Written Answers Nos. 492-517
492. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review correspondence in relation to a family where two sons have additional educational needs and require significant supports; if she will ensure that a multidisciplinary case conference is convened as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3218/26]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
493. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on the delay with an assessment of need for a child (details supplied). [2932/26]
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.
494. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide the National Equality Data Strategy 2026-2031. [2949/26]
View answerI obtained Government approval for Ireland’s first National Equality Data Strategy just before Christmas. This Strategy has been developed by the Central Statistics Office and this Department in partnership with a working group drawn from across Government and civil society.
I will publish this Strategy very shortly and work will then begin on its implementation, including the formation of a steering group to oversee and monitor progress.
The Strategy requires all Government Departments to make a commitment to collect, use or disseminate equality data and to develop the organisational capacity to fulfil this commitment. It provides a general approach for identifying and filling current gaps in equality data, as well as developing standard practices in classification.
The Strategy will improve Ireland’s collection, disaggregation and use of equality data to enable policymakers to develop sound and inclusive evidence-informed policies that improve service delivery and outcomes across Ireland.
495. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to expedite an application for transport to the National Learning Centre in Tralee, County Kerry in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3058/26]
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.
496. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the funding schemes administered by her Department which a club (details supplied) could apply to for support for the redevelopment of a clubhouse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3083/26]
View answerThis is a matter for my cabinet colleagues, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment.
497. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a childcare provider can terminate an ECCE placement if a parent reduces their child’s childcare hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3089/26]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal free two-year programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The ECCE Programme is provided for 3 hours per day, 5 days per week over 38 weeks per programme year.
Early learning and care and school aged childcare services are provided by private enterprises, either privately owned or operated by community organisations. While service providers are contracted by the Department to provide ECCE at a subsidised rate to parents and guardians, as private entities, they are free to set their own admissions policies.
Under the ECCE rules, service providers must also offer free ECCE only sessions for the ECCE programme year. However, while not a condition of enrolment, part-time and full-time services may prioritise places for those who wish to avail of extra hours over those availing of ECCE only.
The Department funds a national network of County Childcare Committees (CCCs) who provide support and advice to parents and childcare providers. Parents who have concerns on any aspect of the ECCE programme including securing a place for their child should contact their local CCC, details of which can be found at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees/.
498. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will review the proposed reorganisation of services (details supplied) in Cork given concerns that the integration of youth homelessness, aftercare and domestic violence services into front door teams may remove specialist, community-based supports from the city centre; how the proposed reforms will ensure that specialist youth homelessness and prevention services are not diluted, displaced or subsumed by child protection pressures within front door teams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3093/26]
View answerAs you are aware, Tusla is undertaking a Reform Programme which will continue to meet the needs of service users of Liberty Street House. The integration of services will mean that the services provided within Liberty Street Services will align under the proposed structures of the Front Door Teams.
Front Door Teams are a feature of the new Tusla referral and service user management process that will will ensure that each referral is assessed and addressed by the appropriate experts. Staff will work as part of multidisciplinary teams to ensure a range of professionals across with different skills in the area of social work and therapeutic services are available to respond to the needs of children, young people and families in the right way, at the right time.
The preventative aspect of work undertaken in Liberty Street Services will align with Family Support and Safety and Welfare structures and all relevant cases in Liberty Street Services will continue to be worked on within newly aligned networks in 2026.
Liberty Street Services provides a domestic violence and abuse support service. Under the Reform Programme, the focus will incorporate the impact of domestic violence on children, bringing an expertise developed in Liberty Street to the Front Door Teams across networks. Equally, Liberty Street staff who have a developed skillset in working with teenagers will continue to utilise these skills in their alignment within Front Door Teams.
Tusla Structural Reform will bring opportunities to the young people and families that Liberty Street Services work with. It will also deliver an integrative response of early intervention/family support and child welfare – which Liberty Street Services has responded to in a myriad of ways since it opened.
Any facets relating to the objectives of Slaintecare would continue to be under the remit of the Minister for Health.
499. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is satisfied that the proposed alignment of services (details supplied) in Cork under Tusla’s reform programme will not reduce accessibility for vulnerable young people aged 15 years and over who are out of home or at risk of homelessness; if these services will continue to be delivered from a visible, community-based location in Cork city; and if she will provide assurances that Tusla’s reforms are consistent with Sláintecare Strategy 2025 commitments to prevention, early intervention and community delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3094/26]
View answerTusla has indicated that the services provided from Liberty Street House will continue to be provided.
Tusla is undertaking a Reform Programme which will continue to meet the needs of service users of Liberty Street Services. The preventative aspect of work undertaken in Liberty Street Services will align with Family Support and Safety and Welfare structures and all relevant cases in Liberty Street Services will continue to be worked on within newly aligned Tusla networks in 2026.
