Written Answers Nos. 209-229
209. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the case of childcare fees outlined to her office by email (details supplied); if clarity will be provided regarding the qualifying criteria under the proposed fee cap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36368/25]
View answerThe fee caps I announced recently will only apply to Partner Services who sign up to Core Funding year 4. Programme year 4 begins in September, and any service signed up to Core Funding from September onwards will have to reduce their fees to meet the fee caps if they are currently charging higher fees.
For information, my Department has a list of all Core Funding Partner Services which is updated regularly on the Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/how-to-find-a-partner-service/
The new maximum fee cap, to be introduced for all Partner Services from September 2025, will place a limit on the maximum fees that can be charged across all types of provision.
This will reduce costs for families who are facing the highest fees across the country. The freeze on fees will remain in place for all other services whose fees fall below the new fee caps (90%).
Under these new fee caps, the fee for a full day place – of between 40-50 hours per week, the most common full day care operating hours – will be no more than €295 per week (before State subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme and the ECCE programme are deducted), the fee cap for 50+ hours of care is €354.
Officials from my Department have informed me that, if the service in question are offering the 50 hours+, they fall under Fee Band F. Please see Fee Band Table below for the maximum weekly fee for all Partner Services in the programme year 2025/2026.
All of the fee caps will reduce the highest fees at each fee band in the country. The majority of services are already charging far less than the new maximum fees.
|
Fee Band |
Hours per week |
Maximum weekly fee for First Time Partner Services in 2024/2025 |
Maximum weekly fee for ALL Partner Services in 2025/2026 |
|
Band A |
Less than 10 hours |
€65 |
€59 |
|
Band B |
Between 10 hours and 19 hours 59 minutes |
€130 |
€118 |
|
Band C |
Between 20 hours and 29 hours 59 minutes |
€195 |
€177 |
|
Band D |
Between 30 hours and 39 hours 59 minutes |
€260 |
€236 |
|
Band E |
Between 40 hours and 49 hours 59 minutes |
€325 |
€295 |
|
Band F |
50 or more hours |
€390 |
€354 |
A FAQ document for parents will be available on www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/campaigns/core-funding/ in the coming weeks. This document will include what the changes in programme year 2025/2026, including the introduction of maximum fee caps, will mean for parents.
210. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the review of the regulatory framework for school-age children will be complete. [36385/25]
View answerThe Implementation Plan 2023-25 under First 5 (the Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families) commits to the development of comprehensive regulations for school-age childcare services, with a milestone objective of drafting regulations by the end of 2025.
The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018 set out the Regulations that currently apply to school-age childcare services. These Regulations first came into force in 2019. As these initial regulations are mainly focused on registration, officials in my Department are now developing the comprehensive regulations to replace the initial regulations, in line with the commitment in First 5.
I will shortly be launching a public consultation on the content of these regulations. The public consultation will be an opportunity for providers, parents, school-age childcare practitioners, and other stakeholders to shape the legislation that supports the regulation of school-age childcare services and will build on previous consultations including the 2019 consultation on the Development of School Age Childcare Comprehensive Regulations and Quality Standards.
211. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on her Department’s work to progress the public provision of childcare. [36386/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits for the first time to public provision of early learning and childcare through State-led facilities adding capacity in areas where unmet need exists.
State ownership of facilities is a very substantial and significant development and offers the potential to influence the nature and volume of provision available and to ensure better alignment with estimated demand.
Early scoping work has been carried out to explore options to introduce a segment of public provision. More detailed and extensive policy development and design is ongoing in order to progress to implementation stage, having regard to the wider emerging policy context as set out in the Programme for Government.
This work is being led by a new Forward Planning and Delivery Unit which has received additional resources. The unit is focused on identifying areas of need, forecasting demand, and planning for the delivery of public supply within the early learning and childcare sector where required.
A key aspect of the preparatory work being undertaken by the unit is the development of a forward planning model. The forward planning model draws on administrative data to map the child population and location of funded services, and GIS mapping tools to model the link between children and available services. This will enable the identification and comparison of areas of need with a consistent methodology.
Allocation of capital investment to build or purchase state-owned early learning and childcare facilities is being considered within the context of the revision to the National Development Plan which is ongoing.
