Vol. 1088 No. 2
8. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has considered a model of childcare based on direct public provision to ensure access, affordability for families and quality pay and conditions for staff in the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47544/26]
In 2024, parties were falling over themselves, as we know, including the Minister’s, promising parents €200 a month childcare. The latest Fianna Fáil meeting was talking about €786 per month, possibly, later on this year, so it will be like €200 a week will be nearer the mark. However, the real problem we have is childcare provision. The private childcare model is simply not working for parents. With so many more providers falling out of the sector, we need a public model.
Perhaps the Deputy was not in the Chamber earlier when we spoke about the progress that has been made towards the €200. As I said, we have published phase 1 of the action plan and phase 2 is under way. We have made some progress. For example, we made the announcement recently in terms of the maximum fee caps. For the vast majority of people who are availing of childcare services of less than 50 hours, and this is the cohort paying the highest fees, that payment will reduce to €183 per week.
We have also confirmed that 25% of families are already on the €200 or paying less than €200 a month, or €50 a week. We have also increased the thresholds to gain the maximum in terms of the national childcare subsidy. We are on the journey. We said it would be committed to and delivered over the lifetime of the Government in terms of €200, and we are on that journey and we are in the early stages of this Government presently.
Specifically in terms of the State-led model or, as the Deputy referred to it, the public provision, the Government is committed to undertaking a broad consultation and to publishing phase 2 of the action plan on an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity for the first time, noting that the plan will enhance parental choice through ongoing support for public, private and community provision as well as childminders. Shaping the Future, the early years action plan phase 1, was published in December of 2025 and sets out measures to achieve key programme for Government commitments on the affordability, which I have already mentioned, quality and accessibility of early learning and care and school-age childcare over the course of 2026. This includes a broad-based consultation which has been under way during the first half of 2026. The consultation resulted in 11,000 responses initially to the online survey, with 56 local consultation events held across the country, engagement with children to ascertain their views and a national consultation event, which is due to take place later in the year.
The problem is that the private childcare model is being heavily subsidised by the State, but even with these subsidies it is simply not working. Discovery Montessori in Castleknock has written to TDs, for example, in my area. It is the latest childcare provider saying that the core funding model cannot work for it. The fee freezes mean that it would not be able to meet its costs in wages, utilities, insurance, etc. I do not have a way of checking out all of those claims, but what I will say is that there is no way we can provide quality childcare with decent pay under the private model. The Minister used to be Minister for education. We need preschool to be provided in the same way that primary and secondary are, underpinned by the State, with childcare workers trained by the State and given decent pay and conditions to attract them into the profession. We know it is an horrifically unstable profession and very badly paid - female-centred, as usual. I know there is a consultation but the Minister needs to look at that long-term strategy.
To be fair, I agree with the Deputy in terms of issues she has raised, such as that of pay, for example. It is for that reason that €45 million was ring-fenced last year and will be this year to improve the pay for workers, notwithstanding the fact that the State is not the employer here, and the Deputy has made that point very eloquently, However, the State is stepping in. How that is divvied up is independent of the Minister and the Department and that work is under way. Over two years, €90 million being put on the table by Government is a significant amount of money in terms of wages.
On the action plan and the State led model, this is the first time the State has ever stepped in to provide a State-led model. We have said that this year, for the first time, eight different facilities will be provided for across the country to meet demand in the area and they will be not-for-profit. We will learn a huge amount from this first year as to how we might be able to move forward, but this is an important first step.
I do get that it is the first step but it is a very slow process. It needs to be a lot more ambitious and radical. It took long enough for a realisation that the State needed to lead on childcare in Ireland. In other countries, it is par for the course. Things like training schools have to be set up where people would be guaranteed decent pay and conditions. It is appalling what many childcare workers are paid. It would be good if the State was able to underwrite it in the same way it does for education, by keeping electricity and insurance costs down, because that is what is breaking an awful lot of the private childcare providers. By the way, there are a lot of excellent private childcare providers. It is not their fault. A lot of them obviously love children, while others are just doing it as a big business. I hope that they could be incorporated into the system because obviously people would not be excluded. We cannot move forward unless there is a huge increase in the number of staff and buildings available. Schools can also be used much more than they are. After school hours the premises are all there. A lot of parents have raised that, and schools are saying "No" when they are asked.
