hugely frustrating and it is not acceptable. As a matter of policy, Uisce Éireann, where disruptions are taking place, should always consider childcare facilities and schools to make sure they are communicated with in timely manner
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In debates
know they have been missed. The truth about child poverty exists in those homes where parents are earning but they are paying extortionate childcare rates, for really massive rents or their mortgage has increased, or they are forking out for devices, which are going far ahead of free
this concluded recently.
Reflecting the need for a multidimensional approach, work continues right across Government in other key areas such as housing, employment, childcare, education and health to address child poverty. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026-2030 outlines many of these actions, with the aim of achieving
Group, they spoke about getting jobs, and how we do not allow for all those transitions, be they the transitions from early childcare through to primary, post-primary and tertiary education, as well as the transition into work. There are those who are worried about losing their payments
crises. It is an omnicrisis happening all at once: a housing crisis; a fuel crisis; a food and cost-of-living crisis; a childcare crisis; health and mental health crises; and a disability crisis. People are exhausted, angry and frustrated. That frustration is turning into resentment because they
cost of living the Government has introduced include free schoolbooks at primary and secondary level, expansion of free hot school meals, universal childcare subsidy, €280 new baby grant, hospital inpatient charges abolished, expanded free GP care, free contraception for 17- to 35-year-olds, free HRT. I could
delay. It can create real difficulty for women: for women who have travelled for long distances; for women arranging time off work or childcare; for women in crisis; and for women living with coercive, controlling partners, or domestic violence. For many women, having to return days later
unnecessary delay once a clear and informed decision has been made. Some women have said that it creates practical challenges relating to travel, childcare, employment and other personal circumstances. Moreover, the additional appointments and administrative processes can push patients past gestational limits. These can pose particular difficulties
Minister confirm if this is still in the mix for budget 2027? Families also need access to quality public services, such as childcare that is affordable, diagnoses, assessments and therapeutic services. Is one in 12 children experiencing poverty too many
primary delay. Giving a working person, particularly a single parent with a job and child, ten or 11 days to organise childcare, get time off work, etc., presents an exceptional difficulty. We have all dealt with cases where people, in advance of a tribunal hearing date, appealed
required for notification of hearings is too short. Tenants need a longer period to prepare their information, book time off work and arrange childcare. It also raises the issue that it is always down to tenants to try to challenge illegal evictions and the idea that our rental
energy prices in Ireland were not already high enough. Allied with ever-rising grocery price rises, no sign of the €200-a-month childcare we were promised or a break in college fees, rising health insurance and back-to-school costs and so on, households are in very
does not have to be a massive post office. It can be a small postal collection service with other community infrastructure like childcare facilities or anything. Let us show a bit of innovation rather than selling the service off to a private fund, which will be a loss
promotion is strictly limited, with an evening and late-night ban on TV advertising, a ban on advertising on public transport, near schools, childcare facilities, playgrounds and sports venues, or any event or place meant primarily for children. Alcohol advertising in shops is strictly limited to the part
ordinary people in this motion, but they do not go far enough. People are really suffering. They cannot afford food, rent, or childcare. There are 500,000 people who are in arrears on their electricity and gas bills.
We need more than once-off cost-of-living payments
need the rent credits to be improved but most importantly we need measures to calm rents, reduce them and cap them. Affordable childcare must be addressed. For businesses insurance costs continue to be high. VAT changes we had in the last budget are going to favour large hotels
they are helping people to bear the brunt of the multiple crises we are facing such as fuel, housing, cost of living, childcare and mental health. They are at the coalface. They provide vital supports, and they also contribute to the public good through social cohesion. They ensure
leavers. It should be people switching careers. Unfortunately, it is not realistic for somebody in their thirties who might have a mortgage or childcare costs and is leaving a different career. They are not able to survive on first-year and second-year apprentice payments. It is just
workforce very high salaries and bonuses. In turn, this is supporting over 500,000 low-paid service workers in hospitality, retail, cleaning and childcare. That is why Ireland has the highest level of market income inequality in Europe. If 200,000 higher paid jobs are lost, or even
centralised system like the CAO, which we need to have. As regards access and inclusion, there were barriers for those in minority groups, childcare responsibilities and a difficulty in matching up employers with apprentices. There are 48 recommendations and I encourage the Minister of State to look through
person with a disability who is struggling to survive? Is it a family struggling to find a home or affordable childcare? Is it the large property developers and multinationals, like Starbucks and McDonalds, which want to pay less tax?
