Childcare Services

374. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that community childcare in the Fingal County Council area has fallen to just 5%, while Dublin City Council stands at 33% and Leitrim at 64% and that given the benefits of the community childcare model for disadvantaged areas, whether she could conduct an analysis on the reason some county councils are…

1465. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on a building blocks extension grant application for a creche (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57741/25]

1469. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide details on the 700 additional childcare places announced in Budget 2026; where these places will be located; how they will be located; the timeline for their delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57838/25]

1470. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports her Department will provide to a group (details supplied) to establish a new community creche in Caltra; if funding is available from her Department for construction and initial operational costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57876/25]

1480. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people on waiting lists for childcare, per county. [58016/25]

1486. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will address the inconsistent staffing ratio requirements for childcare facilities that are subject to the time of day. [58196/25]

1506. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the correspondence from a childcare facility (details supplied); if she will address the concerns raised regarding the core funding system and fee increase restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58446/25]

1516. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to detail the financial supports that are available for community-based childcare services operating in school settings (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58639/25]

1532. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on childcare service capacity in Cork North Central; if additional funding will be provided to support community childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59000/25]

1533. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeline for full implementation of the universal childcare subsidy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59003/25]

1534. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department will ensure equitable funding between community and private childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59004/25]

1538. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on required staffing levels for education centres such as play schools and creches; and to outline any plans to attract additional qualified staff to County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59115/25]

1544. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will address the matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding the rising cost of childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59236/25]

1552. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider the introduction of regulations around the management of waiting lists in childcare facilities including rules regarding the return of deposits when places are relinquished in a reasonable timeframe. [59335/25]

1555. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeline for the reopening of the building blocks capital grant scheme; if the eligibility criteria will remain the same, or be widened in the next round; if her Department has a strategy to encourage the establishment and expansion of community-based childcare services in areas of high demand where property and…

1556. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeline for the publication of the action plan to build an affordable, high-quality and accessible early childhood education and care system, as referenced in recent replies to parliamentary questions; if the action plan will include a specific focus on childcare infrastructure and the development of State-led …

1562. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on a building blocks extension grant (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59484/25]

1584. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the approximate national cost of fees charged to parents after all funding schemes are taken into account, based on the most recent data. [59512/25]

1585. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of graduates working in the early years and the SAC sector. [59513/25]

1586. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of graduates working in the early years and SAC sector who are currently benefiting from the graduate uplift.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59514/25]

1588. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on and the status of the provision of 700 childcare places through the acquisition of State-led childcare services in 2026. [59517/25]

1623. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new childcare places that have been opened in County Meath for the years 2024 and 2025, respectively. [60108/25]

1795. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health if she will urgently intervene in the case of a child (details supplied) who, despite having been diagnosed with ADHD by VHI psychologists, and dyslexia and dyspraxia by the National Educational Psychological Service, CAMHS has refused to meet in-person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58590/25]

2042. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if her Department has reviewed current practices regarding the care, support, and guidance provided to children experiencing gender dysphoria, in light of the Cass Review in England (details supplied); the steps being taken to ensure that parents are fully informed of toolkit contents, that balanced, evidence-based information is provided to c…

136. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the level of grant aid that will be available in 2026 for the upgrading or provision of new childcare accommodation, both for community providers and private providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57483/25]