201. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if priority will be given to sites with plenty of open space for the purchase of premises for State-led early years facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29218/26]
Topics / Early Childhood Care and Education
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsEarly Childhood Care and Education
521 questions from 96 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
521
questions
506 written, 15 oral
96
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
9
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 | 2 |
| February 2025 | 20 |
| March 2025 | 23 |
| April 2025 | 21 |
| May 2025 | 24 |
| June 2025 | 7 |
| July 2025 | 37 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 32 |
| October 2025 | 27 |
| November 2025 | 46 |
| December 2025 | 26 |
| January 2026 | 37 |
| February 2026 | 52 |
| March 2026 | 27 |
| April 2026 | 60 |
| May 2026 | 26 |
| June 2026 | 23 |
| July 2026 | 11 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 12 |
| October 2026 | 8 |
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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57
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33
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28
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22
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20
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19
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17
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15
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
191. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when she intends to publish details of the DCDE mapping of existing early learning and care services against projected need, to show the gaps in each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29085/26]
195. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the implementation of the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme announced in January 2026, and specifically its implementation as it applies to rural areas and particularly Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29116/26]
271. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when applications for the next building block scheme will be open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27877/26]
313. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when she intends to provide all county childcare committees with the Shaping the Future - Early Years Action Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27432/26]
1794. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the review of the 2001 planning guidelines for local authorities on early learning and childcare settings, in order to increase childcare supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26325/26]
2356. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to initiate a new employment regulation order process in the second half of 2026; to provide the accompanying sum of monies in 2026 for a future round of pay improvements for staff working in the early years, childcare and pre-school sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23757/26]
2405. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when a fee assessment process for early years providers in receipt of core funding for the current programme year, as committed to in Budget 2026, will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24378/26]
2406. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the stage the 2025/2026 fee increase process is at; when it will be communicated to the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24379/26]
2462. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being undertaken to improve the operability of The Hive system; the financial investment being provided to support these improvements; when improvements will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24885/26]
2463. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether statistics are kept regarding the number of students who graduate in Ireland with a Level 7 or Level 8 qualification in early education and care and who go directly into working in early years, versus those that graduate but immediately depart for another sector, and if such statistics are not collated, the plans to do so; …
2464. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on her Department’s plans to rollout an apprenticeship model for early learning and care education; when she expects to see the first childcare apprentices enrolling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24887/26]
2469. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department is supporting Pobal and the Childcare Committee to source suitable alternative places for children in County Donegal affected by the closure of a childcare service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25016/26]
2473. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a shortfall in the provision of childcare places in the Dún Laoghaire area in south County Dublin; the actions she is taking to increase availability in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25138/26]
2474. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a shortfall in the provision of childcare places in the Shankill area in south County Dublin; the actions she is taking to increase availability in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25139/26]
2475. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a shortfall in the provision of childcare places in the Blackrock area in south County Dublin; the actions she is taking to increase availability in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25140/26]
2476. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration is being given to provide targeted support for childcare providers in parts of the country where the rent of commercial premises is significantly higher than the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25141/26]
2477. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration is being given to provide targeted support for people or companies that wish to open new childcare centres in parts of the country where the rent of commercial premises is significantly higher than the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25142/26]
2478. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she is taking to increase the number of childcare places available at a national level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25143/26]
2479. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any research being done at a national level to identify areas that are experiencing a shortfall in the availability of childcare places on a consistent basis; the mechanisms by which this is evaluated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25144/26]
2480. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the legal basis that would allow childcare facilities to charge parents a non-refundable deposit; if this is permitted, if there is an upper cap on the price that can be charged in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25145/26]
2481. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her earlier commitment to undertake a call for proposals as part of the European Social Fund Plus: Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme 2021-2027 under the Gender Equality objective in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25152/26]
2493. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider acquiring a property (details supplied) under the early learning and childcare capital programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25330/26]
2494. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the delivery of a searchable price comparison website for parents as set out in the recommendations of the Partnership for the Public Good; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25351/26]
2495. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare services that applied to the extended building blocks scheme; the number of those that were granted their application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25352/26]