largest secondary schools in County Waterford has been closed on several occasions because of water outages. These outages are also impacting childcare facilities.
A delegation from Lismore has requested meetings with Uisce Éireann. Is the Minister willing to meet with a delegation of townspeople from Lismore to discuss
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In debates
ends meet. People face extortionate bills and prices right across the board and for many, it is never-ending. It is runaway rents, childcare fees that equate to the cost of a second mortgage, the cost of the weekly shop and insurance costs, but perhaps where households have
workplace inequality. Women in Ireland still earn less than men on average, with a gender pay gap of approximately 12%. Childcare costs and work-life balance make it more difficult for women to return to work. Of course, women take a disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic
breakdown. If we crosscheck that with Accord research, the primary reasons are responsibility for household tasks and the division of that, responsibility for childcare and financial reasons. For all of those reasons, and how they are apportioned out, we should all be feminists. If we do that
progression in the workplace, including through legislation to support flexible working arrangements. The Government has also made a substantial investment in subsidised childcare and will work over the coming years to further reduce the cost for working families.
Members will be aware of the Government's commitment
Supporting working families is essential. The cost of living is putting people under pressure and we must ease that burden, whether through lower childcare costs, better healthcare access or tax relief for those who work hard. Safer communities must be a priority. Crime and anti-social behaviour
Government is putting it in is that it is not opening the other schools that should be opened. We are talking about 66 childcare places going nowhere else. That is going to cost the State a fortune down the line to try to find alternatives. We need
what we have is a system where we pay our taxes and, in return, receive quality public services such as housing, healthcare, education, childcare and disability services, all of which create a floor in society below which we cannot fall. It provides confidence in the public that their
brón orm, I will have to revert. I ask the Government to please consider introducing even basic Gaeilge to the proposed State-funded childcare facilities. Táim ag caint faoi fhocail shimplí cosúil le "Tóg amach do bhosca lóin", "bróga" nó "Seo é cathaoir" because I think it would
charitably. That is a huge impact. As the Deputy said, they are referred by a variety of professionals in the child welfare and childcare area, teachers, gardaí, probation officers and so on.
I do not know whether the foster care association has met with the Minister. I would
Deputy brings the case to me, I will see if we can get some movement on it.
Deputy McGreehan raised the issue of childcare provision staff struggling. We have increased spending enormously in this area. The smaller providers are saying they have suffered a bit, particularly with
make it as easy as possible for parents to access this payment at what is a very busy time in their lives.
On childcare, there are commitments in the programme for Government, on which the Minister, Deputy Foley, will be leading out, to improve access
excellence. It provides a range of services to victims, including a helpline, emergency accommodation, support and information, outreach support, court support, childcare, parenting, counselling, training and, together with Tipperary County Council, a safe house. I acknowledge the work done by the organisation and thank the recently retired project
other Departments and Government agencies who got up from their desks and went to Citywest. One day they were working in corporate affairs, childcare policy or youth participation and the next day they were assisting families to find bed spaces, ensuring children could be enrolled in schools
persons with disabilities, given that disabled individuals make up 25% of homeless people, which is hugely disproportionate. We need better accessible transport, affordable childcare, improved education, improved employment and adequate personal assistant services.
The Minister of State mentioned that this Government is putting the disabilities issue front
facilities where there is currently a lack of such facilities? I also ask what actions she will take to reduce the cost of childcare
absolutely new departure. It has never been done before that the State will intervene and build or purchase State-owned early learning childcare facilities. It is important to gather the views of parents. Regarding the poll, it is my understanding that the poll was conducted in February
access and inclusion model, AIM, is in place to support children with additional needs to access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare by providing universal supports to preschool settings generally and targeted supports based on the needs of the individual without requiring a diagnosis.
