Topics / Childcare Services

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Childcare Services

1,438 questions from 125 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.

1,438
questions
1,397 written, 41 oral
125
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
8
departments asked

Questions per month

The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.

Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
MonthQuestions
January 202511
February 202562
March 202543
April 202571
May 202535
June 202570
July 202593
August 20250
September 202587
October 202541
November 2025155
December 202574
January 202671
February 202676
March 202655
April 202678
May 2026107
June 2026144
July 202664
August 20260
September 202638
October 202663

Who asks, by party

The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.

  • 100% RDR2 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Aontú18 from 2 TDs · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil284 from 33 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael467 from 20 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party11 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent64 from 9 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland43 from 2 TDs · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party152 from 11 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity40 from 3 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin267 from 31 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 130
  2. 88
  3. 70
  4. 69
  5. 47
  6. 40
  7. 36
  8. 33

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Mark Wall Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1532. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 793 of 26 May 2026, if her Department or Tusla intends to assess the operational stability of this service given repeated room closures. [41479/26]
Mark Wall Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1533. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if repeated room closures by childcare providers impact compliance with core funding obligations and staffed capacity requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41480/26]
Mark Wall Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1534. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the protections or supports in place for families with no alternative full-time childcare available locally. [41481/26]
Michael Cahill Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1536. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently increase funding and supports in childcare services, including staffing throughout the country and particularly in County Kerry where families are affected by the cancellation of summer childcare provision (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41492/26]
Michael Cahill Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1568. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a progress report on the provision of childcare facilities at the former convent in Listowel, County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42133/26]
Ivana Bacik Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1582. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the anticipated impact of Phase 2 of Shaping The Future's measure to remove access to ECCE and NCS schemes for parents of children in services who are no longer in core funding; the number of children projected to be affected in each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42399/26]
Barry Ward Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1591. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare providers operating under the core funding model in each of the bands A-F, by local authority area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42498/26]
Barry Ward Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1592. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in relation to childcare providers categorised in Band F, the fees charged by each of the childcare providers, without identifying them, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42499/26]
Sorca Clarke Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1594. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current average response time for Garda vetting applications relating to employment in childcare settings; the number of applications currently awaiting processing; and the measures being taken to reduce delays, in view of reports from childcare providers that staff recruitment is being significantly impacted, including one provide…
Ruth Coppinger Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1596. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a child who misses the age deadline by one day could be considered for the ECCE programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42577/26]
Emer Currie Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1597. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the changes in eligibility and points of entry since the ECCE commenced and the Programme for Government commitment to evaluate options to amend the ECCE eligibility criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42601/26]
Emer Currie Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1598. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider a second lower age eligibility criteria for children starting the ECCE scheme to prevent families from missing out on a full-year of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42602/26]
Emer Currie Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1599. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when she intends to evaluate the eligibility of the ECCE programme, as outlined in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42603/26]
Liam Quaide Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1601. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department is aware of children with disabilities or additional needs being refused access to, or being unable to participate in, school-age childcare or after-school services because providers cannot meet their support needs; if data is collected on such refusals or exclusions; whether her Department intends to develop a de…
Richard Boyd Barrett Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1616. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the options available for parents who have place(s) in a creche that opts out of core funding; if it is possible to ensure that proper notice is given to parents about increases in fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42739/26]
Barry Ward Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1619. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if in relation to childcare providers operating within Band F of the Core Funding Model, the number of providers offering 50 or more hours of childcare provision per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42785/26]
Ciarán Ahern Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1620. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to review the early withdrawal provisions of the national childcare subsidy scheme with the objective of eliminating the subsidy penalty imposed on families who withdraw their children early; if her Department will conduct a consultation with childcare providers to understand the actual fee structures and charging practices u…
James O'Connor Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1621. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken, or are planned, to increase the availability of childcare places for children aged 0-3 years old in Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42907/26]
Claire Kerrane Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1622. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will look at costs outside the control of Early Years providers who are in Core Funding, where costs have increased significantly, and they are not costs controlled by the provider (details supplied) meaning they are forced to make up the increase which in one case means an additional €26,000 annually; and if she will make a s…
Barry Ward Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1623. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are flexibilities in place for a childcare centre categorised in band F to revise their fees (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42945/26]
Barry Ward Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1624. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the basis for allowing different upper fee rates for childcare centres in band F based on when they joined the core funding scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42946/26]
Emer Currie Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1626. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of units that have been flagged to her Department regarding the State-led capital childcare programme as potential childcare facilities, by county, in tabular form. [43059/26]
Emer Currie Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1627. Deputy Emer Currie 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. [43060/26]
Denise Mitchell Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1652. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of serious concern amongst AIM support workers in relation to recent reported changes to the way in which funding will be allocated and the impact they may have for these workers’ jobs in September; if she will outline the changes being made or proposed to the process of awarding of AIM support and funding; and if sh…
John Lahart Written 9 Jun 2026 · to Children
1653. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the further steps being considered to support families with the cost of childcare and to improve availability of places; if she will outline any planned measures in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43300/26]