Childcare Services

1484. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of meetings she or her officials attended regarding the establishment of the Tusla training college; the extent to which the Department consulted on the curriculum and the type of qualifications students will receive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18286/26]

1485. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total budget allocated for the Tusla training college in 2024, 2025 and 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18287/26]

1486. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of teaching staff allocated to the Tusla training college; whether they are internal or external appointments; full-time or part-time; the duration of such agreements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18288/26]

1487. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated number of childminders operating in Ireland from the childminder's home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18298/26]

1488. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated number of childminders operating in Ireland from the family's home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18299/26]

1489. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the sum of money ringfenced for the NCS for childminders for 2025/2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18300/26]

1490. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average monthly fees paid for childminders operating in the childminder's home, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18301/26]

1491. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average monthly fees paid for childminders operating in the family's home, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18302/26]

1492. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the annual average national cost of childcare; the average amount of financial relief provided through the NCS universal subsidy per annum to a family; the average amount of financial relief provided through the NCS income assessed subsidy per annum to a family (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on …

1493. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the relief provided to families on the cost of childcare through the NCS income assessed subsidy and the NCS universal subsidy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18304/26]

1507. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the pilot and phased introduction of staffed local childminding networks, as committed to in the National Action Plan for Childminding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18639/26]

1604. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taking to alleviate parents in Kilcock who are struggling to locate childcare and afterschool services, given the acute shortages for these facilities in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20203/26]

1635. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the need to ensure that adequate space is available for the second year of ECCE; if she has heard reports of parents finding that schools do not want to take children until they are five years of age but creches do not have the space for older children and do not feel that preschool is fit for children o…

1643. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the actions outlined for the childminding sector (details supplied), broken down per each action, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20869/26]

486. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn a childcare provider (details supplied) which has recently announced its closure due to a significant rise in operational costs, staff retention and recruitment; if her Department has been in touch with the childcare provider; the steps she will take to expand childcare provision i…

487. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the planned building blocks capital programme for childcare facilities. [18002/26]

488. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the current funding model for the Early Years Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), will be extended into the 2026 academic year; if a decision has been made regarding a continuation or redesign of the scheme; the timeline which applies to the announcement of any extension; the changes, if any, are proposed to el…

491. 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]

495. Deputy Réada 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]

725. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to parliamentary Question No. 117 on 19 February 2026, if she will engage with the Minister for Finance regarding supports for families employing a childminder explicitly within the family home through the tax credit system as an interim measure before the extension of the NCS to childminding, in light of comp…

763. 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 is, full-time, part-time, ECCE, and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matte…

764. 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 for this modelling, in tabular form. [17053/26]

765. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether, in the context of ongoing childcare reform work, her Department has produced estimates for the average parent which will pay for childcare per month and per year in the short to medium term; the way these estimates will compare to current average costs; and if she will publish this, in tabular form. [17054…

467. 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]

468. 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]