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

Edward Timmins Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
179. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress on the evaluation framework for Core Funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29166/26]
Shane Moynihan Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Barry Ward Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Keira Keogh Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Paul Murphy Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Joe Neville Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Grace Boland Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Naoise Ó Muirí Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
James O'Connor Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ruth Coppinger Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Joe Neville Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Gillian Toole Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
William Aird Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ken O'Flynn Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ken O'Flynn Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ken O'Flynn Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ken O'Flynn Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ken O'Flynn Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ken O'Flynn Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ken O'Flynn Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Ken O'Flynn Written 23 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Barry Ward Written 22 Apr 2026 · to Children
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 will make a statemen…
Barry Ward Written 22 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]
Barry Ward Written 22 Apr 2026 · to Children
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 will make a statement …
John Paul O'Shea Written 21 Apr 2026 · to Children
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]