Tusla Structural Reform will bring opportunities to the young people and families that Liberty Street Services work with. It will also deliver an integrative response of early intervention/family support and child welfare – which Liberty Street Services has responded to in a myriad of ways since it opened.
Under the Reform Programme, the expertise developed in Liberty Street Services on the impact of domestic violence on children will be available more broadly to the Front Door Teams across networks. Equally, Liberty Street staff who have developed a skillset in working with teenagers will continue to utilise these relational skills.
I appreciate all of the work done by the team in Liberty Street House on behalf of the state and local government.
500. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount her Department, or agencies under its remit, spent on advertising on a social media platform (details supplied) in each of the years 2024 and 2025 respectively; to outline any expenditure on verification or premium accounts on the platform in those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3096/26]
View answerThis Department has not spent any money on advertising on this social media platform in 2024 and 2025. There has also been no expenditure on verification or premium accounts on the platform.
For detailed information on monies spent by agencies under the Department's remit, members are advised to contact the agencies directly.
501. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of concerns raised by senior social workers to the CEO of Tusla; if she will provide responses to the issues raised by these professionals, or a copy of the reply sent by Tusla responding to each concern; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3178/26]
View answerThe Department is aware that concerns of Principal Social Workers have been raised with the Tusla CEO about aspects of Tusla’s Integrated Reform programme.
It is important to recognise the independent structure of an agency like Tusla and that matters of this nature can be and are addressed by Tusla.
Tusla' Integrated Reform Programme is a significant organisational change initiative aiming to improve the way in which Tusla delivers services to children and families and improve Tusla’s staff experience.
It is correct and proper that key staff such as the Principal Social Workers as well as others involved in and impacted by the reforms have the opportunity to offer their views and that Tusla engages with these key stakeholders. Engagements of this nature are an important part of change management. The Department understands that the matters referred to in the Deputies question are being given due consideration by Tusla.
The change being put in place will see Regions and Areas be more equitable in size and will ensure that the totality of resources are targeted to where they most needed. The workforce will be multidisciplinary ensuring there is a diverse knowledge and skills base to respond to the multi-faceted needs of children and families in Ireland today.
Like other European and Irish organisations Tusla is experiencing difficulty in recruiting and retaining social work practitioners and Tusla areas currently have social work vacancies that it cannot fill, creating a challenging situations for some teams.
Tusla wants to ensure that all professions operate within their areas of competence and capability and are supported to develop and enhance their knowledge and skills through continued professional development.
Budget 2026 saw Tusla receive increased funding of €165m to continue providing vital child welfare and family support services bringing its funding up by 14 per cent to €1.37 billion.
This money will ensure that Tusla can continue to manage over 100,000 referrals annually. This investment supports Tusla’s multi-pronged, sustained strategy to address the recruitment and retention of child protection staff. In total, Tusla is funded to have over 3,200 social workers and social care workers in 2026 to deal with this number of referrals. Tusla is faced with an ever increasing number of referrals with greater complexity, as well as issues relating to social worker recruitment and retention.
There are Programme for Government commitments to support Tusla and ensure their structures are robust, responsive and capable of safeguarding every child in need, and to ensure that Tusla is supported in recruiting and retaining vital frontline staff and foster carers. The Department has ensured that social worker staffing is included as a priority in Tusla's Performance Framework 2024-2026 and the Department is supporting Tusla with a number of initiatives to retain and recruit social workers, and other disciplines, to meet demand for services.
Budget 2026 includes funding for innovative “earn and learn” social work and social care work apprenticeship courses, programmes and sponsorship. University College Cork introduced two new pathways into social work in 2024, which is expected to increase annual graduate output by 20%.
In relating to the difficulties in recruiting additional social workers, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to double the number of college places for social workers. In June the Government approved an expansion in training places for a range of health and social care professionals. This will provide up to 361 additional student places by 2028, including college places for social workers.
These initiatives and the improvements that Tusla is bringing to bear on retention and support of staff as well as the balance that the reform will bring should help address some of the concerns being raised.
502. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if ECCE/early years childcare and education services that are 100% State funded and effectively not operating for profit are liable for commercial rates; if so, if her Department will provide or subsidise commercial rates for ECCE services; if not, if the services are legally permitted to pass these costs onto parents through increased fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3266/26]
View answerCommercial rates payments for early learning and childcare providers do not fall under the remit of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department has no role in determining which properties are rateable.
The making of valuations for rating purposes is the sole responsibility of Tailte Éireann, formerly the Commissioner of Valuation. Tailte Éireann falls under the aegis of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH).