The Deputy is correct when she says it is about having the staff, the premises and a sufficient number of places available at costs that are affordable to parents. There are at least three key elements here that have to be achieved. There is no point in achieving one if we are not achieving the other two. I take the Deputy's point in relation to schools and she is right. I have worked the vast majority of my life in schools. It is part of the programme for Government that we would look at, for example, where new schools are being built, that there would be opportunities for childcare facilities to be included. I agree 100% about facilities that could be made available after school hours. These are State premises so there should be opportunities there as well and all of that is being looked at.
I acknowledge, as the Deputy did, that there are excellent private providers. The purpose of what we are doing here in the first instance with the State-led model is to work alongside where there is provision, and where nobody has stepped in and additional provision is required, the State would step in. It is not an either-or.
Eight buildings are being developed this year and next year we are hoping to go a step further. Where we may do so, we will build. We will have to see how we go forward, but it is an innovative and positive step forward.
9. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the action being taken to reduce the cost of childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47437/26]
Tá an chéad cheist eile in ainm an Teachta Eamon Scanlon ach tá sé tar éis an Teachta Aisling Dempsey a ainmniú chun í a thógáil.
I want to ask the Minister to outline the current and future actions that are being taken to reduce the cost of childcare for parents across the country.
I thank Deputy Dempsey. I have always made it clear that the €200-per-month programme for Government commitment is to be achieved over the lifetime of this Government. We did discuss this earlier. Shaping the Future: The Early Years Action Plan, phase 1 report, was published last December and we have now moved on to phase 2 of the action plan report. That is very much focusing on consultation and drawing in the opinions, thoughts and lived experience of people who are in the sector, such as parents and others who have an interest in this area.
The consultation process has been really significant. We were really pleased that over 11,000 people engaged online with the survey. There were 56 local consultations held right across the country. They were on the ground, as it were. I want to acknowledge the work of the City and County Childcare Committees in that respect. There was also, very importantly, an engagement with children. It was done in art form but it was important that the views of children would be solicited and harnessed. There will also be a national consultation event which will take place later this year.
Results of this consultation, phase 2, and the additional analysis, will inform how we move forward from 2027 through to 2029. The fee-freeze and maximum fee caps required for core funding have been key to the progress in recent years in making early learning and care and school-age childcare services more affordable. The 2026 actions on affordability will include further reductions in some of the highest fees paid by parents by lowering the maximum fees that core funding partner services can charge. In addition, from autumn 2026 we will reduce out-of-pocket costs for lower-income families through the national childcare scheme, NCS.
The measures we are introducing include an increase to the lower base or income threshold of the income-assessed subsidy from €26,000 to €34,000, and on the upper end increasing it from €60,000 to €68,000, to extend income-assessed subsidies to more families. An increase to the multiple child deduction, MCD, component of the income-assessed subsidy is also being provided for where there are two children under the age of 15.
I thank the Minister for that update. I really welcome the maximum fee cap the Minister mentioned that is coming in September and will cap those fees at €183.70. That is a real tangible step for families to achieving really affordable childcare. Families that are facing those highest fees will see the money back in their pockets. Where are those services that will benefit the most from that? Are there many of those families in Meath that will see a reduction in their fees? The Minister mentioned the €200-per-month commitment in the programme for Government. Like many people, I knew it would take the lifetime of this Government to achieve that. Is the Minister confident that in the next budget there will be more of a positive and significant change that will make childcare more affordable?
I want to acknowledge Deputy Dempsey's personal engagement with me specifically on the areas of early years and childcare and in particular the costs. She can be absolutely assured that we are going into this budget seeking the maximum funding we can to advance the ambition. It is a very clear ambition that is in the programme for Government around the €200-per-month cost, or the €50-per-week. Also part of that is ensuring there is sufficiency of funding that there are enough places available so parents are catered for and also that there are core funding supports available, whether that is for staff, providers or whatever the case might be.
I want to reference the maximum fee caps. That is very significant. These are the cohort of people who are paying the most fees. Once they have the national childcare subsidies included, it will reduce from €198 per week to €183.70 per week. Other elements we have already referenced are the thresholds for the income-assessed subsidy support. Again, that is very significant. The figures specifically for County Meath I will have to find separately for the Deputy but I will make sure she gets them.
10. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the actions being taken by her Department to support ECCE-only services that are receiving commercial rates bills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47448/26]
The early childhood care and education scheme, ECCE, is transformative for children, particularly those from low-income families and disadvantaged backgrounds. The State now offers two free years of pre-school, 15 hours per week and three hours per day. Ninety-six percent of children take it up. The Government has said it wants to get that to 100%. Why are we allowing the imposition of commercial rates on ECCE services and on ECCE-only services, which could potentially close them down?
