profit delivery of essential services through the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, particularly for the delivery of community childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53636/26
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In debates
with my questions, this question is very straightforward. I ask the Minister of State to concentrate his remarks on the delivery of community childcare. I am interested in knowing what plans there are to scale up the delivery of essential services through the use of social enterprises
children and whose parents may be living elsewhere or have moved elsewhere and who want to try to get support from them because childcare is so expensive. There are many reasons we could see situations - and we know of them - in which people would be able to move
Gary Gannon - To discuss withdrawal of solicitors from criminal legal aid cases.
Deputy Robert O'Donoghue - To discuss the introduction of a summer childcare support scheme.
Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss the need for the development of Bunclody Community College, County Wexford.
Deputy Marie Sherlock - To discuss
summer support scheme to help families with the cost of summer camps. We already provide support in many areas, including, in particular, childcare through core funding. I believe this is another area where targeted assistance could make a real difference. Could the Department examine the possibility
must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding childcare. On Tuesday, 30 June 2026, on the question, "That the amendment to the motion be made", a division was claimed, and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken
price tags of €400,000 or more. That is not affordable, not for a nurse, a retail worker, a van driver or a childcare worker, and not for the vast majority of young people trying to raise a family.
This cannot go on. We need
also that we make a real impact in improved public service delivery and reduce the cost of living, with a priority around childcare, disability services and other areas as part of budget 2027. We must ensure that everything we decide to do is sustainable, affordable and within
best way - the only way - to deliver an all-Ireland public universal health service. Through unity, we can build the best education and childcare systems for every child and young person. We can strengthen our public services, tackle poverty and build a fair society in which disabled people
know how the Minister of State can say there is early engagement when a €4.3 million Fórsa project was abandoned, an unaffordable affordable childcare ICT system exceeded its original estimate of €3.5 million by nearly 50%, and now, €30 million spent by Irish Rail has effectively been written
hundreds of meetings and countless headlines, but for the families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis here and with issues like accessing childcare, none of this will matter unless we can deliver results that work for them.
The Government has identified priorities, including strengthening competitiveness, enlargement, security
work on a budget that will address many of the cost-of-living issues that were highlighted, namely, a personal income tax package, childcare and how we can make structural progress on issues that are of concern to the Deputy's constituents and mine.
The second point
their wages in rent. They can barely cover their bills, put diesel in their cars, food on the table or pay for childcare and ever-increasing insurance costs. The cost of fuel is crippling people as they go about their daily business. Sinn Féin has pushed every step
park my worries on O'Connell Street and hope someone notices. If I am trying to keep up with the mortgage, the rent, childcare costs or the weekly grocery bill, I am fighting that battle around my own kitchen table. Those families deserve the same urgency.
If Government
benefit of the international arms industry. Money that should go into addressing the cost-of-living crisis and into housing, health and childcare is going to go into the pockets of the arms producers to make the billionaires and trillionaires even wealthier while ordinary people are bombed
businesses, people who are working have never been at more of a disadvantage because of the high cost of going to work, childcare and fuel. What we need is a more targeted approach by the Government. It will never be more important or timely than in the upcoming
Last night we had a debate on childcare. During the course of that I made the point that July and August can be stressful times for parents as they try to figure out a patchwork quilt of different types of care as school finishes and there are camps
must champion a pro-social Europe that delivers for working people. Across the European Union, families are struggling to afford basics like housing, childcare, healthcare and energy. Economic growth means little if it fails to improve people’s lives. Climate action remains one of the defining challenges
rents, increasing food prices and expensive back-to-school costs. That is before we mention the sky-high cost of car insurance and childcare. The bills keep coming. They keep going up and up, and people are fed up with being ripped off.
I want to remind
Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to conclude within 2 hours)
Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Childcare, selected by Sinn Féin.
Wednesday's business shall be:
- Statements on Ireland's EU Presidency (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)
Wednesday
that this investment has also opened doors to corporate chains and private corporations.