The Department Is engaging with DHLGH to seek clarification on the issue of rates for ECCE-only providers and will revert once this clarification is received.
503. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide significantly more physical and therapeutic supports through the Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) within east Limerick, Ballysimon, Limerick, as many children are not currently receiving access to occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and other essential interventions that are critical to their development, wellbeing, and ability to participate in daily life; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3276/26]
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.
504. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 23 of 18 December 2025, if she will provide the breakdown of costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3286/26]
View answerThe Phase 1 report of Shaping the Future: the Early Years Action Plan was published on 17th December. The report focuses on short-term actions to be undertaken in 2026 within the budgetary resources available for the year. In line with the Programme for Government commitment, a broad public consultation process will be undertaken during 2026, as well as additional analysis, to inform Phase 2 of the Action Plan. Phase 2 actions will be published later in 2026 and will be undertaken from 2027 through to the end of 2029.
Most of the specific research and development activities associated with developing the Action Plan, including the consultation process, will therefore be undertaken during 2026. Potential costs of these planned activities are not yet available.
It is important to stress that both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Shaping the Future are being informed by an extensive range of research, data-analysis, and public consultation processes that have been undertaken over recent years and that continue. These research and development activities are not specific solely to the Action Plan but are critical to the rigour of its analysis. Examples of wider research and development activities that are critical to the Action Plan include:
• Findings from recent reviews of the ECCE programme and Access and Inclusion Model;
• Administrative data available through the Department’s funding schemes;
• A programme of work focused on identifying areas of need, forecasting demand, and planning for the delivery of public supply within the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector where required;
• A nationally representative parent survey on early learning and care and school-age childcare recently undertaken by Ipsos on behalf of the Department;
• The Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey; and
• Findings from the OECD TALIS Starting Strong Survey of the sector workforce, published earlier in December.
The only costs incurred so far that are specific to the development of the Phase 1 report of Shaping the Future are the costs associated with design, photography, printing and translation costs, as well as costs associated with the launch of the report. In total, as of 12 January, the total of such costs was just in excess of €10,000.
An approximate breakdown of costs is as follows:
• €4,084 for the design and typesetting of the Action Plan (including both English and Irish language versions).
• €1,060 for printing costs.
• €600 for photography.
• €3,271 for the translation of the document from English to Irish.
• €1,070 for materials for the joint launch of Shaping the Future along with Simplify and Support, the Action Plan for Simplification.
505. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated number of persons eligible for the Magdalene restorative justice ex-gratia scheme and the mother and baby institutions payment scheme respectively, as set out in any preparatory documentation, relied upon by her Department at the time the schemes were established, including any revised estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3304/26]
View answer506. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of applications approved to date under the Magdalene restorative justice ex-gratia scheme and the mother and baby institutions payment scheme, respectively; the percentage uptake of each scheme relative to the estimated eligible population; and whether her Department has conducted, or is aware of any analysis of reasons for non-application or low uptake; if so, to provide those reasons and information for both schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3305/26]
View answerThe Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Scheme was established in 2013. At the time, it was estimated that, based on age profile and period of time the Magdalen Laundries were in operation, up to 1,000 applications might be received under the Scheme. It is important to note however, that with the inclusion of two specific Domestic Training Schools (House of Mercy Training School, Summerhill, Co Wexford and St. Mary’s Training Centre, Stanhope Street, Dublin 7) that were added to the original list of 10 Magdalen Laundries, it was considered difficult to estimate how many additional applications might be received in respect of the two Training Schools.
In 2018, following a recommendation from the Ombudsman, the Government decided that women who worked in the Laundries of the 12 Magdalen institutions identified in the Scheme but who were resident in one of 14 adjoining institutions, could also apply under an Addendum to the Ex-Gratia Scheme. Applications were received from women whose initial application under the Ex-Gratia Scheme had been refused, as well as from new applicants. No information is available on the number of additional applications that it was considered at the time might potentially apply under the Addendum.
To date, the number of applications that have been made and approved under the Ex-Gratia Scheme and under the Addendum are as follows:
Applications Approved & paid
Ex-Gratia Scheme 812 745
Addendum 142 102
(Note: 13 applications were approved/paid under both the Ex-Gratia Scheme and Addendum)
The Scheme has been advertised worldwide and remains open to new applications. The vast bulk of applications were lodged in the early years of the Scheme, with only a very small number of new applications lodged in recent years.
The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme opened for applications in March 2024. Over its full lifetime, the Scheme had been tentatively estimated to benefit up to 34,000 people who spent time in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions and to cost approximately €800 million, inclusive of all awards and associated costs.
