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]
Topics / Childcare Services
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsChildcare 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
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 11 |
| February 2025 | 62 |
| March 2025 | 43 |
| April 2025 | 71 |
| May 2025 | 35 |
| June 2025 | 70 |
| July 2025 | 93 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 87 |
| October 2025 | 41 |
| November 2025 | 155 |
| December 2025 | 74 |
| January 2026 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 76 |
| March 2026 | 55 |
| April 2026 | 78 |
| May 2026 | 107 |
| June 2026 | 144 |
| July 2026 | 64 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 38 |
| October 2026 | 63 |
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.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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130
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88
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70
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69
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47
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40
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36
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33
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
666. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality based on current numbers, the estimated full year cost of increasing the universal hourly subsidy available under the national childcare scheme by €1 to €3.14 per hour for a maximum of 45 hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27920/26]
667. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality based on current numbers, the estimated full year cost of increasing the universal hourly subsidy available under the National Childcare Scheme by €2 to €4.14 per hour for a maximum of 45 hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27921/26]
668. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of expressions of interest her Department has received in respect of State led childcare facilities; the locations that have expressed an interest, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27922/26]
696. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a list of all registered providers of early years and school age services that have three or more services; the number of services registered to each registered provider; the type of service provided (that is, sessional, part time, full time, school age childcare); and type of service (private or community), in tabular f…
349. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of childcare facilities operating in a HSE owned facility who are now facing eviction due to the HSE decision to sell this property; if she has engaged with the provider; if she has considered selling the property with the tenant in situ to allow the provider to continue operating from the premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. …
2420. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to respond to correspondence received (details supplied) in relation to reported increases in childcare fees being applied by some providers; the measures her Department is taking to ensure that fee caps are adhered to and that parents do not face further financial pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24484/26]
2458. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans her Department has in place to ensure staff retention within the childcare sector; the plans to increase staff numbers within the childcare sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24784/26]
2459. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the fee increase assessment process is expected to be finalised and communicated to providers participating in the core funding programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24785/26]
2509. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 130 of 19 February 2026, if she will provide a cost breakdown for each year of spending for the €617,000 figure outlined previously; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25494/26]
2534. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to clarify where responsibility lies for questions in relation to safeguarding for childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25991/26]
2538. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently benefiting from the universal subsidy under the national childcare scheme; the number benefiting through Tusla-registered childminders; and the steps being taken to ensure that more families can avail of the subsidy in areas where registered childminders are scarce. [26037/26]
2539. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of Tusla-registered childminders in each county; the number in Cork; the estimated unmet demand for childminding places; and the measures being taken to expand registration and participation in the national childcare scheme. [26038/26]
2540. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the Government has assessed the number of families that are unable to avail of the national childcare scheme solely because their childminder is not Tusla-registered; and her plans to address that barrier. [26039/26]
2541. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration is being given to further reforms of the national childcare scheme so that affordability supports are available in a more practical way for parents who rely on local childminding arrangements but cannot access a Tusla-registered provider. [26040/26]
2542. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures her Department is taking to encourage more family-friendly working conditions for parents of young children, including flexible working hours, predictable scheduling and measures to reduce the financial pressure caused by childcare costs. [26048/26]
2543. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has undertaken any assessment of the extent to which childcare costs and inflexible working arrangements are pushing parents, particularly mothers, out of the workforce; and if she will publish that assessment. [26049/26]
2559. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her efforts to extend the NCS for childminding in the childminder's home and childminding in the family home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26315/26]
2570. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding withdrawal of ECCE, NCS or other Pobal programmes from early years providers who left or did not join core funding. [26987/26]
410. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has been made aware of the situation with a childcare provider (detail supplied) and their lapse in payment of core funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23207/26]
435. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare places that have been available in Cork city and Cork county in each of the past five years, including, if possible, the first three months of 2026. [23510/26]
436. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare services that have been open in Cork city and Cork county in each of the past five years including, if possible, the first three months of 2026. [23511/26]
80. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are any current or proposed plans for new childcare facilities, Naíonraí, Gaelscoileanna, or multi-denominational primary schools in the Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 area. [22552/26]
269. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason the National Childcare Service is not structured so that funding follows the child rather than being contingent on provider participation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22532/26]
270. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to ensure all childcare providers participate in the childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22533/26]