The Minister has allowed these entities to operate school-age childcare in public school buildings rather than using those public assets to expand State provision. A public system would allow the State to build capacity
analyse the impact of budget measures on Irish households. We will use the ESRI's tax benefit microsimulation model, simulating welfare, income tax, childcare and health policies, SWITCH, to model proposed tax measures to ensure their fairness. However, it is our intention to have a personal income
other ways of assisting people, through the social welfare system, the child poverty work around the working family payment and things like childcare. There are lots of steps we can take together. We have not made any decisions and I do not dismiss the idea of tax credits
make progress on with respect to the structural costs they face in their lives, whether it is the cost of the energy bill, childcare, access to disability services or the cost of education. This budget will need to be viewed in the round and the people
need to be supplemented by what we can do on the spending side to reduce structural costs that families face in areas like childcare, an issue I know the Deputy is passionate about with the carers' allowance. We will see the carers' allowance income threshold increase next month
In parliamentary questions
Ruth Coppinger
Written
Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to clarify where responsibility lies for questions in relation to safeguarding for childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25991/26
Liam Quaide
Written
Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently benefiting from the universal subsidy under the national childcare scheme; the number benefiting through Tusla-registered childminders; and the steps being taken to ensure that more families can avail of the subsidy
Liam Quaide
Written
number in Cork; the estimated unmet demand for childminding places; and the measures being taken to expand registration and participation in the national childcare scheme. [26038/26
Liam Quaide
Written
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the Government has assessed the number of families that are unable to avail of the national childcare scheme solely because their childminder is not Tusla-registered; and her plans to address that barrier. [26039/26
Liam Quaide
Written
Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration is being given to further reforms of the national childcare scheme so that affordability supports are available in a more practical way for parents who rely on local childminding arrangements but cannot access a Tusla
Liam Quaide
Written
friendly working conditions for parents of young children, including flexible working hours, predictable scheduling and measures to reduce the financial pressure caused by childcare costs. [26048/26
Liam Quaide
Written
Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has undertaken any assessment of the extent to which childcare costs and inflexible working arrangements are pushing parents, particularly mothers, out of the workforce; and if she will publish that assessment. [26049/26
Michael Healy-Rae
Written
studies in the early childhood education and care (level 8) students at Munster Technological University, Tralee, could be eligible to work in childcare services during the summer periods despite not having completed work placement (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26253/26
Eoin Ó Broin
Written
person (details supplied) in advance of their being enrolled in an ECCE programme given the technology will assist the individual in their current childcare setting and will already be in place for their entry to ECCE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26968/26
Joe Neville
Written
Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has been made aware of the situation with a childcare provider (detail supplied) and their lapse in payment of core funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23207/26
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Written
Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare places that have been available in Cork city and Cork county in each of the past five years, including, if possible, the first three months of 2026. [23510/26
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Written
Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare services that have been open in Cork city and Cork county in each of the past five years including, if possible, the first three months of 2026. [23511/26
Jen Cummins
Written
Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are any current or proposed plans for new childcare facilities, Naíonraí, Gaelscoileanna, or multi-denominational primary schools in the Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 area. [22552/26
Jen Cummins
Written
Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason the National Childcare Service is not structured so that funding follows the child rather than being contingent on provider participation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22532/26
Jen Cummins
Written
Children, Disability and Equality the supports that exist for families who, through no fault of their own, are unable to access a national childcare service participating service. [22534/26
Louis O'Hara
Written
Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is considering any measures to address the lack of childcare places available in towns and villages such as Portumna, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22914/26
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Written
Gaeltacht the timeline for the introduction of an annual social enterprise empowerment and development allocation to support sustainable job creation, affordable childcare provision and community-based services, including disability supports, as outlined in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13204/26
Liam Quaide
Written
role he intends the child maintenance calculator to play in judicial decision-making; if he plans for future iterations to include education, childcare, medical and disability related costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22201/26
Emer Currie
Written
asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of expressions of interest received by her Department regarding the State-led capital childcare programme. [21527/26
Aisling Dempsey
Written
asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the action her Department is taking to increase the number of staff working in the childcare sector. [21589/26
Aisling Dempsey
Written
Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on adding childcare staff to the critical skills list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21590/26
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
Written
Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures she is taking to increase the number of childcare places in Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21772/26
Holly Cairns
Written
rural and oversubscribed areas; and if there is scope to reinstate the exemptions for families with no choice but to divide their childcare due to lack of availability. [21780/26
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childminders who are part of the national childcare scheme each year since 2023.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21980/26
Barry Ward
Written
Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she is taking to address the issue of childcare providers pulling out of the core funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21001/26
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