Written Answers Nos. 758-771
758. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of occupational therapist posts within the CDNT in Longford and Westmeath; the number of these posts that are currently vacant; the steps being taken to fill these vacancies in order to reduce waiting lists for occupational therapy services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16985/26]
View answerAs this question refers to the service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
759. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to respond to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16986/26]
View answerI recently announced €135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible State-led early learning and childcare. The process will begin in 2026 with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative for this government. Capital funding will be used to acquire and/or fit out the building, depending on requirements.
The Department is assessing sites and buildings which align with the goals of the programme and, where required, will seek expressions of interest from operators to deliver these State-led services.
Local City and County Childcare Committees will be supporting the development of projects. In the first instance, we are asking anyone who might have a suitable premises or project to contact their local City/County Childcare Committee, whose details can be found here: www.limerickchildcare.ie/.
Information on the objectives, criteria, and processes that will apply to the selection and prioritisation of projects under this programme is available here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/state-led-early-learning-and-childcare-capital-programme/.
A suite of appraisal tools have been developed, including a forward planning model, in order to select projects that align with programme objectives. No final decisions have yet been made on the specific projects.
Up to eight buildings will be selected for investment this year and the State-led initiative will provide thousands of places up to 2030 using the €135 million provided in the National Development Plan. The level of investment will ramp up over the lifetime of the Government.
760. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the safeguarding measures that are currently in place for individuals living in residential disability services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17008/26]
View answerThis Government is committed to ensuring that residential services for people with disabilities provide a good quality service that is safe, effective, and provides a home from home environment for residents.
On 10 December 2025, the Minister for Health and Minister of State for Older People and Housing launched Ireland’s first ever National Policy Framework for Adult Safeguarding in the Health and Social Care sector. Publication of the policy is a commitment in the Programme for Government and also in the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. The policy framework will extend across all public, private and voluntary health and social care services. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality continues to engage with the Department of Health on the implementation of this important national policy framework.
Included are a range of both legislative and non-legislative measures that will significantly expand and strengthen existing supports and protections for adults at risk of harm across the health and social care sector (including disability services). The Government has also approved the development of legislation to underpin these commitments. Key elements of the policy include:
• the policy and forthcoming legislation will apply to all health and social care providers – public, voluntary and private.
• an emphasis on a rights-based approach that respects the autonomy of individuals and reflects the principles of the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act, 2015.
• the Health Service Executive (HSE) will have responsibility for leading and coordinating adult safeguarding across the sector and will have statutory functions, duties and powers to underpin this role.
• current safeguarding structures within the HSE will be strengthened and legislation will provide that they will operate independently in the performance of their functions.
• New powers of entry for safeguarding and protection teams and powers to obtain court protection orders.
• The Health Information Quality Authority's (HIQA’s) remit will be extended to include independent oversight and monitoring of adult safeguarding services for the Health and Social care sector delivered by the HSE.
• New obligations for service providers including undertaking risk evaluations, developing, and publishing adult safeguarding statements and ensuring staff are appropriately trained.
• The introduction of mandatory reporting in specified circumstances.
• The National Independent Review Panel (NIRP) process for adult safeguarding learning reviews for serious incidents will be strengthened and placed on a statutory footing.
• Strengthened cooperation between service providers and relevant state agencies.
The Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA)
HIQA advises that it strongly supports the ongoing work of the Department of Health on the development of safeguarding legislation.
Furthermore, HIQA developed National Standards for Adult Safeguardingwith the Mental Health Commission, alongside training resources for staff working in services, to promote best practice in safeguarding in health and social care services.
Under Regulation 31 of the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for People (adults and Children) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013 the person in charge of the designated centre is required to notify the Chief Inspector in writing within three working days of any allegation, suspected or confirmed, of abuse of any resident.
Regulation 8 of these regulations requires the registered provider to protect the residents from all forms of abuse and the person in charge of the designated centre to initiate an investigation in relation to any incident, allegation or suspicion of abuse and to take appropriate action where a resident is harmed or suffers abuse. The registered provider of a designated centre for people with disabilities is also required to have a written policy on the prevention, detection and response to abuse, including reporting of concerns and or allegations of abuse to statutory agencies.
