639. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who availed of the early childhood care and education programme and the National Childcare Scheme in 2025 and in 2026 to date; the reason the Budget 2027 expenditure report projects almost 100,000 ECCE children compared with over 105,000 in Budget 2026; and how the projection of 293,000 NCS children, describ…
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
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Showing questions asked by Pádraig O'Sullivan under the heading Childcare Services.
29 questions match, newest first.
346. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the impact of recent fee caps and affordability measures on childcare costs for parents; the estimated average saving per family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53767/26]
347. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare providers in Cork city and county that have increased fees, reduced services or changed opening hours in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53768/26]
348. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childminders registered or engaged with the National Action Plan for Childminding in Cork city and county; the steps being taken to increase the number of regulated childminding places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53769/26]
350. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare services in Cork city and county currently operating at full capacity; the number with waiting lists; the number with vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53771/26]
351. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the projected demand for childcare places in Cork city and county over the next five years; the planned increase in supply to meet that demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53772/26]
632. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the proposed new childcare facility in Glanmire, County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47565/26]
804. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting time for Garda vetting applications for new hires in childcare facilities in County Cork in each of the past three years; the steps being taken to reduce these waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33046/26]
805. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of expressions of interest received by her Department in respect of State-led childcare facilities in County Cork; the locations from which such expressions of interest have been received; the timeline for delivery of the first State-led childcare facilities in Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3304…
950. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actual full year cost incurred in 2025 arising from the increase in the universal hourly subsidy under the national childcare scheme from €1.40 to €2.14; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30458/26]
952. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full year cost, based on current numbers, of increasing the universal hourly subsidy under the national childcare scheme by €1, bringing it to €3.14 per hour for a maximum of 45 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30460/26]
953. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full year cost, based on current numbers, of increasing the universal hourly subsidy under the national childcare scheme by €2, bringing it to €4.14 per hour for a maximum of 45 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30461/26]
954. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of expressions of interest received by her Department in respect of State-led childcare facilities; the locations from which such expressions of interest have been received, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30462/26]
955. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a full list of all registered providers of early years and school age childcare services operating three or more services; the number of services registered to each provider, the type of service provided and whether each service is privately or community operated, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the…
174. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the application by Glanmire, County Cork to the recently announced public childcare fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29091/26]
1507. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the pilot and phased introduction of staffed local childminding networks, as committed to in the National Action Plan for Childminding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18639/26]
141. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will address the growing crisis of 'childcare deserts', and the 40,000-long waiting list for children under three; if she will commit to a definitive date for introducing pay parity between early years graduates and primary school teachers to stem the exodus of qualified staff, which is currently preventing the opening of 1…
120. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to ensure that childcare providers participate in the core funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61294/25]
304. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to index linking the foster care allowance to keep pace with rising costs and relieve financial pressure on carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54337/25]
307. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to an increase in the aftercare allowance to align with the foster care allowance and extend support up to age 23; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54332/25]
308. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to pension security for foster carers to recognise the years spent caring for children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54334/25]
803. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to restructuring the core funding model for childcare services with a view to providing additional funding to the scheme, to increase the cap on funding of €750,000 for larger childcare providers, to encourage them to remain in the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51957/25]
804. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to restructuring the core funding model for childcare services with a view to removing the cap on funding for childcare providers, which has been reduced from €500,000 to €450,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51958/25]
6. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to reduce the cost of childcare; the steps being taken to prevent the closure of early years and crèche services; if there is a timeframe in place to cap childcare costs as per the programme for Government commitment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50181/25]
76. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of creche groups that have withdrawn or pulled out of CORE funding in Cork in 2024 and to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50182/25]