I thank Deputy Currie. She is correct when she says that 96% is regarded as a very high uptake of the ECCE services, but it is our aspiration to reach 100%. I am aware that a number of ECCE-only services have been receiving rates-payable notifications from their local authorities. The Department, and others, have previously advised the sector that ECCE-only services are exempt from paying commercial rates under paragraph 10 of Schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001.
Given the importance of early learning and childcare for children, families and communities across the country, I am giving this matter my full attention. I have engaged with my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne, on a number of occasions. On foot of this engagement, the Department of children and the Department of housing have jointly sought formal advice from the Office of the Attorney General on this matter. As the Deputy is aware, this is not within the gift of the Department of children; we have no role whatsoever in relation to rates. It is a matter outside of our remit. However, I am very pleased that the Department of housing has agreed on a joint submission to the Office of the Attorney General.
The Office of the Attorney General is now looking at this particular issue and has informed the Department that it has sought advice from external counsel on this matter, very specifically. On receipt of this advice, I will continue to engage with the Attorney General and the Minister, Deputy Browne, with a view to achieving a resolution as soon as possible.
Deputy Currie is correct that it is really important we get absolute clarity on this matter. It is a concern and a worry to those who are providing the ECCE services here. We are giving this every consideration. I want to express my gratitude to the Attorney General who has sought this external advice. Officials in the Department are also engaging with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to explore the solutions that might be available to rectify this situation.
When Tailte Éireann was before the housing committee a couple of weeks ago, I raised this matter with the representatives. They said they had taken legal advice via the Chief State Solicitor's Office and the Office of the Attorney General and it was unequivocal that ECCE services are rateable and are inherently operating for profit. This means that all ECCE services, including 100% Government-funded stand-alone ECCE services that receive no parental fees, are fair game for commercial rates, which in turn means that commercial rates for ECCE services are coming to every county in Ireland. Three-hour preschool services that do not charge parents any fees are going to be liable for commercial rates. I do not believe they should be treated like commercial businesses. I fear this is going to close down services. It is going to reduce childcare places. ECCE-only services, I believe, are already in decline. Some of these services have reached out to me saying they are potentially closing in June and will not reopen in September.
As I previously outlined, there was a clear understanding. The Department is very clear, based on correspondence and the understanding it had received previously from its sister Department, that ECCE-only services were exempt from paying commercial rates under paragraph 10 of Schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001. Notwithstanding that, it is not within the gift of the Department to set commercial rates for early learning and childcare service providers. However, I want to acknowledge that there has been an absolute openness from the Minister for housing to seek a resolution here. There has been a particular willingness from the Attorney General to engage in this matter. Indeed, the Attorney General has confirmed that he is seeking external advice on this. I want to be able to furnish at the earliest possible point information to the early learning and childcare sector and, indeed, this House on the update we receive from the Attorney General at his earliest convenience.
I thank the Minister. I know she is not responsible for this and it is something that has really come to light. The legal implications of the valuation tribunal and a case in the High Court have had an impact since 2024 but there is an urgency about this. Legislation seems to be required. I have worked on legislation. Will the Minister consider working with me on that to deal with this in an urgent way? Part of that legislation also includes sessional services that offer 30 minutes of care to support parents with flexibility but they are being penalised for it. As part of that legislation, I have included that if they operate those 30 minutes at ECCE rates of €4.60 per hour, they too should be exempt. This is affecting services in four counties but it is coming to more counties. I have seen bills ranging from €1,000 to €10,000 for ECCE-only services. These services are 100% Government-funded. Why would the Government give them funding to operate and be viable and then, through another arm of the State, charge them commercial rates?
It is important to confirm again that we need to take this step by step. We are currently engaging with the Department of housing, the Minister for housing and the Attorney General to see if there is any avenue to resolve this matter in the context of current legislation.
Okay.
That is the first step. I appreciate what the Deputy is doing; I absolutely do but I will take it step by step. I will wait for the adjudication of the Attorney General. He has given it his personal attention. He is also seeking external advice and we will see what we can do within the current legislation.
I am also aware that a number of childminding services have also received rates payable notifications from their local authorities and that has also been a huge concern. I have also stated previously that under no circumstances do I believe childminders should have their homes assessed for commercial rates. We did receive from Tailte Éireann a positive response where it confirmed our previous understanding that childminders are only likely to be charged rates if they have space dedicated solely to their childminding business and that the large majority of childminders who use the normal family homes in the home for childminding are, therefore, unlikely to be charged any rates at all.
11. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the extent of engagement her Department has had with the autism community, including autistic individuals, advocacy organisations and representative groups, in the development of the recently announced new autism assessment and intervention pathway protocol; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43029/26]
I welcome the new autism assessment and intervention pathway protocol. It is an effort to bring greater consistency as to how autism is assessed across services. The success of this reform will depend on whether autistic people and their families feel that it reflects their lived experience. The Minister of State might please advise us as to what engagement took place with the autism community in developing the protocol.
As the Deputy will be aware, on 26 May, the HSE launched the new autism assessment and intervention pathway protocol, or the autism protocol. Once implemented, it will apply to all HSE and HSE-funded providers, as well as private providers. I am delighted that extensive collaboration by Government underpinned the development of the autism protocol. My Department and I remain committed to ongoing engagement with autistic individuals, families and representative organisations to continue to improve access to services.
The protocol introduces a three-tiered approach to autism assessment, reflecting the evidence and lived experience that some presentations are easier to identify than others. It matches the level of assessment to the complexity of each case, as determined by clinicians. The pathway is specific to autism assessment and includes differential diagnosis where necessary, along with developing a formulation to better understand the person’s lived experience and the support they require.
The autism protocol was developed over five years. It was developed with input from people with lived experience, civil society, clinicians across multiple disciplines and service leaders from the disability, primary care and mental health sectors.
The service improvement programme board for the autistic community is a national HSE governance body that provides oversight, leadership and accountability for autism assessment and intervention services, including the autism protocol. When the service improvement programme board for the autistic community was established, a national expression of interest ensured representation from individuals with lived experience, including young people, adults and family members. The board included senior operational and clinical decision-makers, academic support and representatives with lived experience as equal contributors.
As the programme progressed, two working groups were created. The assessment and pathways working group, which reports to the service improvement programme board for the autistic community, included three representatives with lived experience and clinicians from psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, public health nursing and social work. It also included senior managers, family members and leaders, and they helped shape it.
I thank the Minister of State. In regard to going forward and making sure that the lived experience of autistic people and their families included and that we learn from the experience they go through in this new process, can she confirm that there will be that ongoing structured engagement around any reforms, changes or tweaks made to the protocol, as may be required from the process?
Absolutely. I am completely happy to say that to the Deputy. As she said in her opening remarks, the success of this depends on people's lived experience. That is exactly what we have used to help shape it. We also had expert input from a clinical advisory group as well as that assessment and pathways working group within the service improvement programme board for the autistic community. That was to ensure there was also a clinical perspective on this.
The assessment and pathways working group produced a comprehensive report. It was over 250 pages long and it outlined the new assessment approach. There were two versions of that protocol that were shared through workshops and webinars. Two consultation sessions took place in March with civil society, advocacy groups and people with lived experience. Feedback was provided to participants.
To be really clear, our approach, that of the Minister, Deputy Foley and I, and of our Department and the HSE, is to include people with lived experience. "Nothing about us without us" is something we are very proud to stand over.
I know the Minister of State touched on it earlier but my area has one of the longest waiting lists for assessments of need. What parents at home want to know is whether this protocol will help them get assessments and therapies? Will it make a difference to them? She might please help me give some comfort to families at home.
Absolutely. This process is all about families, children and ensuring that we have appropriate and faster access to the most appropriate clinical decisions. This is also in response to the fact that 40% of assessments, of children who are going through assessments of need, are being diagnosed as autistic. As a result of that, through five years of collaboration, hard work and clinical expertise, this protocol has been designed as part of the response to that. That is not just in Ireland. The OECD finds that there has been, overall, almost a 10% increase in autistic presentations. This is to support that but to clarify, it is totally different, distinct and independent from the assessments of need process and there is no change to anybody's statutory right to an assessment of need. What we are trying to do here is provide a quicker and clearer access pathway through our existing services, whether it is primary care, CDNTs or CAMHS teams, for people who are presenting as potentially autistic. We have three tiers as part of that protocol.
13. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and school-age childcare facilities that have been found to be non-complainant on staffing ratios, staffing qualifications, Garda vetting, and basic needs, broken down by private or community service, service size, full day care, part-time, sessional, school-age childcare and county, in 2025 and 2026. [46906/26]
In line with the requirements of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Year Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018, those wishing to operate an early years service or a school-age service are required to register with Tusla for the purposes of regulation.
As of the end of quarter 1 2026, there were 3,941 early years services and 3,032 school-age services registered with Tusla in line with these statutory provisions.
The Department is in the process of drafting revised regulations for school-age childcare services, building on the initial 2018 registration regulations. There is no regulatory requirement in relation to qualifications and health welfare and development of the child in the Child Care Act 1991 and the regulations 2018. Tusla currently only inspect school-age services where risks are highlighted or concerns raised.
