Questions

242. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide the published rate card or methodology used by Tusla to set standard and indicative rates for private residential childcare placements, in tabular form. [49958/26]

243. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the criteria, threshold, and documentation required before the national director of services and integration approves a placement cost above the standard rate; and whether such approval is subject to independent review or audit. [49959/26]

244. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the absence of a published threshold or audit trail for above-rate approvals has been identified on a Tusla risk register or internal audit plan; and if not, to confirm this. [49960/26]

245. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average and maximum length of time taken to approve an above-rate placement cost in 2025; and whether any child's placement was delayed pending this approval. [49961/26]

246. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to give a more detailed response in regard to Parliamentary Question No. 1091 of 28 April 2026 (details supplied); if the costing per child is in table one; and if the average costing per SEA is in table 2 or the overall amount spent for each of those years. [50074/26]

247. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which an organisation (details supplied) can engage in activities of the EU presidency; how they can contribute their knowledge for this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50076/26]

248. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the implementation of the Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathway Protocol; the type of adult self-referral that is envisaged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50085/26]

249. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to review matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if she will liaise with the forward planning and delivery unit and provide an update on this submission and make a statement on same. [50091/26]

250. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of persons aged 65 years and over with an intellectual disability in receipt of a disability service funded by her Department or the Health Service Executive, in each of the years 2021 to 2025, and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50105/26]

251. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of persons aged 65 years and over with a physical disability in receipt of a disability service funded by her Department or the Health Service Executive, in each of the years 2021 to 2025, and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50106/26]

252. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1694 and 1695 of 9 June 2026, the “exceptional circumstances” referred to where an employer may consider it appropriate to request supporting documentation; if guidance is or will be provided; and her plans to ensure that the spirit of the Act underpins employers’ dealings with employees seeking le…

253. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of persons aged 65 years and over with an intellectual disability in receipt of a disability service funded by her Department or the Health Service Executive, nationally and in the Health Service Executive South West region, in each of the years 2021 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on …

254. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of persons aged 65 years and over with a physical disability in receipt of a disability service funded by her Department or the Health Service Executive, nationally and in the Health Service Executive South West region, in each of the years 2021 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the m…

255. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are plans to revisit the decision to move away from congregated settings for people with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50185/26]

256. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently address the shortage of childcare places, address pay and conditions of childcare employees, provide additional staff and childcare centres across County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50281/26]

257. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently provide an enhanced package of health and social care supports for thalidomide survivors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50283/26]

258. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department, the HSE, CHI, CDNTs, CAMHS or primary care psychology services have been consulted by the Department of Education and Youth, NEPS, the Higher Education Authority or any university in relation to any proposed change to the current accreditation or training standards for educational psychologists, including any move away from a requirement fo…

259. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE has been consulted in relation to NEPS supporting, funding or facilitating educational psychology doctorate placements that are primarily or exclusively school-based; whether any assessment has been made of whether such placements would equip graduates to work in HSE, CHI, CDNT, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, primary care psychology or assessme…

260. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of educational psychology trainees currently funded, sponsored or supported by the HSE, CHI or any other health service agency; the contractual obligations attached to such funding; the number of trainees who have sought to withdraw from HSE-funded or health-service-funded arrangements or repay funding in each of the past five years; and if she will mak…

261. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of psychologists currently employed across HSE child psychology services, including primary care psychology, CDNTs, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, assessment of need services and CHI; the number of whole-time equivalent vacancies in each service area; the turnover rate in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49894/26]

262. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the assessment her Department or the HSE has carried out of whether educational psychology training delivered largely through NEPS or school-based placements would equip graduates to work with children under five, non-verbal children, children with acquired brain injury, children with significant mental health needs, children requiring autism diagnostic assessment…

263. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department, the HSE, CHI, CDNTs, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, primary care psychology services or assessment of need services have been consulted in relation to any proposal to increase the number of educational psychology doctorate trainees through NEPS-supported placements; whether any concerns have been raised by health or disability services about the implicat…

264. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department, the HSE or CHI has received any addendum, briefing note, supplementary documentation or correspondence indicating that educational psychology placements for additional doctorate trainees would be largely supported by NEPS; whether a response was issued by her Department, the HSE or CHI; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49897…

265. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has examined the implications for HSE, CHI, CDNT, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, primary care psychology and assessment of need services of training a significantly increased number of psychologists through school-based placements; whether there is a risk that public funding will produce graduates whose training is too narrow to work across child health a…

266. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether graduates of doctorate programmes with placements largely or exclusively in NEPS or school-based settings would be considered eligible and competent for appointment to HSE child psychology posts, including CDNTs, primary care psychology, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, CHI and assessment of need services; the discussions that have taken place with the Department of Educa…