These new initiatives build on the framework for reform of the sector which was set out in Partnership for the Public Good, the 2021 report of an Expert Group which was established to develop a new funding model for the sector. The key theme of the recommendations in the report was to strengthen State involvement and enhanced public management in the sector, in conjunction with increased State funding.
The introduction of the Core Funding scheme and its associated conditionality including in relation to staff pay and fee management; developments to the National Childcare Scheme and the Access and Inclusion Model; and the establishment of Equal Start represent the implementation of several of the specific recommendations in the report and serve as an strong foundation for further work now to deliver State-led early learning and childcare.
The approach to ensuring appropriate levels of early learning and childcare supply, including through State-led facilities, will be further articulated in the context of the Action Plan to build and affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system that the Government is committed to publishing.
212. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on her Department’s estimates for the supply and demand of ELC/SAC over the next five years. [36387/25]
View answerImproving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.
Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2023/24 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 19% from the 2021/22 programme year. Core Funding application data shows that between Year 1 and Year 3 of the scheme, annual place hours increased by over 15%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net increase in the numbers of registered early learning and childcare services in 2024. However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for younger children.
Whereas there is a clear aspiration to ensure access to sessional preschool through the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme for all children for the two years prior to the start of primary school, the level of full time provision for children under 3 determined to be required by the Barcelona targets is 35% of the population.
Government has committed, through the First 5 target, to delivering 60,000 State-funded places for children under 3. By extension, there will be a need for at least the same number of full-day places for ECCE-age children.
In relation to school-age childcare, the supply of places has grown substantially in recent years. Estimated enrolments in school-age childcare, based on Sector Profile data, have grown by 56% over the last two years.
Demand for early learning and childcare beyond sessional pre-school provision is highly elastic and shaped very substantially by families' individual composition, circumstances, and preferences; employment patterns and income; and the price and availability of services. Survey data undertaken on behalf of my Department indicates that centre-based early learning and childcare is the preferred option for 44% of parents of preschool age children as their primary arrangement for care of their children. Demand is also be affected by the size of the child population. The CSO forecasts a continued declining birth rate over the next five years.
A Forward Planning and Delivery Unit in my Department has been allocated additional resources and is focused on identifying areas of need, forecasting demand, and planning for the delivery of public supply within the early learning and childcare sector where required.
A forward planning model is in development which will be central to my Department's plans to achieve the policy goals set out in the Programme for Government to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity.
The Programme for Government is clear that we will continue to grow State involvement and investment in the sector, while working in partnership with private providers, to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system with State-led facilities adding capacity.
213. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the outcomes of the public consultation process for the National Strategy for Women and Girls, conducted earlier this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36388/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, commits my Department to publish and implement an updated National Strategy for Women and Girls. My Department is currently working to fulfil that commitment. A stakeholder consultation was completed at the end of 2024. This included a series of in-person consultations with representations from across civil society as well as an online survey which included both civil society organisations and members of the public.
IPSOS B&A were contracted to carry out the consultation for the Department and helped design the online survey, which sought to gather opinions and perspectives from the public on a range of issues which are pertinent to the interests of women and girls. The deadline for responses on the survey was extended to the 14th October 2024. Additionally, there was also the option to submit a more comprehensive response directly to IPSOS B&A.
The survey asked respondents to consider socio-economic equality between women and men; the physical and mental health of women and girls; visibility of women and girls in public society; the accessibility of the workplace to women; domestic, sexual and gender-based violence; and a range of other themes which relate to the welfare and interests of women and girls. The survey questions were informed by the priorities of the outgoing strategy but also reflect more current concerns.
The three areas most identified as having improved for women and girls over the past seven years were visibility of women and girls, physical and mental health of women and girls, and participation of women in leadership positions in politics, in public life and in the workplace.
The three areas most identified for prioritisation over the coming five years were domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, socio-economic equality between women and men and the physical and mental health of women and girls.
A National Youth Assembly was convened in September 2024 to attain the views of young people on priorities for inclusion in the new strategy. This assembly was specifically designed to provide young people with an opportunity to discuss how gender inequality affects their lives, explore solutions, and make recommendations that could be integrated into national policy. Youth delegates at this event made recommendations across six key areas including education, health, sport and leisure, gender-based violence, women in leadership, and language and stereotypes.