In relation to early years services, there are important caveats regarding the data requested by the Deputy. In that context, the regulatory requirements for Garda vetting, staff qualifications and ensuring the basic needs of children in early years settings are set out in regulation 9, management and recruitment, and regulation 19, health, welfare and development of the child, of the 2016 early years services regulations. In the context of regulation 19, the health, welfare and development of the child relate to a range of practices, including basic and individual care needs, relationships between adults and children and providing an effective programme and an environment that supports learning and development. Due to the nature of the statutory instrument in which the 2016 regulations are set out, these requirements are outlined only as specific individual components of regulations 9 and 19, both of which comprise a number of additional components and regulatory elements, the number of which Tusla is aware. On this basis, the information I will outline relates to compliance non-attainment with regulation 9(2)(c), Garda vetting, and regulation 9(4), staff qualifications, and the entirety of regulation 19, health, welfare and development of child.
Separately, as the regulatory requirements for staffing ratios comprise all components of regulation 11, staffing levels, I will outline compliance non-attainment in respect of that regulation, which addresses this element of the Deputy’s query. I will get to the specifics in my next contribution.
I will yield to the Minister in order to allow her to conclude.
Gorgeous. For ease of reference, a full copy of the 2016 regulations is available to download from Tusla's website. The data provided by Tusla is in respect of inspections as opposed to services. This is because some services may have been inspected more than once. That is an important consideration. The figures I am about to provide relate to inspections, not services.
Over 3,500 inspections of early years services took place over the period. The level of non-compliance by regulation at the end of the inspection process, post submission of corrective action and preventive action response from the provider, was as follows. Out of the 3,500 inspections, there were five non-compliant inspections relating to Garda vetting, 60 relating to qualifications, ten relating to staffing levels and 14 relating to the health, welfare and development of the child. That refers to care needs, relationships or effective programme and environment.
On Garda vetting, immediate action notices were issued in relation to all five services, and the registered provider committed to removing them from having access to children until vetting is in place. The inspectorate records all non-adherence to Garda vetting and follows up with the relevant service.
In relation to qualifications, there are a number of factors relating to non-compliance. I will explain those in my next contribution.
I tabled this question in order to find out what is going on with all of our childcare facilities and to ensure that best practice obtains right across the country. I am very happy to hear that after 3,500 inspections and in the context of the figures the Minister provided, we have a very low level of non-compliance. I am sure the Minister will agree, however, that even one instance of non-compliance is a concern. I know she will come back to me with further information on this.
When we get the figures and have time to study them, I am sure we will all have further questions. The reason for tabling this question was to ensure that there is some regulation of this important childcare sector. The fact that the number of issues identified is good in one sense. Without the detail behind them, however, we cannot comment any further. I am glad that the figures relating to the 3,500 inspections are on the low side. I again stress that one instance of non-compliance is one too many.
I will add some information in order to provide flavour. In the context of qualifications, there are a number of factors relating to why people might be non-compliant. Staff may have some component modules of a level 5 completed and may be in the process of studying further. Some staff from abroad may not yet have applied to the Department for qualification recognition. They may have a qualification but are in the process of applying for recognition. Some Irish staff may not have applied to the Department for qualification equivalency. They could be coming from a different background and may be looking for equivalency.
In the case of Kildare, as I know that is of interest to the Deputy, the level of non-compliance at the end of the inspection process, post submission of corrective action and preventive action response from the provider, was zero for Garda vetting, zero for qualifications and zero issues in respect of staffing levels. There was one issue regarding the health, welfare and development of the child. That could be for a variety of different reasons. The early years inspectorate requires registered providers to submit a corrective action and a preventive action, with supporting evidence, to address all instances of non-compliance identified in the draft inspection report issued to them. If the corrective actions and-or preventive actions do not address the non-compliance, the registered provider may be subject to the escalation and-or enforcement processes.
That is why we need more childcare in Kildare.
There you go. I thought it was a very good report.
Absolutely.
14. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the review of the childminding regulations will take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47407/26]
I also want to raise with the Minister the issue of the childminding regulations. I understand that the review of the regulations is imminent. We need to ensure that we get the regulations right. That is what we all want. It is very much what childminders want. Can the Minister provide further information on when the review will take place?
