Written Answers Nos. 821-840
821. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans the HSE south-west disability services have to address the current waitlist for overnight respite for children in Cork and Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71549/25]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
822. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress made over the past 12 months on each of her Department's Programme for Government commitments, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71628/25]
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.
823. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will reinstate the child law project; the estimated timeline for reinstatement of the agency; and the persons monitoring child law cases in their absence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71638/25]
View answerThe project to attend and report on public child care proceedings under the Child Care Act 1991 recommenced in April 2025.
It is being delivered by the Child Law Project (CLP), who were chosen following a competitive procurement process, for a two-year programme of work. The Minister will make a total of €416,000 available to the project over this period.
824. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed the economic costs arising from agencies under her remit not receiving training in recognising and responding to gender-based violence; the estimated impact on health, social services, policing and legal costs, and disability supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71723/25]
View answerResearch relating to gender based violence and its impacts is a matter for the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
825. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on childcare supports for children under the ECCE age range; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71780/25]
View answerFirst 5 is Ireland’s Whole-of-Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families. It focuses on the period of early childhood, from the antenatal period to age five, and takes a joined-up, cross-government approach to supporting babies, young children and their families during these critical early years.
The Strategy has a pivotal focus on providing a broader range of options for parents to balance working and caring. First 5 seeks to support parents to be at home for the child's first year, based on research evidence that suggests that children benefit particularly from parental care in the first year of life.
Under First 5, from 1 July 2022, Parent’s Leave and Benefit of seven weeks per parent was introduced. It was further increased to nine weeks per parent per child with effect from August 2024. The combined durations of Maternity, Paternity and Parent’s Leave and Benefit now equate to 46 weeks of paid leave for a two-parent family. This is supplemented by an entitlement to 16 weeks of unpaid Maternity Leave, 26 weeks of unpaid parental leave per parent as well as annual leave entitlements.
Further supports will be considered in the context of the development of the new First 5 Implementation Plan for 2026-2028, in line with the Programme for Government commitments to both examine the extension of Parent’s Leave and Benefit and to introduce Pay Related Parent’s Benefit.
Shaping the Future: the Early Years Action Plan Phase 1 Report will also be published on 17th December 2025. It sets out the next steps in delivery of the key commitments in the Programme for Government to improve affordability, quality, and access of both Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare.
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help parents reduce the cost of early learning and childcare in the form of a subsidy paid directly to the childcare provider. Subsidies are available for children between 24 weeks and 15 years of age at a minimum rate of €2.14 per hour, available for up to 45 weekly hours. Depending on the family’s income, there are additional income assessed subsidies available. All Tusla registered providers are eligible to offer the National Childcare Scheme and avail of the supports the subsidy provides.
826. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the outcome of the investigation by Tusla into a company (details supplied); the lessons that have been learned; and to detail any changes to practice as a result. [71823/25]
View answer827. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which a company (details supplied) was awarded a contract with Tusla. [71824/25]
View answer828. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the Government continues to use private operators to provide supervised access; if so, the procurement procedures for issuing these contracts; and the oversight processes for those companies who are awarded these contracts. [71825/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 826, 827 and 828 together.
Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
829. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a breakdown of Tusla's annual expenditure on private residential and special emergency arrangement providers for each of the past five years, disaggregated by provider type and by placement category; and to outline the governance framework applied by her Department to oversee this expenditure. [71826/25]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
830. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children placed in private residential care and in special emergency arrangements in each of the past five years, and the corresponding number placed in Tusla-run residential units over the same period. [71827/25]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
831. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average annual cost per placement for private residential care, for Tusla-run residential care, and for special emergency arrangements for each of the past five years, and the Department's assessment of value for money across these categories. [71828/25]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
832. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the projected reductions in expenditure on private residential care set out in Tusla's Residential Care Plan, including annual targets, timelines, and the planned expansion of public residential capacity required to achieve reduced reliance on private providers. [71829/25]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
833. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71846/25]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
834. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide gross wage amounts for employees (details supplied) in early years, as collected through the financial returns. [71857/25]
View answerThe State is not the employer of staff in the sector therefore neither I nor the Department can set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sector.
However, financial reporting is a key feature of Core Funding, as recommended by the Expert Group in their report Partnership for the Public Good.
Partner Services, those services signed up to Core Funding, are required to provide validated financial returns to the Department for each programme year that they participate in. As part of a transitional arrangement, the reporting requirements for the first two years of the scheme, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, were reduced to require just an income and expenditure report. These reports were submitted by registered accountants.
Apteligen Limited were awarded a contract for the analysis of the first two years financial data collected through Core Funding in September 2025. Work is underway, and the project is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2026 with a report to be published thereafter. As with any new system or reporting requirement, some user errors are to be expected. This project therefore includes a robust process of data cleaning. The Department are not be in a position to provide an accurate response to the information requested until this cleaning process has concluded.
