Written Answers Nos. 213-232
213. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the licensing and oversight of slaughterhouses engaged in non-stun slaughter; and if he will consider introducing mandatory stunning for all animals slaughtered in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68193/25]
View answerMy Department maintains permanent presence in slaughterhouses engaged in non-stun slaughter. This is important for verifying their compliance with relevant EU and Irish regulations.
Policy on all animal welfare issues is subject to periodic review particularly in light of new information on the topic or developments at EU level and on foot of such a review, policy changes may be implemented if deemed appropriate.
214. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of audits or inspections carried out on slaughterhouses performing non-stun slaughter; the findings of these audits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68194/25]
View answerMy Department supervises slaughterhouses approved to carry out non-stun slaughter and monitor compliance using a variety of tools including inspections, audits, interviews with business operators and their staff and checks of operator instructions, including records.
Official Controls, while not specifically enumerated in such slaughter establishments, are generated by my Department for each establishment each week. In addition, my Department monitors the effectiveness of official controls.
216. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the approach his Department, Bord Bia and other agencies will take to enhance the trade and investment relationship between Ireland and Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa in the areas of agri-food and equine sectors. [68294/25]
View answerMy Department, along with Bord Bia and other agencies, enhances agri-food trade and investment relationships with the Middle East and North Africa through bilateral engagement at ministerial and official level and by conducting targeted trade promotion activities.
In the last number of years, there have been a number of Ministerial trade missions to the region. In 2020 there was a successful trade mission to Algeria and Egypt focusing on the dairy and livestock sectors. In February 2022, the then Minister led a successful trade mission to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia which included a number of Government to Government meetings and engagements with key Irish customers in dairy, meat and prepared foods and also encompassed the Gulfood Trade Fair, one of the world's largest food fairs.
My Department will participate in the upcoming Joint Economic Commission with the United Arab Emirates later this month. Planning is at an early stage for a Ministerial trade mission to the United Arab Emirates in early 2025, to be led by Minister of State Grealish. A key part of this trade mission will also be a visit to Gulfood 2026, where a number of client and stakeholder meetings and engagements are scheduled to take place.
My Department and Bord Bia's Middle East/Gulf regional market team will continue to support Irish agri-food businesses to engage with export markets across the Arab states, Middle East and North African region to enhance the trade relationship for the agri-food sector in the region.
217. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the practice of non-stun animal slaughter is permitted in Ireland in cases of religious slaughter. [68299/25]
View answer218. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-stun slaughters which are permitted and carried out in Ireland annually on religious grounds. [68300/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 218 together.
Animal welfare at slaughter in the European Union is governed by Regulation 1099/2009 which is enforced under SI 292/2013 in Ireland. Article 4(4) of the Regulation allows for non-stun slaughter, in the case of certain religious rites. The implementation of these rules is closely monitored by my Department to ensure that slaughter under religious rites complies strictly with the Regulation.
My Department records the number of cattle and sheep slaughtered without pre-stunning on a quarterly basis. Table 1 contains the total number of cattle and sheep slaughtered without pre-stunning from 2020 to end of Q3 2025.
219. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 2148 of 4 November 2025 to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in which he confirmed that, although not required by statute, his Department voluntarily publishes its annual consultancy spending online in the interest of transparency and accessibility, if his Department operates a similar practice; if not, whether consideration will be given to adopting this approach as a transparency measure consistent with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and wider open-government principles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68450/25]
View answerIn line with the reporting requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, my Department publishes quarterly reports on:
All procured contracts with a value of €25,000 or greater, and
All paid Purchases Orders with a value of €20,000 or greater.
In addition, while my Department does not provide a detailed breakdown by area, such as for expenditure on consultants, details of annual expenditure are published annually in my Department's Appropriation Account.
220. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to review the case of an afterschool service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68182/25]
View answerThe Department is aware of the situation regarding the service in question.
While no details can be shared regarding the specifics of the fee review decision nor the details of the current issue, the Department can confirm that officials are actively discussing next steps and will contact all stakeholders to discuss the situation shortly.
Department officials will endeavour to support and ensure that all stakeholders are aware of all the options and supports available.
As part of the Case Management process, City or County Childcare Committees (CCC) assist services with issues and difficulties that arise. The CCC may refer Core Funding-partner services facing difficulties to Pobal and the Department to be considered for Sustainability Funding. Sustainability Funding is intended to prevent significant issues that threaten the viability of a service. Any service seeking these supports should contact their City or County Childcare Committee.
City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) offer a range of assistance to parents in Ireland to help them find and access childcare services in their local area. CCCs can assist in identifying services in their area that have current vacancies, which is particularly helpful in areas with high demand. They guide parents on what to look for when visiting a service, what questions to ask, and how to make an informed decision that aligns with their child's needs. Parents can contact their local CCC directly for this information and support. Contact details for all CCCs can be found on: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-c.
221. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to examine a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68251/25]
View answerThe Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with additional needs or a disability can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme. Access to AIM is based on the needs of the individual child, in the context of the pre-school setting, and does not require a diagnosis.
AIM Level 7 support enables providers to reduce the child-to-adult ratio in the pre-school room or to fund an extra staff member as a shared resource with other children in the ECCE setting. In recognition of best practice in this area, this support is designed to improve inclusion and ensure meaningful participation of all children in the room.
The ‘First 5’ whole-of-government strategy (2019) committed to the phased extension of AIM, a commitment reaffirmed by the findings of an independent end-of-year-three evaluation. Participants in the evaluation supported proposals that AIM be scaled up and were keen to see the extension of AIM support to hours outside the ECCE entitlement. Based on the evaluation AIM is now being extended on a phased basis as funding becomes available.
As a first step in this extension, all AIM targeted supports have, since September 2024, been available to ECCE children beyond the time that they spend in the ECCE programme, all year round. Children can now access these supports for up to an additional 3 hours per day during the ECCE term and up to 6 hours per day outside of the ECCE term (in holiday periods).
The child referenced is currently in receipt of 15 hours of Aim Standard per week while attending the ECCE programme and is also in receipt of an additional 15 hours of Aim Plus per week for hours attending outside of ECCE.
For the weeks that ECCE is not available 30 hours of non-term funding have been approved for the child.
The Pobal Early Years Specialist has previously engaged with both the service provider and the legal guardian, clarifying that the maximum allowable hours under the AIM programme have been awarded to the child.
It is intended that over time, all children with additional needs in early learning and childcare services will have access to AIM supports. The next phase of expansion focuses on a redesign of AIM for children under three, to meet the specific needs of this younger cohort. Consideration will then be given to an extension of AIM for children attending school-age childcare.
An action plan has been developed to respond to other areas for improvement including increasing awareness of AIM, streamlining the application process and strengthening support for autistic children. A key step taken in this regard is the 2024 publication of Introductory Guidelines to Support the Inclusion of Autistic Children in Early Learning and Care, School-Age Childcare and Childminding Settings, with the support of ASIAM.
While the Department oversees AIM, early learning and childcare providers are private entities and responsible for their own admissions policies, which are outside the Department’s remit. Parents and carers experiencing challenges in accessing early learning and childcare supports are encouraged to contact their local City or County Childcare Committee, who can provide advice and guidance on available options in their area. Contact details are available at: www.gov.ie/childcarecommittee.
222. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children/parents who attended an individual or group intervention in Clonmel CDNT5 to date in 2025, by month, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68257/25]
View answer223. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of persons who did not attend an individual or group appointment in Clonmel CDNT5, by month in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68258/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 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.
224. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a child (details supplied) in south Tipperary will receive Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68296/25]
View answerThe Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with additional needs or a disability can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme. Access to AIM is based on the needs of the individual child, in the context of the pre-school setting, and does not require a diagnosis.
Pobal, who are the administrators of the AIM scheme on behalf of the Department, have informed the Department that an AIM Level 4 application was submitted on the 25th of November 2025 for the child referenced and is currently being processed to completion.
AIM level 4 is delivered by Better Start Early Years Specialist Service (EYSS). They work collaboratively with parents, pre-school providers, and with other professionals to develop inclusive learning environments in pre-schools. The EYSS also provides coaching and mentoring to the pre-school staff on supporting children in the ECCE service. This includes the creation of an Access and Inclusion Plan for children, which can help identify additional support and resources required to meet the needs of the child in the pre-school room.
An AIM Level 7 application was submitted on the 1st of December. Applications under Aim Level 7 can take up to 12 weeks to be processed, but are currently taking on average 17 working days from being received to a decision being made in the programme year 2025/2026, this is decrease from the average of 28 working days for the programme year 2024/2025.
AIM Level 7 support enables providers to reduce the child-to-adult ratio in the pre-school room or to fund an extra staff member as a shared resource with other children in the ECCE setting. In recognition of best practice in this area, this support is designed to improve inclusion and ensure meaningful participation of all children in the room.
225. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans there are to reduce the number of quangos and strip out the amassed red tape and bureaucracy that exists, in order to allow the delivery of projects under her Department’s remit in a more timely, efficient and customer-friendly manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68376/25]
View answerA reply will issue directly to the Deputy on this matter as soon as possible.
226. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting time for assessment of needs through the primary care service in County Wexford; the steps being taken to reduce waiting times in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68423/25]
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.
227. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 2148 of 4 November 2025 to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in which he confirmed that, although not required by statute, her Department voluntarily publishes its annual consultancy spending online in the interest of transparency and accessibility, if her Department operates a similar practice; if not, whether consideration will be given to adopting this approach as a transparency measure consistent with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and wider open-government principles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68451/25]
View answerThe Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy on this matter as soon as possible.
228. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to increase the availability of childcare places in Kilcock, County Kildare, where families are facing waiting lists extending into late 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68509/25]
View answer229. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that the shortage of childcare places in Kilcock is forcing some parents out of the workforce; the supports or interventions which are planned to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68510/25]
View answer230. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if population growth projections for Kilcock have been factored into childcare service planning; whether additional funding or capacity-building measures will be introduced to reduce waiting lists and support families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68511/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 228, 229 and 230 together.
Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government.
Capacity in this sector is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile for 2023/24 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 19% over the previous two years.
However, it appears that demand for Early Learning and Care remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for younger children. Demand for places 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.
The 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 third programme year (2024/25), the allocation for Core Funding allowed for a 6% increase in capacity. Budget 2025 secured funding for the fourth programme year (2025/6) to facilitate a further 3.5% increase from September 2025. Budget 2026 has made provision for the fifth programme year (2026/7) for a further expansion in supply of 4.2%.
This increased investment will allow increases in the natural growth of the sector driven both by new services joining the sector and existing services offering more places and/or longer hours to families.
The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme is designed to increase capacity in the 1–3-year-old, pre–Early Childhood Care and Education, age range for full day care. Core Funding Partner Services could apply for capital funding to physically extend their premises or to construct or purchase new premises. The Scheme will deliver up to 1,500 full-day care places for 1- to 3-year-olds coming on stream from 2026.
As announced in the context of Budget 2026, €36 million of this will be available in 2026 for early learning and childcare capital programmes. This will include investment in new buildings through the State-led early learning and childcare programme and investment in expansion of existing early learning and childcare operators through the Building Blocks scheme as well as other quality initiatives.
The focus in the State-led services will be on services to meet demand for affordable, accessible, high quality early learning and childcare that is not otherwise being delivered, including on full day provision particularly for younger children.
The development of a forward planning model to analyse childcare supply and demand nationally is currently underway. The model seeks to identify the nature and volume of different types of early learning and childcare places across the country and how that aligns with the numbers of children in the corresponding age cohorts at local area level. An extensive data analysis and cleaning exercise is currently being undertaken to map available publicly subsidised supply. This involves combining data from multiple administrative sources, including child population data, using GIS (Geographical Information System) mapping tools.
The analysis of the forward planning model will be one of a number of factors that will be considered when selecting and prioritising projects. Other factors will reflect the policy goals of the Department to support a quality, inclusive and accessible early learning and childcare system and to ensure value for money.
Preparatory work for this programme of capital investment is underway, with the multi-year programme planned to commence from 2026 onwards. As such, no decisions on prioritisation or selection of certain locations have yet been made.
The 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 Committee may be found at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees.
231. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the decision not to provide a Christmas bonus to foster carers in 2025; if consideration will be given to reinstating the payment in future years given the extra costs at Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68512/25]
View answer232. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed the financial impact on foster carers of the decision not to provide a Christmas bonus in 2025; the supports being considered to assist foster carers during periods of increased costs such as Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68513/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together.
Foster carers play a vital and valued role in the care of the most vulnerable children in our society. Foster care is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their family of origin, and foster carers provide a safe, secure and stable home environment for these vulnerable children and young people.
This Department has overseen record investment in foster carers, including a 21% increase to the foster care allowance over the past two years, resulting in the current weekly allowance for children in foster care of €400 per week for children aged under 12, and €425 per week for those over 12.
A double payment of the foster care allowance was paid to foster carers at the end of 2023 and this payment was repeated at the end of 2024. This was in recognition of the significant pressures placed on families in the context of high rates of inflation, and was in line with other similar payments, including a double payment of child benefit, which foster carers also received.
Additionally, in 2025 foster carers now receive a bonus payment at the start of each initial foster care placement. This payment aims to alleviate the substantial out-of-pocket expenses that can be incurred by foster carers during the initial period after a child is placed in their care.
A revised Mileage Payment Scheme for foster carers also came into effect in April 2025. This broadens the categories of journeys which may be considered eligible for payment under the Foster Care Travel Payments Scheme. Additionally, the cumulative weekly travel distance to qualify for these payments has been reduced from 300km to 250km.
The Programme for Government 2025 (PfG) sets out the Government’s intention to provide further support for foster carers, including further increases to the foster care allowance and the new Initial Placement Payment, a commitment to examine pension provision for foster carers, and examine eligibility for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
I have met with a number of foster care stakeholder bodies since becoming Minister for Children, including the Irish Foster Care Association, and I am keenly aware of the current challenges facing the sector. As Minister I fully intend to prioritise foster care and ensure that we build upon the suite of supports of which foster carers can avail.
