Childcare Services
An official questions-paper heading. 1,337 questions (38 oral, 1,299 written), first 2025-01-22, latest 2026-07-16.
Questions under this heading, per month
Jan 2025Jul 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 11 |
| Feb 2025 | 62 |
| Mar 2025 | 43 |
| Apr 2025 | 71 |
| May 2025 | 35 |
| Jun 2025 | 70 |
| Jul 2025 | 93 |
| Sep 2025 | 87 |
| Oct 2025 | 41 |
| Nov 2025 | 155 |
| Dec 2025 | 74 |
| Jan 2026 | 71 |
| Feb 2026 | 76 |
| Mar 2026 | 55 |
| Apr 2026 | 78 |
| May 2026 | 107 |
| Jun 2026 | 144 |
| Jul 2026 | 64 |
Addressed to
| Department | Questions |
|---|---|
| Children | 1,290 |
| Health | 22 |
| Housing | 9 |
| Education | 6 |
| Social | 4 |
| Finance | 3 |
| Rural | 2 |
| Public Expenditure | 1 |
Debates under the same heading
Dáil debate sections whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
Ken O'Flynn
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
505. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will publish detailed, disaggregated data showing the number of childcare providers entering and leaving the sector nationally and by county each year since 2015, including whether those providers were part of the core funding scheme. [52981/25]
Ken O'Flynn
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
506. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to prevent excessive childcare fee increases, including whether consideration has been given to introducing statutory fee caps or a link between the core funding scheme and maximum allowable fee levels. [52982/25]
Ken O'Flynn
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
507. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the locations where State-led childcare facilities are currently being planned or developed, including projected capacity, opening dates, costs, and the criteria used for site selection. [52983/25]
Ken O'Flynn
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
508. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific supports (financial, operational, training, or business supports) which are being made available to smaller and rural childcare providers to maintain their viability within the core funding scheme. [52984/25]
Ken O'Flynn
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
509. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department verifies claims of a national net increase in services when some regions, such as Cork, have reported sustained decreases; and if she will provide a breakdown reconciliating national and regional figures. [52985/25]
Mark Wall
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
521. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she can provide a location and date of closure for the 759 childcare providers within the State who have closed their doors over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53306/25]
Mark Wall
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
522. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are any sports clubs or sports organisations that have applied for and are in receipt of core funding; their names, and the date they received any such funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53307/25]
Duncan Smith
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
540. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the policy for the cap on childcare fees for parents whose children attend facilities for less than 50 hours per week (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53669/25]
Shane Moynihan
written
2025-10-07 · to Children
545. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the progress being made in relation to reviewing the 2001 planning guidelines for childcare facilities; if an audit of facilities granted planning permission to date would provide important insights into their effectiveness as part of this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53866/25]
Marie Sherlock
written
2025-10-02 · to Children
396. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how the NCS IT system was able to process applications in respect of school-going age for 41 hours per week. [52806/25]
Marie Sherlock
written
2025-10-02 · to Children
397. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions taken by her Department on foot of the fault in the NCS IT system; the resources allocated to the follow-up inspection; and the number of services inspected as part of this investigation. [52807/25]
Marie Sherlock
written
2025-10-02 · to Children
398. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason parents have to renew their NCS eligibility every eight weeks; and the plans she has to lengthen this period. [52808/25]
Shane Moynihan
written
2025-10-01 · to Children
161. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has considered the impact of the automatic enrolment retirement savings system on childcare providers as an additional cost; if there is guidance available for providers on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52341/25]
Claire Kerrane
written
2025-10-01 · to Children
162. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration has been given to the impact on community and private childcare providers of the introduction of auto-enrolment and the significant added cost this will place on providers; if she plans to take any action on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52369/25]
Michael Healy-Rae
written
2025-10-01 · to Children
163. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures which will be taken to ensure pay parity for those providing childcare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52458/25]
James Geoghegan
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
772. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to review matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51476/25]
Niamh Smyth
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
779. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review correspondence regarding foster carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51597/25]
John Lahart
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
780. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a regional breakdown of the childcare providers who have withdrawn from core funding, including both the number and proportion of providers in Dublin; and the steps she plans to take to encourage these providers to return, so that parents are not left paying the equivalent of a mortgage for their childcare.…
Naoise Ó Muirí
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
782. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the granting of an extension for a childcare service (details supplied) under the building blocks improvement scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51625/25]
Emer Currie
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
783. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of recipients of the national childcare scheme, by year from 2020 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51727/25]
Emer Currie
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
784. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of recipients of the national childcare scheme universal subsidy, by year from 2020 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51728/25]
Emer Currie
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
785. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of recipients of the national childcare income-assessed subsidy, by year from 2020 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51729/25]
Emer Currie
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
786. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total cost of the national childcare scheme, by year from 2020 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51730/25]
Emer Currie
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
787. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total cost of the national childcare scheme income-assessed subsidy, by year from 2020 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51731/25]
Emer Currie
written
2025-09-30 · to Children
788. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total cost of the national childcare scheme universal subsidy, by year from 2020 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51732/25]