When we look at the measures the Minister
Under the early learning and childcare capital programme, the Government and Department will select up to eight facilities a year
month. That is up from €1,089 this time last year. That is a staggering 14% increase on top of soaring energy bills, childcare costs and rising costs of living.
Many renters are paying far more than the average. In our constituency offices we are meeting young couples
discuss the exceptional staffing pressures at a school in County Sligo.
Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss support mechanisms for families when their childcare centre withdraws from the core funding model.
Deputy Michael Murphy - To discuss growing road safety risks associated with horse-drawn vehicles on public roads.
Deputy
crazy stuff, again and again. A DNA information system was supposed to cost €760,000; the final cost was €2.7 million. A childcare IT project was supposed to cost €7.1 million; its final cost was over €10 million. A new Garda case management system collapsed with
In parliamentary questions
Ruth Coppinger
Written
Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to improve conditions for chefs working in childcare setting given issues that have been raised (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18076/26
Réada Cronin
Written
Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has identified any buildings for the purpose of developing after school childcare in north Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18209/26
John Paul O'Shea
Written
John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will support an increase in the ECCE rates for childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17442/26
Pat Buckley
Written
Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will make appropriate funding available for school-age childcare with additional needs, as currently there is funding available for preschool-age children through the AIM and AIM Plus programmes, subsidising up to 30-hours
Mattie McGrath
Written
Equality the capital funding supports currently available to early years providers and crèches seeking to expand their premises in order to accommodate additional childcare places; and whether any funding streams exist to assist with the purchase or provision of temporary accommodation while permanent structures are being planned
Barry Heneghan
Written
Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has developed projections for average childcare costs per month over the coming years based on current policy work and planned reforms; if these projections are available, by year and type of service that
Barry Heneghan
Written
Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has modelled the likely average annual cost of childcare that parents should expect over the next five years; the assumptions used in these projections; and if she will provide the latest figures and timelines
Aidan Farrelly
Written
Children, Disability and Equality to confirm the membership of the committee responsible for the adjudication of sites for the State-led provision of childcare and early years education services; the number of times it has met since its inception; the number of applications it has adjudicated
John Connolly
Written
ensure that any disregards, means testing and income thresholds for secondary benefits including back- to-school clothing and footwear allowance, and national childcare scheme, are automatically raised in line with any core social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15655/26
Eamon Scanlon
Written
consider establishing a community welfare office in Ballymote, County Sligo, to ensure local access to supports for those without transport, financial means, or childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15291/26
Pearse Doherty
Written
Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to correspondence regarding the matter, will she commit to visiting childcare facilities in Donegal affected by defective concrete blocks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15674/26
Peter 'Chap' Cleere
Written
Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to address the shortage of childcare places in Carlow. [15956/26
Peter 'Chap' Cleere
Written
Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to address the shortage of childcare places in Kilkenny. [15957/26
Robert O'Donoghue
Written
regulations; whether she will consider postponing these regulations to ensure that a framework is developed which protects both childminders and the availability of childcare places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15319/26
Robert O'Donoghue
Written
assessment which has been carried out on the impact of these regulations on the retention of experienced childminders and the availability of childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15320/26
Matt Carthy
Written
Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare facilities registered in County Monaghan; the total number of children that can be cared for within those facilities; and the corresponding numbers for February
Matt Carthy
Written
Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare facilities registered in County Cavan; the total number of children that can be cared for within those facilities; and the corresponding numbers for February
Conor Sheehan
Written
been conducted on the educational and emotional consequences of SNA reductions; the way "reasonable distance" is defined when existing commute times and childcare responsibilities are considered; the reason SNA vacancies no longer being consistently advertised publicly; if she will commit to reviewing the redeployment policy to ensure
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of ECCE-only childcare services that are considered exempt and not exempt from paying commercial rates in 2025 and 2026, as per paragraph 10, schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001. [14240/26
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of ECCE-only childcare services that have received commercial rates bills in 2025 and 2026. [14241/26
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sessional childcare services that are considered exempt and not exempt from paying commercial rates, as per paragraph 10, schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001. [14242/26
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sessional childcare services that have received commercial rates bills in 2025 and 2026. [14243/26
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his definition of ECCE, sessional and part-time childcare services; and how commercial rates are applied to each of them. [14244/26
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of part-time childcare services that are considered exempt and not exempt from paying commercial rates, as per paragraph 10, schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001. [14245/26
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of part-time childcare services that have received commercial rates bills in 2025 and 2026. [14246/26
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