724. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on a review into administration for childminders as referenced by her at the Joint Committee meeting on children on 12 June in which she advised that “in terms of red tape, a review is ongoing with a view to minimising it. Our purpose is to make things easier, not more difficult, as we go forward”; where this revi…
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
726. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that communities seeking to establish new childcare facilities are precluded from accessing Building Blocks, the only financial support available, as they are not an existing service; if she will rectify this to ensure the funding is more accessible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34188/25]
738. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of complaints received by HIQA relating to residential public and private childcare settings in 2020 to date in 2025, by county, in tabular form. [34447/25]
739. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the shortage of childcare facilities available in Carrigaline in Cork; to provide an update on the predicated opening of a new childcare service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34486/25]
814. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason a child (details supplied) was refused by CAMHS for an ADHD assessment; if there is an appropriate service to provide the support required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34011/25]
364. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of families on enhanced childcare subsidies that were negatively affected by the fee adjustment process in 2024 and are now paying higher fees than they were in August 2024. [33277/25]
376. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on an audit on the number of childcare facilities per local authority that have undergone a change of use from childcare to housing, retail, community infrastructure or any other purpose; if she will share that data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33487/25]
377. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on an audit that then Taoiseach Simon Harris requested in 2024 in relation to the number of childcare facilities in each local authority that have not been put to use, are lying empty, have had applications for a change of use, or have undergone a change of use; to share that data; and if she will make a statement on the ma…
378. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for any data she has on childcare facilities where there has been a planning application for a change of use, whether that application has been successful or not, and for what new use was requested, in the past ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33489/25]
379. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for any data she has on childcare facilities per local authority that are lying empty and have not been put to use, in the past ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33490/25]
132. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to introduced targeted investments, in childcare, especially in early years education. [32988/25]
133. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to address the number of families who cannot access affordable childcare. [32989/25]
74. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality regarding the gradual reduction of childcare costs as committed to in the programme for Government; the steps she has taken to progress this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32763/25]
75. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline actions she is taking to support staff retention in community childcare facilities. [32394/25]
78. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new childcare providers who have entered the sector in each of the past five years; the number of childcare providers who have left the sector in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32214/25]
79. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to address the shortage of after-school childcare places in the mid-Cork region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32414/25]
80. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality regarding Tusla services in County Clare, the number of social workers employed; the number of vacancies for social workers; the length of time those positions have been vacant, the number of children with no allocated social worker; the number of children in need of either foster or residential care who are not currently placed; and if sh…
81. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps taken to reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month, to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32101/25]
87. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the implementation of pay increases for staff in the childcare sector. [32480/25]
89. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline the amount by which childcare costs have reduced since the formation of Government. [32460/25]
90. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the steps taken to ensure that there are more creche spaces introduced in north Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32420/25]
97. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason the pre-election commitment from the Government parties to introduce €200 per month childcare has been scrapped, and charges of €200 per week have been introduced instead (details supplied); and outline what happened to this commitment. [32151/25]
99. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress made in expanding access to childcare, on foot of the finding in research commissioned by her Department, which shows almost two out of every three respondents faced a restriction on hours of work or study due to childcare challenges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32102/25]
101. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if families availing of a childminder coming to their family home can qualify for the national childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32433/25]
102. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she is taking to expand capacity in the childcare sector, particularly in rural areas; the actions she intends to take to address long waiting lists for childcare facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32257/25]