A chart of accounts has been prepared for the purpose of this financial reporting to ensure that reporting is consistent across all Partner Services. This greatly improves the quality of analysis that can be carried out on the data. The nominal codes are updated annually to reflect feedback from Partner Services and accountants as well as any changes to the income or expenditure of services.
I would like to take this opportunity to clarify that one of the codes referenced – 4008: Gross wages/salaries directors – has been included in the chart of accounts for the third year of reporting, which are due to be collected in the first quarter of 2026.
From this submission and thereafter, Partner Services are required to submit a full trial balance via a registered accountant.
835. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the approved areas of expenditure for core funding; and if she is satisfied that all core funding is being spent on the approved areas of expenditure. [71858/25]
View answerUnder the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement, Partner Services can choose how to spend their Core Funding grant in accordance with the approved areas of expenditure outlined in the Funding Agreement.
Approved areas of Expenditure include:
• Costs relating to staffing of Partner Services in the provision of early learning and childcare, which may include non-contact time in preparation and review of early learning and childcare provision;
• Costs of staff/owner participation in Continuing Professional Development relating to early learning and childcare including cost of cover for absence due to such participation;
• Costs relating to the administration of the Partner Service including the administration of schemes funded by the Department;
• Overheads pertaining to running of the early learning and childcare service including rent, rates, utilities and insurance, and;
• Any other operational costs, excluding capital costs, which may reasonably be asserted to enhance the quality of early learning and childcare service provision.
The Staff Funding Additional Contribution is a new funding element for the 2025/26 programme year that can only be used towards staff pay and conditions. The Staff Funding Additional Contribution cannot be spent on non-staff overheads, operational costs or other non-staff-related purposes.
For the avoidance of doubt, ineligible expenditure allowed under the Core Funding includes:
• Capital costs, and;
• Any other costs which may not reasonably be asserted to enhance the quality of early learning and childcare service provision.
I am required to ensure all Exchequer funding is managed in a clear and transparent manner. This includes a requirement to ensure robust and transparent Financial Reporting structures are in place.
Due to these requirements, and as part of their agreement with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, Core Funding Partner Services are required to submit comprehensive and validated financial returns.
All financial reports must be provided to the Department by being uploaded to the Core Funding Contractual Requirements Reporting System no later than 6 months after the end of the given programme year. All financial reports submitted to the Department must be validated and submitted by a Registered Accountant. Failure to do so may mean the withholding of funding until the report is submitted.
For the 2024/25 Programme Year onwards, services must submit a Trial Balance.
The financial reporting structures in place ensure that providers are able to sufficiently demonstrate that their Core Funding allocation is spent on approved areas of expenditure.
836. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department carried out any governance or financial risk review of subcontracted private residential centres in advance of approving additional funding for Tusla in Budget 2026; and to state the title and completion date of any such review. [71969/25]
View answer838. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department holds any reports, internal briefs or analyses completed since 2023 relating to governance or oversight of private residential centres funded by Tusla; and to outline the purpose of each document. [71971/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 836 and 838 together.
Thank you deputy, for your question.
The department does not directly monitor the ownership structures of companies contracted by Tusla, to provide child care placements. However, it does have regular engagement with Tusla at all levels, to address issues related to the provision of services.
Tusla was established as an independent agency under the aegis of this department, to promote the development, welfare, education and protection of children and young people, and to provide supports to vulnerable children and families.
These services include the provision of residential care placements, through a mix of residential centres owned and operated by Tusla, as well as centres operated by NGO’s and providers in the private sector.
Regarding the provision of placements by external providers, Tusla procures these services in compliance with relevant legislation, procurement rules, and government Circulars in relation to grant funding.
Tusla has procedures in place for the monitoring of service provision. Tusla’s Practice Assurance and Service Monitoring (PASM) team undertakes reviews of Tusla funded services. It conducts practice audits focussing on governance, risk management, and internal control systems. Where issues or concerns arise Tusla takes action to minimise risk.
While residential care centres provided by the private sector is a necessary component of alternative care, this department has secured significant additional investment (Current and Capital), in recent budgets, for Tusla to increase the number of Tusla owned-and-operated residential care centres.
837. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the evidence base used by her Department to support the Budget 2026 allocation for private residential placements, including whether any assessment of governance, cost exposure or compliance risk was undertaken. [71970/25]
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.
839. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the criteria her Department uses to determine whether governance controls for subcontracted private residential providers meet the standard required for continued Exchequer funding. [71972/25]
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.
840. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if any gaps in governance, contracting, monitoring or regulatory assurance were identified by her Department during the 2024–2025 budget preparation process relating to private residential placements; and the actions taken in response. [71973/25]
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.
