Questions

66. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to ensure Tusla has the staffing and resources necessary to meet increasing demand for child and family services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47427/26]

67. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of significant number of childcare provider pulling out of Core Funding; the measures she is taking to support providers and improve access and affordability for families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47343/26]

68. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the current vacancy rate for paediatric OT services for children with special needs and for counties, Laois Offaly, Longford and Westmeath, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47339/26]

69. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide capacity data for 2025-2026 programme year for early learning and care and school age childcare for cork county as part of the early years sector profile; the way in which this data is being used to address the urgent issues of supply meeting childcare demand for County Cor; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…

70. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality his plans to fully implement the promise made in the Programme for Government of a €200 per month childcare and to provide a timeframe for implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47498/26]

71. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she will take to ensure there is a childcare place for all who need it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47543/26]

72. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to address the growing reliance on private for-profit residential disability providers; the safeguards in place regarding cost, quality, distance from home and long-term planning; whether Government policy is to reduce reliance on for-profit provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47546/26]

73. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her Department’s work in relation to the provision of State-run childcare. [46779/26]

74. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline her proposals to provide additional respite capacity for adults and children with disabilities in County Monaghan. [47500/26]

75. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the Government will implement the EU Pay Transparency Directive which aims to combat pay discrimination and help close the gender pay gap in the European Union. [45479/26]

76. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will further reduce the new cap of €734 a month per child on childcare; the timeframe for when any further reductions will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47284/26]

77. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department intends to review legislation on flexible working arrangements in the context of the current fuel crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30948/26]

78. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated cost of increasing the hourly rate for educators by €1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46905/26]

79. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she is taking to improve access to early intervention services for children in rural areas given ongoing concerns from families regarding long waiting times for disability assessments and therapies, limited availability of specialist staff, and the impact that delayed supports can have on children’s developmental outcomes; and …

80. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on CDNT waiting lists for assessments and therapies in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46889/26]

81. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed the impact of social media on young people's mental health and wellbeing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47536/26]

82. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to address the notable increase in the number of children in residential disability care; whether her Department will require the HSE to collect and publish age breakdowns, reasons for admission, length of stay and whether placements arise from lack of respite, home support, behavioural support, school supports or fa…

83. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of providers who have exited Core Funding in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46788/26]

84. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the caseload weighting system for Tusla is currently fully operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47428/26]

85. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress being made to develop and ‘Earn and Learn’ apprenticeship model enabling childcare staff to gain qualifications and advance their careers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47402/26]

86. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department is aware that private ECCE only childcare providers are now liable for commercial rates; and if she will raise this issue with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. [46908/26]

87. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans for additional childcare places and staff in Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47395/26]

88. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number and total value of successful applications under the 2026 Childminding Development Grant in Dublin bay north; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47470/26]

89. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether, in the context of the feasibility study currently being undertaken by the HSE on the future use of the Toghermore campus in Tuam, if consideration is being given to including a hydrotherapy facility as part of the campus's future development, alongside the previously proposed equine therapy centre; and if she will make a statemen…

90. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her proposals to address the gap in levels of funding for childcare against the increased costs borne by providers. [47502/26]