Questions

1056. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration has been given to establishing an independent, cross-agency statutory oversight mechanism for cases where responsibility for the safeguarding, care, or welfare of a child crosses organisational boundaries between Tusla, the HSE, and An Garda Síochána; the mechanism currently that exist to examine the actions a…

1057. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the formal statutory or administrative mechanism that exists to ensure that children with complex co-occurring needs including severe intellectual disabilities, neurodivergence, or acute mental health crises are not left without an appropriate support plan where responsibility involves both Tusla under its welfare mandate and the H…

1058. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration has been given to the construction of a second youth detention facility; whether a feasibility study or business case has been prepared; and the estimated capital cost of providing an additional youth detention campus. [64642/26]

1059. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE behavioural specialists posts filled at each CDNT within CHO8 as of 8 September 2026, in tabular form. [65216/26]

1060. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE family support workers posts filled at each CDNT within CHO8 as of 8 September 2026, in tabular form. [65215/26]

1061. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the breakdown of current staffing across all children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA. [65297/26]

1062. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE speech and language therapists posts, by grade that have been filled within intellectual disability services in CHO5 area as of 9 September 2026, in tabular form. [65411/26]

1063. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently awaiting physiotherapy services across children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA; the number who have been waiting between 0-6 months, between 6-12 months and in excess of 12 months. [65304/26]

1064. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current number of children awaiting speech and language services across children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA; the number who have been waiting between 0-6 months, between 6-12 months and in excess of 12 months. [65303/26]

1065. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current number of children awaiting occupational therapy services across children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA; the number who have been waiting between 0-6 months, between 6-12 months and in excess of 12 months. [65302/26]

1066. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the breakdown of current children's disability network teams operating in the Louth Meath IHA; the location of each; the geographical area of each team service; the services currently provided by each team; and the number of children/families currently assigned to each team. [65296/26]

1067. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting time from initial referral to services until initial appointment with children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA. [65299/26]

1068. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting for an initial appointment with children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA; the number who have been waiting between 0-6 months, between 6-12 months and in excess of 12 months . [65298/26]

1069. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of referrals made to the children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA in each of the years 2020 to 2026. [65301/26]

1070. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the priority given to disabled people who become an orphan in relation to access to long-term residential care; the way in which this works; and if it is the same process State wide for everyone in such a circumstance. [65433/26]

1071. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in cases in which a building under her control is not wheelchair accessible, the reason for this; her plans to remedy this; and the timeline for measures to be completed. [65340/26]

1072. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports available and offered to children and families awaiting their initial appointment with children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA. [65300/26]

1073. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to reply to the matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65466/26]

1074. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the way in which Ireland compares to the UK in terms of the level of statutory paid paternity leave and other related supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65633/26]

1075. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the way in which Ireland compares to other EU countries in terms of the level of statutory paid paternity leave and other related supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65634/26]

1076. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding research carried out by her Department into the benefits of paternity leave. [65638/26]

1077. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the merits of the proposals of a campaign (details supplied) that is seeking an increase in the level of paternity leave available to fathers in Ireland. [65637/26]

1078. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a campaign seeking a statutory increase in paid paternity leave in Ireland (details supplied); if she will consider facilitating a meeting with this group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65636/26]

1079. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the ongoing review into the merits of expanding the level of paid paternity leave available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65635/26]

1080. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently awaiting psychotherapy services across children's disability network teams in the Louth Meath IHA; and the number who have been waiting between 0-6 months, between 6-12 months and in excess of 12 months. [65305/26]