Findings from these consultations have been compiled in reports and are currently under review by officials. Both reports are informing the development of the Next National Strategy for Women and Girls, which is at an advanced stage.
214. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on the progress of her Department’s work to establish a gender pay gap IT portal. [36389/25]
View answerThe Government has taken a range of actions to reduce the gender pay gap which was 9.6% in 2022 according to the latest Structure of Earnings Survey. The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced the legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting in Ireland. The Act requires organisations to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics.
Employers must also publish a statement outlining the reasons for their gender pay gap (if any) and any measures that they are taking to reduce or eliminate the gap.
In 2025, organisations with over 50 employees are required to report on their gender pay gap.
An online reporting system is in development and will consist of a central portal where all employer reports must be uploaded. The portal will allow for the comparison of data on how the gender pay gap varies across different sectors and size of organisation. The data gathered by the portal may be used to develop targeted interventions for particular sectors.
My Department is currently at an advanced stage in developing a centralised reporting portal into which employers will be able to submit their gender pay gap information. The aim is for this portal to be available for use later this year.
215. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current waiting time for children’s therapy services, speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy under the early intervention scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36444/25]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
216. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE social workers by grade based at the Chamber House children's disability network team in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36470/25]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
217. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE psychologists by grade based at the Tymon children's disability network team in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36471/25]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
218. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the last health and safety review of Oberstown Children Detention Campus took place, when the next health and safety review will take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36492/25]
View answer219. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if all recommendations arising out of the last health and safety review of Oberstown Children Detention Campus were implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36493/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together.
Oberstown is certified to ISO standard 45001 for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. This assures that the campus is operating to the highest health and safety standards. Compliance with this standard is reviewed annually and recertified every three years, most recent recertification was in January 2025. Any recommendations are incorporated into policy and practice as required.
Oberstown is also certified to international standards for Psychological Health and Safety at Work (ISO 45003:2021). Oberstown is one of the first organisations in Ireland to be certified to ISO 45003, demonstrating a very clear commitment to the highest standards of health and safety risk management at work.
Oberstown is also inspected annually by HIQA.
220. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions being taken to address capacity pressures at Oberstown Children Detention Campus in light of increasing demand for places; the measures being implemented to ensure the safety and well-being of staff at the facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36494/25]
View answerOberstown Children Detention Campus is the State’s sole detention centre for children. The maximum occupancy in Oberstown is set by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality by way of a certificate made under the Children Act 2001.
This certificate is currently set at 46 (40 boys and 6 girls). Places can be used to accommodate both children on detention orders and children on remand orders.
In order for the principle of detention as a last resort for children to be applied effectively throughout the youth justice system, it is essential that sufficient appropriate community sanctions are available to the courts when dealing with offending by children. Policy in respect of community sanctions for children is the responsibility of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and I have recently engaged with Minister O’Callaghan and emphasised the need to expand these services such as the Bail Supervision Scheme in order to ensure that genuine alternatives to detention are available to the courts.
Notwithstanding the importance of community sanctions, it is also necessary for the effective operation of our youth justice system that detention remain an option where required.
I am aware of the low numbers of boys’ places available in Oberstown to the courts in recent months. Having considered the matter in detail, I believe it will be necessary to provide for a small increase in the near future in the maximum number of boys that may be detained at Oberstown. My officials have already asked the Director to make preparations on the Oberstown Campus for this.
With respect to longer-term planning, my Department is conducting a research based assessment of future demand for Oberstown services, in line with a commitment contained in the Youth Justice Strategy. The outcome of this, which will be available later this year, will inform the direction of policy on the future capacity of the Campus in line with the overall aims of the Youth Justice Strategy.
Regarding the safety and wellbeing of staff in Oberstown, I emphasise that their wellbeing and safety is a priority for my Department and for the management team in Oberstown. We are committed to the health and wellbeing of the staff, recognising the unique demands of working in Oberstown Campus. The range of supports ensures employees have access to the resources they need.
Detailed information on measures being implemented to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff at Oberstown
On-site Chartered Psychologist (Organisational Psychologist)
There is on-site chartered psychologist, specialising in systemic psychotherapy and work and organisational psychology, offers a tailored campus support service. This includes:
• Therapeutic interventions – confidential counselling, group support and therapeutic services to address personal and workplace challenges, fostering resilience and wellbeing.