The Deputy has raised this matter consistently. I am very happy to confirm that the review of the initial implementation of the childminding regulations, which will be managed by an external company, launched on Friday of last week with an open call for submissions. The review will include consultation with childminders and other stakeholders and will provide an important opportunity to learn lessons from initial experiences with the regulations. In addition to hearing from childminders who have not yet registered, it is important that the review adequately captures and benefits from the experiences of those who have registered and been through the registration process and who have operated under the new regulations. A consultation survey will follow the call for submissions, in addition to focus groups, stakeholder interviews and case studies. This is the initial step where there is a general call for submissions. When that closes, further work that will involve stakeholder interviews, case studies, focus groups and a survey will be done.
The scope of the review is broader than initially outlined in the national action plan for childminding and will now examine the effectiveness of supports made available to assist with the registration of childminders, as well as the barriers to registration and regulatory compliance, including financial and information barriers. The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 set out a pathway for the extension of regulation to childminders. A key objective of the national action plan is to enable parents who use childminders to also benefit from State subsidies through the national childcare scheme.
The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the national childcare scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered childminders are eligible to participate in the scheme. The limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered providers helps to ensure that public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision. The regulation of childminding services is critical to the safeguarding of children. Childminders acknowledge that too.
I thank the Minister. I cannot believe after all of my questions on this, the review began on Friday and I did not even realise. I thank the Minister for that important information.
No worries.
Obviously, I will follow up on that tomorrow.
It is very clear that there is an issue when you look at the number of childminders who have registered with Tusla. It should be of concern to all of us and that is why this review is so important. I do not know if the Minister has up to date figures. The most recent figure was, perhaps, 160. The Minister can correct me if I am wrong. Based on that figure, the review is important but it is really important there is some level of a communication campaign with clear information on exactly what the regulations look like and what they will mean. There is confusion and we need greater clarity, particularly clarity on the inspection. That is really what many, not all, childminders fear. Any of us would be concerned about a stranger coming into our homes. I ask for that to be looked at.
I agree with the Deputy. It is a cause for concern. It is for that reason I wanted to move it to the earliest point possible, accepting the Deputy has articulated that also. We are in a three-year transitioned period up to September 2027. The numbers are low. The exact figure is fewer than 200. The Deputy is right in that there is a body of work to be done. I want this to work for childminders. They are a really important element of service provision, along with all the other elements of service that are out there.
We will have a great opportunity to hear from those who have gone through the process, but also from those who have not gone through the process on why they have not and what the issues might be. I am really encouraging them to have their say and to participate in the review, either in the open call initially or through the stakeholder engagement, the case study, the online surveys or whatever the case may be. In the interim, if there are childminders who have specific questions, I ask them to engage with the city and county childcare committees. There is a designated person in each of the city and county childcare committees charged with the responsibility of supporting childminders.
This is certainly an issue on which we are all very much in agreement, not least because we desperately need to retain the childminders we have and we need more of them. We have heard anecdotally, particularly through the media, about childminders who have decided to end providing that much-needed service. The Minister and I know the greater level of flexibility, particularly in rural areas, it provides over an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. formal childcare setting. That is really important, particularly in rural areas where there may not be that level of capacity or formal childcare settings and, therefore, childminders become part of the family and such a significant part of a child's life. That is why it is special and we should seek to retain these childminders in as many numbers as we can.
How wide is the open call for submissions going to be? How are we going to ensure that every single childminder in the State knows that it is happening and knows they have a way to have their say?
That call has been open since last Friday and will remain so until 20 July. There will be strong communication through the city and county childcare committees and we will do all that we can. To be clear, we are going to afford a number of different opportunities for engagement. This is the first. There will be focus groups, stakeholder engagement, online surveys and lots of other opportunities. We want the maximum engagement.
To reiterate, we are really keen that parents who avail of childminders will ultimately have an opportunity to benefit from the national childcare scheme as well. That would be a huge help to parents. Therefore, we need to have the childminders registered. They have nothing to be afraid of. They are providing an excellent service. They are rooted in the community. They are much loved, as the Deputy outlined, by the children who use the service and by the families. They are a very important additional element to the offering that is out there. I ask people to engage in this process.
15. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of practising guardians ad litem that will be part of the new national service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47408/26]
It is apt to raise this question on the national service now that it is under way. Does the Minister have any figures for the number of practising guardians ad litem, GALs, who have signed up and will now be part of the national service?
