Written Answers Nos. 551-577
551. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reporting requirements that will apply to providers under the new private panel for assessments; if she will publish quarterly data on the number of assessments completed, average waiting times, and regional breakdowns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49842/25]
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.
552. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the lack of sufficient childcare services, particularly after school programmes in Cork (details supplied); the progress that her Department has made to date in expanding access to after-school childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49855/25]
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 for all age groups increased by approximately 19% from the 2021/22 programme year. The estimated number of enrolments for all age groups in Cork County increased by 29% during the same period.
School-Age Childcare has shown particular growth in recent years. The estimated number of enrolments for school-going age groups nationally increased by 56% during this period.
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 Care and School Age Childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country.
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.
A Forward Planning and Delivery Unit in my Department has been allocated additional resources and ito identify areas of need, forecast demand, and deliver public supply within the 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.
My Department continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of Core Funding which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core Funding, which is in its fourth programme year, funds services based on the number of places available.
This provides stability to services, and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service. For the current programme year, the allocation for Core Funding allowed for a 6% increase in capacity in 2024/25. Additional funding was secured in Budget 2025 to facilitate a further 3.5% increase from September 2025, in the fourth year of the scheme.
My Department funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees, which provide support and assist families and early learning and childcare providers. The network of 30 City/County Childcare Committees across the country can assist in identifying vacant places in services for children and families who need them and engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion among services, particularly where there is unmet need.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee for assistance. Contact details for the City/County Childcare Committees may be found at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-equality-disability-integration-and-youth/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees.
553. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of community disability network teams in the State; the locations of the teams; the number of CDNTs that are fully staffed; the locations of the teams; the number of WTEs in the CDNT workforce; the current vacancy rate in the CDNT workforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49941/25]
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.
554. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the details of the evaluation of the national childcare scheme promised for 2025; the status of the evaluation; the timeline for completion of the evaluation; her plans to publish the final report of the evaluation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49942/25]
View answerAs referenced by the Deputy, my Department will begin an evaluation of the National Childcare Scheme this year. The evaluation will examine how the Scheme is operating currently and identify potential changes or improvements to be made to the Scheme.
The tendering process to appoint an external consultant for this review is underway, further details regarding evaluation timelines will be provided in due course.
A final report will be made available to the public following the completion of the evaluation.
555. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting to be seen by CDNTs in the CHO2 area, by team and number of weeks waiting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49943/25]
View answer556. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting for an assessment of need; the number of children in CHO2 who are currently waiting for an assessment of need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49944/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 556 together.
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
557. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department’s engagement with disabled persons’ organizations and other disability stakeholders in the preparation of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49940/25]
View answerGovernment is committed to the full implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as ratified by Ireland in 2018.
In fulfilment of commitments under Article 4(3) of the UNCRPD, the consultation and stakeholder engagement processes which informed and influenced the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 were both extensive and inclusive. The National Disability Authority has released a 196 page Consultation Report which can be found on their website.
The consultation was underpinned by principles of participation and aimed to be a genuine, accessible, and transparent process which meaningfully engaged with disabled people. During the consultation, the NDA and my Department proactively sought and gave due consideration and priority to the views and perspectives of Disabled Persons' Organisations (DPOs).
Issues and areas identified as key priorities by DPOs and other disability stakeholders during engagements with this Department in 2023 were used to inform, facilitate, and guide the consultation questions.
In addition to DPOs, people with disabilities and other disability stakeholders including families, parents, carers, and disability organisations were targeted and actively encouraged to participate in the consultation. Marginalised and seldom heard-from groups, such as disabled children and people with significant support needs were specifically included. Acknowledging the intersectionality of disability with other identities, women, migrants, Travellers, and members of the LGBTQI+ community were specifically targeted for consultation. A range of consultation activities were organised to allow different stakeholders choice in how they could engage. Consultation events were held at various times of the day, and during weekdays and the weekend.
Disability stakeholders engaged in consultation activities including:
• 34 focus group discussions involving 211 participants,
• 18 interviews with disabled individuals,
• Four large consultation meetings in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and online, including 166 attendees,
• 81 written and 4 video submissions from DPOs, disability organisations, individuals, and other interest groups,
• A national survey completed by 484 disabled people or carers, family members and supporters of people with disabilities.