• After-incident support – assistance following critical incidents, including a safe and confidential space to process events and structured reviews to ensure psychological safety and promote individual, team, and organisational learning.
• Professional coaching and group work – sessions to develop skills, address challenges, and support personal and professional growth.
• Clinical supervision – regularly scheduled one-to-one or Group Supervision sessions. Led by the Organisational Psychologist, the campus rolled out practice supervision to frontline staff in 2024 and conducted 116 group and individual sessions in 2024. Supervision provides a space to discuss and process emotional reactions, dilemmas, and concerns in relation to work. Oberstown uses the Seven-eyed Supervision Model, which explores issues from multiple perspectives and considers the possibility of alternative views.
Access to a multi-level system
The campus support services include a structured, multi-level system including a team of 28 peer support workers (PSWs), trained in critical incident stress management (CISM) and mental health first aid. They provide immediate, frontline assistance to colleagues affected by critical or traumatic incidents. For additional support, employees can also access a confidential employee assistance programme (EAP), providing 24/7 counselling, advice, and resources for personal and professional concerns.
This tiered framework ensures that staff have access to appropriate support at every level – from internal peer-based assistance to professional psychological services and access to external support.
This holistic approach reflects the unwavering commitment of Oberstown to creating a supportive, proactive workplace that places employee wellbeing and personal growth at its core. By providing access to resources, they aim to foster a resilient, healthy, and supportive work environment for all employees.
Additional resources
• On-site Medical Suite staffed by Clinical Nurse Manager and a team of qualified nurses.
• Access to medical screening and assessment, by Medmark, the campus occupational health provider.
• Award-winning "Working Well" framework – specifically designed for the demands of Oberstown, Working Well identifies health and wellbeing priorities and schedules initiatives across the year to support psychological resilience and workplace wellbeing.
Working Well framework is a whole-system approach to addressing psychosocial health and wellbeing. It features supports and resources around four pillars – Work Safe, Work Healthy, Work Well and Work Wise.
• Best practice – Oberstown is certified to national standards for wellbeing and international standards for Occupational Health and Safety Management (ISO 9001:2015) and Psychological Health and Safety at Work (ISO 45003:2021).
• Oberstown is accredited to Ibec’s KeepWell Mark, has been listed among Ireland’s Top 100 Leaders in Wellbeing each year since 2021, won the Wellbeing Initiative of the Year 2020 at the Ibec KeepWell Awards, and was shortlisted in three categories in 2022.
• LifeSpeak online health and wellbeing resources for staff and family members.
• On-site facilities – access to restaurant and catering services with healthy eating options, a gym, free parking, and an electric vehicle charging point (EasyGo network).
• Additional benefits – staff can avail of health insurance discounts, access to learning and development initiatives, and more.
221. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she intends to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Irish law; if so, the proposed timeline for implementation; if not, the reasons for this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36495/25]
View answerThe United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an international human rights agreement which sets out the rights of children and young people under the age of 18. The articles of the UNCRC are wide-ranging and cover a number of areas including health, housing, social security, education, leisure and play, child protection and welfare, criminal justice, international protection as well as access to information and participation in decision-making. Ireland ratified the UNCRC in 1992.
In February 2022, Ireland submitted its combined fifth and sixth periodic reports under the Convention to the UN Committee. In February 2023, the Committee published its Concluding Observations on the Irish reports, in which they welcomed the progress Ireland has made in respecting children’s rights, and highlighted areas where more needs to be done.
I am aware that in their concluding observations on the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Ireland, the United Nations Committee recommended that the Ireland “fully incorporate the Convention into national legislation, (and) conduct a comprehensive review of all its legislation to align it with the Convention.”
In light of this, officials in my Department have commissioned an extensive piece of research on Ireland’s legislative compliance with the UNCRC, which will identify gaps in existing legislation and give recommendations for new or revised legislation to uphold the UNCRC. This work is ongoing, and due for completion this year. Following this, my Department will review the findings and consult with the Attorney General’s Office in relation to any legislative gaps identified, to seek advice on next steps.
222. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an application for family resource centre status for an organisation in County Kerry will be expedited (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36605/25]
View answerAs the Deputy may know, applications for FRC Programme membership were open from 1st May to 30th May 2025. Funding secured as part of Budget 2025 will allow for membership of the Programme to increase from 121 members to 126 members in 2025, in line with a Government commitment to expand the Programme.
Tusla, as the body responsible for the day-to-day administration of the FRC Programme, is managing the selection process for the additional FRCs. The process is merit-based, guided by the published criteria set out in the application process, ensuring that all applications are assessed fairly and equitably. The Department has also agreed with Tusla that independent representation will be included on the selection panel for the additional FRCs. It is expected that announcements on the successful applicants for the new FRCs will be made in the coming months.
223. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health her views on the Medicines Management Programme plan to move all high protein oral supplements to List B; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36243/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
224. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the percentage of blood tests for Letterkenny University Hospital that are outsourced from March 2024; the cost of this outsourcing during this period; the cost of doing the same percentage of blood tests in-house over the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36245/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
225. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Health the number of people in nursing homes living with early onset Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36249/25]
View answerThis PQ is not for the Department of Health and should be redirected to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
226. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Health the number of people under 65 currently occupying hospital beds while awaiting placement in a nursing home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36250/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
227. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Health the reason Cherry Orchard Hospital campus is not being used to provide a full range of services for people with neurodegenerative conditions in Dublin Mid-West and neighbouring constituencies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36252/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
228. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the reason she continues to deflect responsibility for bilingual food and drink labelling to the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht which has publicly confirmed it has no role in this area rather than using her own Department’s legislative authority over the Food Information to consumers regulation to act; if she accepts that this amounts to a deliberate political evasion of the State’s obligations under Article 8 of the Constitution and the Official Languages Acts; and if she will now stop deflecting responsibility and act on her Department’s legislative obligations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36254/25]
View answer229. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the way in which she can justify excluding any consideration of the Irish language from the Inter-Departmental Group on the EU Food Information to Consumers Regulation, despite her Department having full legislative responsibility for food labelling in Ireland; if she accepts that refusing to even allow discussion of Ireland’s constitutional and legal obligations to the Irish language in national food labelling policy represents a dereliction of duty; and if she will now commit to amending the group’s terms of reference accordingly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36255/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together.
My Department has responsibility for food safety legislation, including Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. As mentioned in a response to a previous parliamentary question, this Regulation provides that mandatory food information shall appear in a language easily understood by consumers and Member States may require that the information be given in one or more language(s) from among the official languages of the Union. When transposing the language requirements of the EU Regulation, and in light of the Official Languages Act 2003, flexibility was provided to ensure that food placed on the market in Ireland can be accompanied by mandatory food information in either English or Irish and English. Flexibility was necessary to ensure that the legislation was not creating barriers to trade and that the burden placed on businesses, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) was not disproportionate.
The 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030, for which the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht has responsibility, includes a commitment for Government to examine the feasibility of introducing a voluntary code for bilingual labelling and packaging of all goods sold in Ireland. The flexibilities provided for in S.I. No. 556/2014 ensure that any such voluntary code, as it would relate to food information, will not contravene the mandatory information requirements of the EU FIC Regulation. The Department of Health will be happy to assist the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in progressing such a voluntary code as it relates to food information for consumers.
The FIC Interdepartmental Group (IDG) was established in 2022 in direct response to the European Commission’s 2020 proposal to amend certain aspects of the FIC Regulation which did not include language provisions. Its members were nominated by relevant Departments and Agencies to help inform the Irish position on the Commission’s proposals. Changing the terms of reference of this IDG to include discussion of Irish language provisions would not be in line with the purpose of this particular IDG.
As Minister with responsibility for the FIC Regulation, I currently have no plans to convene a Group to examine the language provisions of the FIC Regulation or S.I. No. 556/2014. However, should the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht proceed on examining the feasibility of introducing a voluntary code for bilingual labelling and packaging of all goods sold in Ireland, officials from my Department will be happy to support and assist it in relation to food information for consumers and the FIC Regulation.
If the feasibility for a voluntary code for bilingual labelling and packaging is to be examined then an impact assessment will need to be undertaken, this should include comprehensive stakeholder engagement and the SME Test to ensure the measure is proportionate and effective.
