant streams or other expenditure headings administered by her Department in 2025 and 2026 which result in allocations, awards, or spending that can be identified with a specific geographical location including county, district, town, or project site, to group these by funding str…

896. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will extend an aftercare allowance for an additional year for a third level student in Kildare south (details supplied). [14844/26]

472. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to list all funding schemes, grant programmes and any other financial supports that are currently administered by her Department and its agencies; the expected launch and closing dates for applications for each scheme in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66923/25]

96. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of applications received in 2025 for Cork county under the building blocks extension grant scheme; the number of these applications approved under this scheme for Cork county; if there will be an increase in the funding allocation for the building blocks extension grant scheme in 2026; and if she will make a statement on …

832. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to publish the review into the mobility allowance; when an alternative scheme will be announced to replace this scheme; if those who are currently eligible will transfer to any such new scheme and remain on their current or increased rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61937/25]

833. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the means test for the mobility allowance has been reviewed to account for increases in the State pension (contributory); if she will consider amending the means test threshold from the State pension (non-contributory) to the State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61938/25]

1587. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on and the status the building blocks grant. [59516/25]

780. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department have given any further consideration to improving flexibility in the NCS scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54950/25]

305. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the start-up funding schemes currently available to individuals or organisations seeking to establish a childcare service, including early learning and childcare and school age childcare services; the eligibility criteria for each scheme; if consideration will be given to expanding supports for new entrants to the sector und…

810. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department allows for the backdating of payments under the national childcare scheme in cases where administrative errors occur; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52005/25]

554. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the evaluation of the national childcare scheme promised for 2025; the status of the evaluation; the timeline for completion of the evaluation; her plans to publish the final report of the evaluation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49942/25]

1860. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to estimate the full year cost of reintroducing the mobility allowance scheme phased out in 2011 (details supplied). [47494/25]

1960. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the programme for Government commitment to develop a vehicle upgrade initiative for disability service providers, to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45970/25]