All Disabled Persons’ Organisations (DPOs) were invited to make detailed submissions on the Strategy which were given due consideration by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
The Deputy may wish to be aware that my officials will also implement robust stakeholder engagement structures in the coming months. In line with obligations under Article 4(3), Article 29(b) and Article 33(3) of the UNCRPD, these structures will be a fundamental feature of the monitoring and delivery structures guiding the Strategy’s implementation, ensuring that it continues to be responsive to the lived experiences of disabled people and the realities of their lives.
Fundamental to the monitoring of the Strategy’s implementation will be ensuring that disabled people continue to have a voice and a role in how their rights are realised. This will support the kind of holistic, person-centred policy that is envisaged by the Strategy and the UNCRPD, more broadly.
561. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports available for young children with disabilities prior to accessing ECCE; the AIMs support available to children with disabilities before they are two years and eight months old; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50040/25]
View answerThis Government is committed to ensuring that children and their families who need early intervention and therapy input can access that support in a timely way.
Children with disabilities are supported in the community by both Children’s Disability Network Teams and Primary Care.
The National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People or “PDS” is the guiding policy for children’s services. PDS is a needs-led model of service, where a child does not require a diagnosis to access services, and Children’s Disability Network Teams provide a multidisciplinary assessment of individual needs and strengths.
Children’s Disability Network Teams provide supports to children with complex needs. There are 93 Children’s Disability Network Teams aligned to 96 Community Healthcare Networks across the country. These teams are providing services and supports for nearly 45,000 children with complex needs, aged from birth to 18 years of age.
A significant focus of the Government is filling vacant posts within the 93 Children's Disability Network Teams.
HSE data from April 2025 shows there has been a nationwide increase of 26% in Children's Disability Network Team staffing levels since October 2023.
Most significantly, the Children's Disability Network Teams national vacancy rate has reduced from 29% in 2023 to 18% in 2025 - a reduction of 11 percentage points.
The HSE have also put in place strategies and supports for urgent cases on the waiting list, such as 1,052 children (and/or their parents) who are on the CDNT waiting list and participated in one or more individual and/or group intervention appointments during August 2025.
The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) was introduced in 2016 to ensure that children with additional needs or a disability could access and meaningfully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. As such, AIM is directly linked to ECCE participation and currently applies to children who meet the ECCE age eligibility criteria (i.e. 2 years and 8 months to 5 years 6 months).
In line with a commitment in First 5: A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028, an independent evaluation of AIM was undertaken in order to inform an extension of AIM beyond the ECCE programme as well as any potential enhancements to the model.
The findings from the evaluation were published in January 2024 and have informed the phased extension of AIM. From September 2024, AIM was expanded beyond time spent in the ECCE programme for ECCE-aged children. This allows children to access early learning and childcare for up to an additional 3 hours in term and 6 hours out of term.
It is intended that over time, all children with additional needs registered in early learning and care services will have access to supports under AIM. As with the current AIM-eligible cohort, these supports would be open to children based on individual needs. The nature of the supports required for children aged 0-3 will differ from those needed for the ECCE-aged cohort. To address this, officials in this Department are currently designing a tailored model to facilitate the extension of AIM supports to children under the age of three.
564. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if he has plans to increase the number of places which allow for the incarceration of individuals under the age of 17 years who have been convicted of a crime.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36301/25]
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 for services such as the Bail Supervision Scheme to operate as genuine alternatives to detention and for these options to be 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 remains an option where required.
I am aware that a large number of boys have been placed in Oberstown by the Courts in recent months. I continue to consider the matter in detail. I believe it may be necessary to provide for a small increase in the near future in the maximum number of boys that may be detained at Oberstown. The Director has been asked to consider what preparations may need to be made on the Oberstown Campus for that.
With respect to longer-term planning, the 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 over the coming months, will inform the direction of policy on the future capacity of the Campus in line with the overall aims of the Youth Justice Strategy.
565. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the action being taken on foot of the post-acute inpatient rehabilitation mapping project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34809/25]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
566. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to publish an updated national strategy for women and girls, and tackle gender inequality. [50234/25]
View answerThe Department leads on cross-government policy to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
The Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, commits the Department to publish and implement an updated National Strategy for Women and Girls. The Department is currently working to fulfill 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.
Additionally, in September 2024 the first National Youth Assembly on Gender Equality was convened 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.
An engagement event was hosted in March 2025 by the Department with the support of the National Women's Council to both mark International Women's Day and to provide an update to stakeholders. The findings from the stakeholder consultation and National Youth Assembly event were discussed followed by a prioritisation exercise to help identify potential gaps in the findings and areas for further consideration.
An Interdepartmental Strategy Committee has been formed to oversee the development and implementation of the Strategy. This Committee has been meeting regularly over the past several weeks to further develop strategic actions and ensure the Strategy is underpinned by a whole-of-Government approach.
The Strategy is currently at an advanced draft stage and is anticipated to be completed and published in Q4 of 2025.
567. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will provide a manual application form for enduring powers of attorney through the DSS (details supplied) as the person has been unable to utilise the online system with the EPA helpdesk. [50246/25]
View answerI thank the Deputy for their question regarding the Decision Support Service (DSS) and the Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) application system. EPAs are a vital advance planning tool that enable adults to plan ahead for a time when they may have diminished decision-making capacity, ensuring that a person’s wishes are known and respected. Ensuring that the EPA application process is accessible for all individuals is of key importance.
In July of last year, a new accessibility policy was implemented by the DSS which includes a dedicated EPA helpdesk service to ensure that individuals who require additional assistance in completing an online EPA application are supported in doing so. This enhanced helpdesk service, alongside instructional videos and other guidance material provided on the DSS website, were introduced to ensure that the application process is as efficient and user-friendly as possible. The helpdesk staff are available to assist all applicants at any stage of the process should they need it.
While the accessibility policy serves to support users to engage with the online portal, it does not preclude the use of manual applications in certain circumstances. Those who are unable to utilise the online application portal, whether due to accessibility or digital literacy reasons, are facilitated in making an EPA application manually.
Those individuals who are having difficulty engaging with the online platform can contact the DSS by phone at (01) 211 9750 or via email at EPAhelpdesk@decisionsupportservice.ie and the DSS will work to support that person to finalise their EPA application.
568. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on phase 2 of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50252/25]
View answerThe 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 for Childminding is to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from State subsidies through the National Childcare Scheme. As a result of the commencement of the relevant parts of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2024 and the Childminding Services Regulations, which came into effect on 30 September 2024, childminders are now able to apply to register with Tusla and can therefore also take part in the National Childcare Scheme.
This was a milestone in the implementation of the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028, and marked the on-time completion of Phase 1 of the Plan.
The Act provides for a transition period of three years before registration becomes mandatory. During this three-year period, childminders can register with Tusla but are not required to do so. This phased approach aims to facilitate the largest possible number of childminders to enter the regulated sector, the sphere of quality assurance, and access to Government subsidies, while recognising the time and supports required for childminders to learn about and prepare for registration.
During the transition period, supports are available for childminders at local level through the City and County Childcare Committees. Each City and County Childcare Committee employs a Childminding Development Officer, who provides a range of supports to local childminders.
Supports available include a short pre-registration training course (delivered at local level through the City and County Childcare Committees) as well as the Childminding Development Grant. The annual Grant scheme provides up to €1,000 to assist both registered and unregistered childminders who are providing a childminding service in their own homes. The Grant aims to support childminders to enhance quality and safety in their service.
The National Action Plan commits to a review of the initial implementation of the childminding-specific Regulations. This review will be broad in scope. This Department has committed to undertake this review (which will include consultation with childminders and other stakeholders) during the three-year transition period which runs to 2027.
569. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 2032 of 8 September 2025, wherein he indicated that the Section 38 and HSE disability workforce grew by over 20% between 2019 and 2025, for any data regarding the number of new HSE and Section 38 disability employees were recruited from Section 39 disability providers, or who worked in the sector before being recruited to the HSE or a Section 38 employer. [50284/25]
View answerThe HSE have confirmed that they do not gather data on where new employees have previously worked so this information is not readily available. The range of workforce reports produced by the HSE can be found on their website at www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/our-workforce/workforce-reporting/.
570. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reasons the application of an organisation (details supplied) was not successful in progressing to the next stage of the process of the building blocks extension grant; if contact will be made with them informing them on the scoring they received and to provide feedback to the group for future applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50286/25]
View answerIn 2025, €25m in voted expenditure was made available for the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme. The Building Blocks Extension Grant scheme allows for Core Funding Partner Services to extend their existing premises or, in the case of community services, to construct or purchase new premises. 50 projects were shortlisted to be funded and will deliver up to 1,500 additional new full time places for 1-3 year olds.
All applications received for the Building Blocks Extension Grant were appraised in a fair and impartial process. The service referenced in the question applied under the Private Extension strand. Unfortunately the application received was not successful in progressing to the next stage of the process as the scores received in the appraisal were below the required standard.
The service was sent a letter from my Department on Monday 19th May outlining the rationale behind this decision and the scores they received. No further communication was received from the service in relation to this but additional detail on the score can be provided if the service wishes to request it.
The capital allocation for my Department has increased to €795 million over the next five years as part of the recent NDP review. This increased funding will be used in part to provide additional early learning and childcare places through future capital programmes, including potentially operating a further scheme similar to Building Blocks to support the expansion of provision by existing operators, as well as implementing my Departments commitment to capital investment in State-owned facilities.
Details of the 2026-2030 capital programme are currently under consideration and will be notified to the sector in due course.
571. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childminders who have registered with TUSLA and are part of the national childcare scheme, since the expansion of the scheme to include childminders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50302/25]
View answerThe 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 benefit from State subsidies through the National Childcare Scheme. As a result of the commencement of the relevant parts of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2024 and the Childminding Services Regulations, which came into effect on 30 September 2024, childminders are now able to apply to register with Tusla and can therefore also take part in the National Childcare Scheme.
Only Tusla-registered providers 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 childminding-specific Regulations are designed to be proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting in which childminders work.
Childminders now have a three-year transition period (to September 2027) during which they are able to register with Tusla but are not yet required to do so. Once registered with Tusla, a childminder can apply to take part in the National Childcare Scheme.
As of the end of August 2025 there were 136 childminders registered with Tusla. 109 Tusla-registered childminders currently have a National Childcare Scheme contract.
During the transition period, supports for registration are available for childminders at local level through the City and County Childcare Committees. Each City and County Childcare Committee employs a Childminding Development Officer, who provides a range of supports to local childminders.
Supports available include a short pre-registration training course (delivered at local level through the City and County Childcare Committees) as well as the Childminding Development Grant. The annual Grant scheme provides up to €1,000 to assist both registered and unregistered childminders who are providing a childminding service in their own homes. The Grant aims to support childminders to enhance quality and safety in their service.
572. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of vacancies, by job title in each children's disability network team based within Mayo; the expected timeframe for filling each of those vacancies, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50313/25]
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.
573. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a child (details supplied) is still waiting for an assessment to be carried out or a date for the assessment to be scheduled; the position of the child on the list; the timeframe for the assessment to be completed; and the urgent steps that will be taken to expedite same. [50319/25]
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.
575. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures her Department is taking to address the extensive waiting lists for children seeking appointments for speech and language therapy; the number of children currently on the waiting list in both primary care, and the Children’s Disability Network Teams, for IHA Dublin north county and IHA Dublin north city and west; the number of children waiting for over a year in these areas; the number of children waiting over three years in these areas, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50456/25]
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.
576. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount of expenditure on off-site storage solutions for the past five years to date; if she will provide a breakdown of items (details supplied) not stored in her Department on annual basis. [50484/25]
View answerThank you for your question, Deputy. A response will be provided directly to you in the coming days.
577. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health given recent figures released by the HSE regarding the horrendous growth in the number of children on waiting lists in Kerry and in the Kerry/Cork region for the years 2022 to 2025, inclusive, the reason the figures for Kerry and Kerry/Cork are much worse than other regions (details supplied); the plans in place to address it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50366/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
