Disability Services

266. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Transport whether requiring disabled passengers to disclose their disability and request assistance in advance to access rail services has been reviewed from an equality and disability rights perspective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19118/26]

267. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Transport whether guidance exists to ensure disabled passengers can access rail travel independently wherever possible without reliance on mandatory staff assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19119/26]

285. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport whether the current rail accessibility system, which requires disabled passengers to request assistance in advance in order to travel, has been assessed against equality and human rights obligations. [19357/26]

286. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport the steps being taken to ensure disabled passengers can access rail travel independently in line with universal design principles. [19358/26]

300. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Transport the details of assessments carried out on current Irish Rail accessibility policies, including advance notice requirements and mandatory staff assistance; whether these policies comply with Ireland’s obligations under disability equality and public transport access standards and legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.…

301. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Transport whether a cross-departmental review has been considered to ensure transport accessibility policy aligns with broader national disability inclusion commitments. [19451/26]

1473. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps the Government are taking to prevent situations where children with additional needs are left in hospital simply because there is nowhere else for them to go; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19647/26]

1499. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to state the number of children born with Down syndrome in each year from 2010 to-date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18451/26]

1509. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding increasing respite for the parents of a person (details supplied) with a view to securing a residential placement following a transition period. [18644/26]

1512. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline how the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 is applied in disability day service settings, particularly for cases where there is family involvement (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18656/26]

1513. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding funding for essential works to reopen a respite care service (details supplied); when it is likely that this service will reopen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18670/26]

1514. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE speech and language therapist posts, by grade, that were filled at Blanchardstown CDNT as of 3 March 2026; and the average waiting time for same. [18684/26]

1515. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the appropriate outreach hours will be provided for a child (details supplied); and if she will expedite the matter [18696/26]

1519. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm whether there is no housing coordinator in disability services in a specific CHO (details supplied); the length of time the role is vacant; if the vacancy is as a result of a lack of funding as advised to service users; the alternative route in place in order to facilitate engagement with local authoritie…

1548. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current waiting times for children in the Castlerea/Roscommon area to access assessment and therapy through the Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT); the number of children currently awaiting services; and the measures being taken to reduce these waiting lists. [19313/26]

1553. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the assessment of need appointment of a person (details supplied). [19517/26]

1554. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 996 of 17 February 2026, the date a child (details supplied) can start speech and language therapy, SLT, as the previous reply in relation to this child did not give any date for SLT to commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19534/26]

1556. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which an individual can qualify for the funding for a private assessment, given public wait times currently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19537/26]

1564. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to increase residential placements for children with additional needs in Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19645/26]

1565. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans in place to ensure respite services (details supplied) can remain available to the families who rely on them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19646/26]

1584. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the cost of residential disability services provided by for-profit companies for each of the years 2021 to 2025; and for a breakdown of costs for child and adult services separately, in tabular form. [19823/26]

1588. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific actions being taken to address ongoing recruitment and retention challenges within the Children's Disability Network Teams in Cork, where vacancy rates of between 29% and 43% have been reported; the way these measures will improve access to assessments and therapies for affected families; and if s…

1589. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the planned level of investment in personal assistance services for 2026, particularly in light of recent calls for greater transparency on PA funding and the need to expand supports that enable independent living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19996/26]

1592. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to provide localised respite services in West Cork to end the practice of families traveling across the county for care; the measures in place to provide a clear, structured pathway for adults with intellectual disabilities in Cork transitioning from school to adult services; and if she w…

1594. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the waiting list for assessment of needs; the number of persons on the list; the length of time persons waiting for such an assessment to be carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20047/26]