The guardian ad litem national service has now been established following commencement of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022. This signifies a major step forward in delivering a high-quality, consistent service for children, grounded in children’s rights. There is a 12-month transition period for existing guardians, as set out in the legislation. This means that the GALs already appointed by the courts can continue in their current roles. Of the 107 guardians currently practising, 95 guardians ad litem applied and were successful in their application to avail of the transitional arrangements. This means that they may continue as appointed guardians from 23 June 2026 for 12 months, as set out in the legislation. All of these continuing appointments have been subject to updated checks. This is to ensure that the best interests of all children requiring a guardian are the focus of such measures, as intended by the legislation.
The guardian ad litem national service has received approval from the Department of public expenditure for 92 posts, with 65 posts allocated as full-time employed guardians. Recruitment for these roles opened in December 2025 and the competition was conducted in partnership with the Public Appointments Service. There was strong interest in the role from both currently practising guardians and other appropriately qualified professionals. Thirty-five of the current practising guardians were successful in the selection process. Five employed guardians commenced employment with the national service on 22 June. A further 31 successful candidates are at contracting stage, of which 25 are current practising guardians. A further 25 candidates are going through the clearance stage with the Public Appointments Service. The objective is to have the 65 guardian posts offered in place by end of 2026.
The guardian ad litem national service has engaged with existing guardians ad litem around the management of existing court orders during the period of transition. This covered standards of conduct and reviews of cases. Newly employed guardians will benefit from training on similar material at the outset of their employment with the national service. The Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022 also provides scope for setting and revising standards and practice on the function, training, record-keeping and conduct of the guardians.
I thank the Minister. I am glad she referenced record-keeping at the end of her contribution because an issue has been brought to my attention about the records of children. The new service is not going to seek any existing records of children and is not going to hold any records moving forward, which I find very odd. There will be children who will grow up who will have GALs. They might have one or they might have a number of them throughout their time. When those children get into adulthood, they may seek their records, information or correspondence - a letter that they wrote to a judge of the day or whatever it may be. All of that information is really important to them, especially for children who, regardless of the reason they end up in the care of the State, have some level of trauma. That record-keeping by the national service is important and I do not understand why it cannot be retained and managed within the national service. That may be something the Minister will look at. It was new to me, certainly.
I thank the Deputy. The Act provides scope for, in the first instance, setting and revising standards and practice as regards the function, training, record-keeping and conduct of guardians in their roles. The national service will keep these issues under consideration as it completes its work during the first 12 months from June 2026. On records, it is my understanding that cards or any kind of correspondence of that nature would be kept by Tusla. Anything pertaining to the court case is a different matter. I can get the Deputy further clarification on that.
I acknowledge the great work of guardians. There is no doubt about it that they are advocates for the children. They speak for the children and first, last and always we want to the voice of children to be heard. This is a very positive step forward. I wish the director, the team, the guardians and everyone else working there every success with the work.
I believe that the Minister would agree and acknowledge that legal representation has been a major issue and one that GALs themselves have brought forward. It is something that they are genuinely concerned about it and something I have raised with the Minister many times. Given that it genuinely has been an issue, will it be looked at and data kept in terms of where legal representation from a GAL is sought and either approved or not approved? I have asked many times and I still do not have an answer as to why we would remove the guaranteed legal representation for a GAL standing in a court of law in which they may never have stood before, usually against Tusla and its representation and a parent and their legal representation. A GAL who has never been in a court in their life could be standing there with no legal representation. When I put this to the head of the national service, she told me that if there was an issue one day in court, the service would look at it again. However, what are the consequences of that day in court? That child could be sent here, there or anywhere. Looking at it the next day really is not good enough, given the consequences that this can have on a child's life. Will data be held in relation to that legal representation, given that it genuinely has been an issue?
I accept that queries have been raised around legal representation. I wish to confirm that I have met with the directorate and there is an in-house legal team of a number of very highly qualified individuals with the appropriate legal background who make themselves available at all times for any kind of legal advice that might be required. I have met the head of legal in that respect and she has ensured me that she and her team are available at all times.
There is also very specific legal representation available should a guardian ad litem be bringing a case, be party to a case or whatever the case may be. It is very reassuring that the legal team is available at all times. For the first time, there will be legal representation in each of the areas covered by the courts. That is also very important. If representation is needed at the last minute, it is available. I accept the concerns that have been raised but the directorate has worked hard to ensure those fears are allayed.
24. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting on assessment of needs over the statutory waiting time, in each RHA area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47426/26]
Well, we actually did make it to this question. I requested information on the number of children currently waiting on assessments of need for longer than the statutory waiting time in each regional health area in tabular form. I want to get a notion of where we are. We spoke about the new autism protocol earlier but the fact is that this figure is far too big. We need to deal with this. Parents are not getting assessments and therapies for their children.