While the Department projected higher upfront applicant numbers in the early years of the Scheme, it is open for five years so there is ample time for survivors to apply. It is difficult to predict at what stage across its five-year lifetime applications may materialise, although we do know that, in some previous redress schemes, significant numbers of applications were made towards their closing dates.
As of 9 January 2026, over 7,000 applications have been received. This is over 20% of the estimated 34,000 eligible applicants. Over 6,300 notices of determination have issued to applicants and over 5,150 payments have been paid. The total amount of general and work-related payments paid is €75.7 million. Over 2,700 applicants have also qualified for health benefits (an enhanced medical card for those living in Ireland or health support payments of some €2 million for those living abroad).
All information on the Scheme, including how to apply, can be found at the dedicated Payment Scheme website which includes a booklet, questions and answers, and short 'how to' videos on the application process. A Helpline is also available at +353 1 522 9992. Overall, we have received positive feedback that applicants are finding the application process straightforward and the information line helpful.
The Department also publishes summary statistics on the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme every month on its website, available here - www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/campaigns/mother-and-baby-institutions-payment-scheme/#payment-scheme-statistics-summary
The Department will continue to do all it can to promote and raise awareness of the Scheme via a significant public awareness campaign. This is operating on a phased basis in Ireland and in jurisdictions overseas that have a significant Irish diaspora. The first phase in early 2024 included press releases, poster placement in public facilities such as libraries, social posts and a paid, phased advertising campaign. The second phase ran in late 2024 with a particular focus on Great Britain through targeted static advertising channels such as London tube advertising posters. The third phase is to run throughout this year. To date, some €1.8 million has been spent on trying to raise awareness of the Scheme across the world.
507. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health her plans to improve the current waiting list for marriage of convenience interviews, given issues that have been raised (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3186/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
508. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the total number of GPs, and the number of GPs providing GMS services, in County Kerry, by local health area and per 10,000 population, at 1 December for each year from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [2905/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
Please note that as GPs are private practitioners, accordingly it may only be possible for the HSE to respond in relation to HSE contracted GPs.
509. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital-initiated scheduled care cancellations at University Hospital Kerry, by year, from 2020 to 2025 and to date in 2026, broken down by appointment or procedure type and by adult/child, in tabular form. [2910/26]
View answerI fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when hospital appointments are cancelled, particularly in the case of clinically urgent procedures.
While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased unscheduled care demand.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically aligned and prioritised way, hospitals follow HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
Cancelled hospital procedures/appointments are, where appropriate, rescheduled as early as possible with priority given to patients requiring time-sensitive and urgent treatment. Patients that are cancelled are rescheduled with the next available appointment based on their clinical prioritisation, with urgent patients prioritised for access.
In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
510. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the average time to admission, the waiting-time distribution, and the number of patients leaving without being seen via the emergency department at University Hospital Kerry, by year from 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026, with separate figures for all patients and patients aged 75 and over, in tabular form. [2911/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
511. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of delayed transfers of care, delayed discharges as a percentage of total discharges, and bed days lost as a percentage of total bed days at University Hospital Kerry, by year from 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [2912/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
512. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the bed occupancy rates at University Hospital Kerry, and the number of days full-capacity protocols in operation at the hospital, by year from 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [2913/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
513. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of patients in County Kerry on primary care and community services waiting lists, broken down by service type, age group, and length of wait, at December 2022-2025 or latest comparable date, in tabular form. [2914/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
514. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health whether the cold cap/scalp cooling machine in CUH is in operation; the number of times in each of the past 12 months it has been used; the number of patients that have been treated using it; and whether training has been provided for the chemo therapy nurses in order to use it. [2943/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
515. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health whether the linear accelerator in CUH is currently in use; and the number of patients treated or assessed using it during each of the past 12 months. [2944/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
516. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to patients’ and their families’ concerns about breaks in the delivery of time-sensitive radiotherapy cancer treatment over holiday periods, for example, at Christmas which can in some cases lead to accelerated repopulation of cancer cells; if she has examined ways in which this can be addressed to minimise the impact on patients’ treatment and outcomes and looked at NHS England guidance and leading UK cancer centres in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2945/26]
View answerThe Department has received correspondence addressed to the Minister on concerns over the delivery of radiotherapy over holiday periods.
Following receipt of this correspondence, the Department of Health contacted the HSE who confirmed that St. Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network (SLRON) has a local policy covering the compensation of radical radiotherapy treatment on bank holidays based on Royal College of Radiologist’s published guidance.
The HSE confirmed that compensation strategies are proactively addressed when patients are booked and scheduled for treatment and as the management of radiotherapy treatment is a service matter, I have referred the second part of this question to the HSE for response.
517. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [2953/26]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
