Childcare Services

1533. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if repeated room closures by childcare providers impact compliance with core funding obligations and staffed capacity requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41480/26]

1534. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the protections or supports in place for families with no alternative full-time childcare available locally. [41481/26]

1536. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently increase funding and supports in childcare services, including staffing throughout the country and particularly in County Kerry where families are affected by the cancellation of summer childcare provision (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41492/26]

1568. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a progress report on the provision of childcare facilities at the former convent in Listowel, County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42133/26]

1582. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the anticipated impact of Phase 2 of Shaping The Future's measure to remove access to ECCE and NCS schemes for parents of children in services who are no longer in core funding; the number of children projected to be affected in each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42399/26]

1591. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare providers operating under the core funding model in each of the bands A-F, by local authority area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42498/26]

1592. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in relation to childcare providers categorised in Band F, the fees charged by each of the childcare providers, without identifying them, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42499/26]

1594. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current average response time for Garda vetting applications relating to employment in childcare settings; the number of applications currently awaiting processing; and the measures being taken to reduce delays, in view of reports from childcare providers that staff recruitment is being significantly impacted, i…

1596. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a child who misses the age deadline by one day could be considered for the ECCE programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42577/26]

1597. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the changes in eligibility and points of entry since the ECCE commenced and the Programme for Government commitment to evaluate options to amend the ECCE eligibility criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42601/26]

1598. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider a second lower age eligibility criteria for children starting the ECCE scheme to prevent families from missing out on a full-year of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42602/26]

1599. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when she intends to evaluate the eligibility of the ECCE programme, as outlined in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42603/26]

1601. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department is aware of children with disabilities or additional needs being refused access to, or being unable to participate in, school-age childcare or after-school services because providers cannot meet their support needs; if data is collected on such refusals or exclusions; whether her Department int…

1616. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the options available for parents who have place(s) in a creche that opts out of core funding; if it is possible to ensure that proper notice is given to parents about increases in fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42739/26]

1619. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if in relation to childcare providers operating within Band F of the Core Funding Model, the number of providers offering 50 or more hours of childcare provision per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42785/26]

1620. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to review the early withdrawal provisions of the national childcare subsidy scheme with the objective of eliminating the subsidy penalty imposed on families who withdraw their children early; if her Department will conduct a consultation with childcare providers to understand the actual fee structures and …

1621. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken, or are planned, to increase the availability of childcare places for children aged 0-3 years old in Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42907/26]

1622. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will look at costs outside the control of Early Years providers who are in Core Funding, where costs have increased significantly, and they are not costs controlled by the provider (details supplied) meaning they are forced to make up the increase which in one case means an additional €26,000 annually; and …

1623. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are flexibilities in place for a childcare centre categorised in band F to revise their fees (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42945/26]

1624. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the basis for allowing different upper fee rates for childcare centres in band F based on when they joined the core funding scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42946/26]

1626. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of units that have been flagged to her Department regarding the State-led capital childcare programme as potential childcare facilities, by county, in tabular form. [43059/26]

1627. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of expressions of interest received by her Department regarding the State-led capital childcare programme. [43060/26]

1652. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of serious concern amongst AIM support workers in relation to recent reported changes to the way in which funding will be allocated and the impact they may have for these workers’ jobs in September; if she will outline the changes being made or proposed to the process of awarding of AIM support an…

1653. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the further steps being considered to support families with the cost of childcare and to improve availability of places; if she will outline any planned measures in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43300/26]

1681. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1201 of 10 June 2025, if the shortfall of places expected by 2030 remains at 14,000 or has it has increased/decreased (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43505/26]