Childcare Services

180. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on progress in relation to the State's acquisition of childcare facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28461/26]

182. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding developments towards reaching the commitment to reducing childcare costs to €200 per child, per month, in the context of a number of childcare providers pulling out of the core funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27968/26]

185. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to expand affordable childcare places in rural communities in Mayo where demand exceeds supply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29060/26]

196. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if childcare costs will be reduced in light of the worsening cost of living crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29067/26]

198. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of and the timelines for when the first State-led childcare services will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29112/26]

200. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the work her Department is undertaking to deliver accessible and affordable community childcare for families living in north County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28422/26]

202. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will examine the way to make the large number of unused childcare facilities built as part of housing developments viable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29188/26]

203. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the progression towards €200 per month childcare. [29153/26]

207. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures she will take to address the issue of staff turnover in childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29191/26]

208. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports she plans to introduce to support those who want to open new childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29113/26]

477. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the cost benefit analysis that has been carried out to determine the benefits of resourcing existing childcare provision facilities versus the construction/ renovation of greenfield sites; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29226/26]

478. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to address extensive childcare waiting lists, particularly for children under three; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29253/26]

485. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a national policy framework exists governing the pricing of private residential childcare placements funded by the State; and if she will outline the key components of that framework. [29297/26]

486. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether standardised national pricing bands, cost ceilings, or benchmark rates are applied to private residential childcare placements; and if so, the basis on which such rates are determined. [29298/26]

487. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the approval process required where the cost of a private residential childcare placement exceeds any standard or indicative rate; and the level of authorisation required in such cases. [29299/26]

488. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total annual expenditure by Tusla on private residential childcare placements for each of the past five years, in tabular form. [29300/26]

489. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average weekly cost per private residential childcare placement for each of the past five years; and the range between the lowest and highest weekly placement costs in each year. [29301/26]

490. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department or Tusla has identified any upward trend in the cost of private residential childcare placements; and if so, the factors identified as driving such increases. [29302/26]

491. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of private providers currently delivering residential childcare placements funded by the State; and the proportion of all placements delivered by private providers versus public provision. [29303/26]

494. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the procurement model used by Tusla in securing private residential childcare placements, including whether competitive tendering processes are applied. [29306/26]

192. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to concerns related to the length of time it is taking to secure Garda vetting for new hires in childminding facilities and the knock on impact this is having for families who cannot access these services due to these delays; the actions she will take to address this concern; and if she …

193. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any engagement she has had with the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in relation to the delays in processing Garda vetting application for new hires in childminding facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29103/26]

194. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any engagement she is having with the childcare sector regarding delays in processing Garda vetting applications for new hires and the knock on impact this is having for families who cannot access these services due to these delays; the actions she will take to address this concern; and if she wi…

664. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actual full year cost incurred in 2025 from increasing the universal hourly subsidy available under the national childcare scheme from €1.40 to €2.14; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27918/26]

665. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality based on current numbers, the estimated full year cost of reducing the maximum fee cap for services participating in core funding from €295 to €200 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27919/26]