The Deputy
Core funding is a grant to early learning and childcare providers towards their operating costs. The primary objectives of the core funding scheme are to improve pay and conditions in the sector and affordability for parents while also ensuring a stable income for providers. Providers have flexibility
employer and therefore does not set the pay or conditions for employees in either early learning and care or school-age childcare services. In line with the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act, the joint labour committee, which involves union and employer representation and an independent chair
role as Minister, I will be engaging with all representative bodies regarding childcare provision. That is ongoing this week and will be for the next number of weeks. Their point of view and experiences will be very important to the general discussion we have on moving towards
Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in Kilkenny benefiting from the national childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7547/25
early scoping exercise is being done to provide for that. I have already referenced the poll of parents. Obviously, there is engagement with childcare providers. That will be a very important step forward to meet what the Deputy has referred to as the availability aspect
hugely prioritised by the Government. I have already outlined what is being done in terms of availability or the very sustainability of childcare-providing services. To ensure we have a sustainable model, the core funding model has been introduced, with an investment of more than €900 million
Question No. 122 was specifically around childcare facilities' ability to attract and retain staff
In parliamentary questions
Tom Brabazon
Written
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the interdepartmental work being done with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to support flexible childcare arrangements for working parents. [41166/25
Barry Ward
Written
Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to cases whereby childcare centres that have no refund policies regarding deposits and upfront fees, regardless of the level of notice provided, when the child will not be taking
Michael Cahill
Written
Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a targeted rural childcare investment strategy is being considered to address specific workforce retention and sustainability issues faced by providers in counties such as Kerry. [41371/25
Johnny Guirke
Written
Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the availability of childcare places in Navan for September 2025; the number of available and waitlisted places; how this compares with demand; the steps being taken to expand capacity locally
Barry Ward
Written
Equality if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of parents who fall under fee band F in relation to their childcare fees; if the advertised position of no family paying above €295 per week under new caps will apply to them; and if she will make
Grace Boland
Written
Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the engagement her Department have had with childcare providers to determine how to reduce the administrative burden on providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42042/25
Grace Boland
Written
Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on planned changes to the planning guidelines for childcare facilities to facilitate more applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42044/25
Grace Boland
Written
update on the transformation of the supply management unit into a forward planning and delivery unit to determine the supply of childcare needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42045/25
Grace Boland
Written
Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress that has been made to purchase or build state owned childcare facilities to create additional needs in areas who have the most unmet need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42046/25
Grace Boland
Written
Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress that has been made by her Department to develop State-led childcare facilities in tandem with the school building programme in Dublin Fingal West; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42047/25
John Brady
Written
Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures she will be undertaking to assist for childcare costs for working families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42121/25
John Brady
Written
Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reduction in childcare fees there has been nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42122/25
John Brady
Written
Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the changes she will make to the National Childcare Scheme; to detail these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42123/25
John Brady
Written
Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she will take to reduce increasing insurance costs for childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42124/25
Aisling Dempsey
Written
asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the commitments in the Programme for Government that have been commenced in relation to making childcare more affordable for families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42146/25
Grace Boland
Written
Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress that has been made on the review of the 2001 Childcare Facilities Guidelines for Planning Authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42162/25
Grace Boland
Written
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress being made to ensure the Review of Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare operating system in Ireland will be ready for publication in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42168/25
Aindrias Moynihan
Written
asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childminders who have registered with Tusla and are part of the national childcare scheme since the expansion of the scheme to include childminders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42379/25
Grace Boland
Written
women in the workplace, particularly in relation to: income inequality and pay progression, barriers to promotion and career development, access to affordable childcare and flexible working arrangements, and measures to support women returning to the workforce after maternity leave; and if she will make a statement
Grace Boland
Written
Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the fiscal supports being considered by her Department to alleviate the burden of childcare costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42547/25
Grace Boland
Written
Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being considered to promote more equitable sharing of childcare responsibilities between parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42549/25
Grace Boland
Written
Children, Disability and Equality if she has conducted any impact assessment on how unregulated crèche administration fees affect low-income families access to childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42814/25
Grace Boland
Written
Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to introduce the €200 a month cap for childcare fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42816/25
Eoin Hayes
Written
have been granted to her Department as part of the National Development Plan; whether any allocations have been made to developing publicly owned childcare facilities, if so the amount and the timeframe. [42966/25
Cathal Crowe
Written
Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children, by county, who benefitted from supports under the national childcare scheme in 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43206/25
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