The Deputy is absolutely correct. The delivery of an effective and efficient assessment of need system is a priority for the Government. The Department and the HSE are working intensively to address delays in the provision of assessments of need to children and their families. It is important to reiterate that children do not require an assessment of need report to access health services, such as primary care, children’s disability network teams or mental health services, or education supports.
Demand for assessments of need has increased significantly in recent years. This reflects both the increase in population and the increase in the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child. Over 13,000 applications for assessments of need were received last year, with over 3,800 applications made in the first three months of this year. This demand is absolutely outpacing the capacity of the system to respond. As a result, 21,782 applications were overdue for completion at the end of March. I gave the Deputy that figure earlier. To break that figure down by regional health area: the figure in HSE Dublin and North East is 6,608; in HSE Dublin and Midlands, it is 7,772; in HSE Dublin and South East, it is 3,204; in HSE South West, it is 2,004; in HSE Mid West, it is 595; and in HSE West and North West, it is 1,599. These numbers are really stark. It is really important to remember that behind every number is a child or young person. It is not acceptable that children and families have to wait so long for assessment of need applications to be processed.
This Government, the Minister, Deputy Foley, and I have made it very clear that change is needed. There has been progress in the past two years with a noticeable increase in the number of completed applications. Over 5,900 assessment of need reports were completed in 2025, which is a 43% increase on the previous year and an 85% increase on the year previous to that. This progress has been and will continue to be assisted by the assessment of need targeted waitlist initiative, which funds the procurement of clinical assessments from private providers to inform the assessment of need process.
It goes without saying that the figure of 21,782 should be shocking. Unfortunately, it is not. The figure in my own area, HSE Dublin and North East, is 6,608. As the Minister of State has said, behind each of these figures is a child and a family. None of this is good enough. We sometimes come in here and talk about CDNTs and the number of unfilled positions. I will work on the basis that the number of vacancies is still in the high 300s. Even if we had double that number, I am not sure the CDNTs would be able to deal with the need that is out there. We have had many interactions in relation to this recently. Many people have bought into the idea of putting the resources where they are needed, which is to say, in school therapies. It is going to be very difficult if we do not look at the whole gamut from assessments right through to therapies. We are constantly trying to change little bits rather than looking at the overall picture and putting in place a framework that delivers for the children and families out there.
The Deputy is right; the demand is increasing year on year. It has increased quite exponentially in the last five years. As a result, it has been difficult for us to keep up with demand. Our CDNTs around the country do absolutely incredible work not just with regard to assessments of need, but also, importantly, in the delivery of therapies. It is those interventions that parents and children want.
In response to an earlier question of the Deputy's, we spoke about the new autism intervention and pathways protocol. That is another Government investment to ensure we provide access to more timely assessments and more targeted interventions for children and young people across Ireland.
We have the figures. None of them are good enough. Unfortunately, despite all the initiatives that have been taken, we have not drastically dealt with that figure. That is the frightening part. It is the one right that parents have. It is sometimes the only right they can vindicate through the courts and there is therefore huge emphasis on it. However, as we all know, it does not provide you with the therapies, which are absolutely necessary. I am going back to the idea of putting a system in place across the board. I am worried that, even if we were to recruit all the occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and psychologists for which there are unfilled positions in the CDNTs, in primary care and in the in-reach teams, which is probably not possible to do without a huge increase in workforce planning, we would still not be able to deliver on the need that is out there. We have to look at this in a far more comprehensive way that relates to how we deal with disabilities across the board. At the UN conference, we discussed the idea of mainstreaming, making reasonable accommodations and allowing full participation for those with disabilities. We need to stop this failure.
The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that this is dealt with in a comprehensive way. Part of our response will be a series of improvements to the assessment of need process to make it more efficient and effective for children and families. Over time, this will lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment of need. I thank the Deputy for his work on the Committee on Disability Matters. From that work, he will know that the general scheme of the disability (amendment) Bill has been published on the Department's website. The Deputy's committee has published a report following pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. The Department is now considering the recommendations. I thank everybody who was involved in those committee hearings and in pulling together that report. A series of recommendations were made and we are now working on these to improve the proposed legislation. A document addressing frequently asked questions has also been published.
Legislation is only part of our response. We also need to enhance the processes, to improve training and to increase administrative support for our HSE assessment officers, who are responsible for the production of the assessment reports. The Department is working really closely with the HSE and with the working groups that are in place to ensure this happens. As the Deputy has said, we need to address the wider issues. That is exactly what was set out in this year's HSE national services plan.
Do we have any idea of the timeline for the legislation?