In delivering a safe-quality service, it is the responsibility of the registered provider to ensure they have effective measures in place to safeguard any adult or child living in residential care from harm. The Chief Inspector takes all safeguarding concerns very seriously and they are reviewed as a matter of priority to determine the most appropriate regulatory action. In situations where substantiated safeguarding issues are identified, and if the provider has not already done so, inspectors require providers to take action to ensure the safety of residents. If immediate risks to the safety of residents are identified, inspectors require providers to take immediate action to address these issues and to prevent a recurrence, and this can also include where required referral to An Garda Síochána.
In cases where the provider has not made the appropriate referral even after engagement with the Chief Inspector, the Chief Inspector will make the referral to An Garda Síochána. HIQA can also make referrals to the National Safeguarding Office. Registered providers are also encouraged to engage appropriate expertise. By way of information, all statutory notifications of abuse are reviewed, risk rated by an inspector of social services, and a decision taken as to the regulatory action required as soon as possible and no later than five days following receipt of the information.
In all situations, the Chief Inspector continues to monitor the actions of the provider to ensure they are effective in addressing the safeguarding concerns and ensuring that residents are supported and safeguarded. The Chief Inspector can, and has, taken further action, up to and including the cancelation of registration, where providers fail to sustain improvements to residents’ safety.
The Health Service Executive (HSE)
The HSE advises that it’s Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons at Risk of Abuse – National Policy and Procedures (2014) apply to all HSE and HSE-funded services, which outline a number of principles to promote the welfare of adults at risk of abuse. This policy includes a requirement that all services must have a publicly declared “No Tolerance” approach to any form of abuse, and services must promote a culture which supports this ethos. This policy covers areas including the prevention of adult abuse and steps to be taken in the recognition and response to adult abuse. The HSE requires HSE disability services and HSE disability service providers to comply with this policy and this requirement is part of the service arrangement conditions of disability funded agencies.
Safeguarding concerns regarding adults at risk of abuse are reported to the HSE from a wide variety of sources, including family members, neighbours, professionals and also adults themselves. The HSE treat all reports of adult abuse seriously and will give due regard to the information within the report, regardless of the source. All adults have the right to be safe and to live a life free from abuse. All persons are entitled to this right, regardless of their circumstances. It is the responsibility of all service providers, statutory and non-statutory, to ensure that service users are treated with respect and dignity, have their welfare promoted and receive support in an environment in which every effort is made to promote welfare and to prevent abuse. The HSE acts in a respectful manner to all referrers to concerns, and any actions or interventions following a safeguarding screening or plan should be undertaken with regard to the interests, rights, and involvement of the adult at risk of abuse.
Safeguarding referrals and notifications are received by the HSE Safeguarding and Protection Team regarding adults living in the community and adults living in service settings such as residential and nursing homes. Each safeguarding referral, whether in the service or community setting, is unique, and it is important that responses are undertaken in a person-centred manner.
Part of the work of the Safeguarding Protection Team (SPT) is to oversee the safeguarding activity in the HSE and HSE-funded services, generally referred to as “service setting referrals”. In this work, the SPT receive notification of the safeguarding concern from a Designated Officer in the relevant service, their assessment of that concern and, where necessary, a Safeguarding Plan, designed to address the safeguarding concern. The role of the SPT in this instance is to oversee this plan. This process of undertaking and submitting the preliminary screening to the SPT by the Designated Officer in the service should be completed, if possible, within 3 working days following the raising of the concern. Should a Safeguarding Plan be required for the safety of the adult at risk of abuse, then this plan should be devised within three weeks of the Preliminary Screening being completed. A Safeguarding Plan Review should be undertaken at appropriate intervals and undertaken within six months of the Safeguarding Plan commencing, at a minimum, at six-monthly intervals thereafter or on case closure.
In addition to the above process, the HSE National Safeguarding Office (NSO) provides a safeguarding self-audit template to HSE Services and service providers. It aims to facilitate the conducting of a self-audit of safeguarding practices and policy compliance within disability and older person’s services. This self-audit is divided into eight themes in line with the standards of the National Standards for Adult Safeguarding 2019. This self-audit tool is designed to be an aid to highlight service compliance with the HSE safeguarding policy as well as assisting in highlighting areas which require service improvement or capacity building measures.
761. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in the instance where a PPP account is held by the HSE on behalf of an individual who is in long-term residential care, whether the individual can appoint parents, who have been lifelong carers, as a decision support to view how much money is in the account, as a safeguarding measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17009/26]
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.
762. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to provide support in facilitating an independent review of the governance and communication structures within disability day services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17038/26]
View answerThe Department recognises the importance of strong controls within the HSE’s service provider governance framework as it supports approximately 80% of the Department’s disability budget. The significant increase in funding in Budget 2026 provides an opportunity to strengthen governance for disability funded section 38 and 39 organisations and creates the space for service reforms. The 2026 HSE National Service Plan outlines an enhanced focus on governance and oversight in the HSE Regions to ensure performance and accountability structures are in place.
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.
763. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has developed projections for average childcare costs per month over the coming years based on current policy work and planned reforms; if these projections are available, by year and type of service that is, full-time, part-time, ECCE, and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17052/26]
View answer764. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has modelled the likely average annual cost of childcare that parents should expect over the next five years; the assumptions used in these projections; and if she will provide the latest figures and timelines for this modelling, in tabular form. [17053/26]
View answer765. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether, in the context of ongoing childcare reform work, her Department has produced estimates for the average parent which will pay for childcare per month and per year in the short to medium term; the way these estimates will compare to current average costs; and if she will publish this, in tabular form. [17054/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 763, 764 and 765 together.
The Phase 1 report of Shaping the Future: the Early Years Action Plan was published on 17th December. The report sets out the next steps in the delivery of a number of Programme for Government commitments relating to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC). A central objective of Shaping the Future is to reduce parental fees to an upper limit of €200 per month over the lifetime of the Government.
The Phase 1 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 is currently underway. Results of this consultation, as well as additional analysis, will 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.
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides subsidies – both universal and targeted - to reduce the costs to parents for children to participate in ELC and SAC. The NCS has been substantially expanded in recent years to further reduce the cost of ELC and SAC for families. This includes the extension of the universal subsidy to all children under 15 and two increases to the minimum hourly subsidy, which is now worth a minimum of €96.30 per week for 45 hours.
The objective to reduce parental fees to an upper limit of €200 per month cannot be achieved through the NCS alone. The fee-freeze and maximum fee-caps required for Core Funding have been key to the progress in recent years in making ELC and SAC services more affordable. As of 2 March, 93% of eligible providers have signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding, which equates to over 4,600 services. Core Funding is currently experiencing the highest total number of participating services since the introduction of the Scheme.
In September 2025, maximum fee caps were extended to all Partner Services in Core Funding. Under these fee caps, the fee for a full day place – of between 40-50 hours per week, the most common full day care operating hours – can be charged at no more than €295 per week. A parent being charged the maximum permissible fee of €295 per week for a full day place would be entitled to receive the universal National Childcare Scheme subsidy of €96.30, meaning their own co-payment would be no more than €198.70 per week. Higher subsidies are available for many parents, depending on their level of income and the age and number of children in their family.
Budget 2026 enables Core Funding to continue to support fee-control measures. It will ensure fees remain at 2021 levels for a majority of providers. Fee cap values were lowered for the programme year 2025/2026 and fee cap values will be lowered again, later this year, for the 2026/2027 programme year.
In relation to data on fees for parents, each year Pobal compiles data on fees from ELC and SAC providers as part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile (AEYSP). As part of the AEYSP survey, service providers are asked to indicate the fee charged for each care type before deductions for subsidies, such as the National Childcare Scheme, are applied. As the distribution of fees is skewed, with most data points having low values and a few very high values influencing the mean, the median value is reported below as it is considered more representative of the mid-point of the data.
The most recently published fee data for the 2024/25 programme year indicates that the average (median) weekly fee per child (before subsidies) was €200.00 for full day care ELC.
The fee data are available at www.pobal.ie/childcare/fees. Data collection for the 2024/25 survey took place between 6 May and 3 June 2025. In total, 4,225 services completed the survey during the data collection window, with a response rate of 87%.
It is important to stress that both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Shaping the Future: the Early Years Action Plan 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.
766. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has considered the views of ‘An Independent Review of the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme in Ireland’ in relation to the impact of the rigid age eligibility for the ECCE programme; if her attention has been drawn to the review’s suggestion for a degree of flexibility, especially for children who are just missing out on the cut-off age; if she will examine the flexibility referenced in the review in the North of Ireland and Scotland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17100/26]
View answerThe ECCE programme is a pre-school programme based on the National Practice Frameworks - Aistear and Síolta. The current ECCE Programme eligibility criteria were set based on a number of considerations, including national experience and a review of international practice. The lower age range is based on Tusla regulations for minimum adult-to-child ratios for children in early learning and childcare settings. These regulations take account of the needs and developmental stages of children. The current arrangements also ensure that all children have the same eligibility for 2 years of ECCE.
The Department accepts that the use of age limits in a Programme such as ECCE creates a situation whereby a child can fall just outside the age range, however, the Department must implement an age cut-off in the interests of fairness and consistency for all.
The independent review of the ECCE Programme, completed in 2024, examined how the programme is currently functioning and identified potential enhancements, informed by extensive engagement with parents, children, ECCE providers and educators. The review included consideration of the current age eligibility criteria and the potential for greater flexibility within these criteria. This review found that the younger age range in pre-school might struggle with the ECCE programme ratios, which is commonly 2 adults to 22 children in ECCE rooms. The review also made reference to practices in other jurisdictions which will be considered alongside all other elements presented within the review’s final report.
In line with the Programme for Government commitment to “evaluate options to amend the ECCE eligibility criteria”, Department officials are considering changes to the age eligibility criteria. Shaping the Future, the recently published Early Years Action Plan Phase 1 report, notes that the potential to extend the ECCE free pre-school programme and amend the age-eligibility criteria will be included in consultations and analysis under Phase 2 of the Action Plan. All changes to the Programme will require a thorough review of the evidence and consideration of the impacts on children, parents, and preschool providers.
767. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a plot (details supplied) has only been part excavated, will the Minister re-examine this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17130/26]
View answerThe investigation of burial arrangements in Mother and Baby institutions, including the former institution at Sean Ross Abbey, was an important part of the work of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes.
The Commission, which had specific investigative powers, directed a forensic investigation of the burial ground at the Sean Ross Abbey site. It did this in response to information that it had received that the graveyard, when still in use, had drainage works inserted through it and that, based on this assertion, there may be no remains at the site and it may never have been used as a graveyard.
Site surveys, reviews of planning files and an independent drain inspection was followed by a forensic-standard test excavation, with multiple trenches opened in areas across the site where anomalies were identified by the surveys. The investigation found that coffined infant burials were located across the designated burial ground and that these had not been impacted by drainage works. The Commission concluded that no further investigation was warranted. The report of the investigation, which details the objectives, methodology and results, was published in full in the Commission’s final report, with the survey and drain inspection reports included as appendices.
Following publication of the Commission’s final report, the previous Minister for Children engaged with a local group in relation to their concerns that an area beyond the acknowledged burial ground at Sean Ross Abbey may also contain graves. In 2023, funding was provided to the group for them to undertake a survey of the land in question, land that was not subject to forensic investigation by the Commission. That survey showed no clear evidence of burials.
768. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm the membership of the committee responsible for the adjudication of sites for the State-led provision of childcare and early years education services; the number of times it has met since its inception; the number of applications it has adjudicated on and the location of same. [17161/26]
View answerAn Early Learning and Childcare Capital Steering Group has been established to support and guide the programme of investment in State-led early learning and childcare. Its role is to provide expertise on project selection and programmatic issues. It will review business cases and appraisals prior to their being submitted for approval. It will also monitor and evaluate projects and the programme as a whole, assess risks, establish processes to support project selection, monitor wider change in the sector, and evaluate different delivery mechanisms and operational approaches within the programme.
Decision-making on projects and programmatic issues will rest with Department officials, with the Steering Group's expertise and insights providing a valuable input into that decision-making.
The Capital Steering Group is chaired by the Assistant Secretary for the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Division. Other members include senior staff with knowledge and understanding of the sector, another member of the Department's Management Board nominated by the Secretary General, and representatives from the Office of Public Works and the Department of Education’s Planning and Building Unit who bring technical expertise related to capital projects.
The Steering Group was established on foot of the establishment of the programme in January of this year. It has met once, and its next meeting is scheduled for later this month.
Preliminary Business Cases for a number of potential projects will be brought to that meeting of the group for consideration. This will inform a decision of whether to approve the projects in principle. This enables further preparatory and design work to be undertaken on those projects. I look forward to sharing details of projects as they are agreed.
769. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress of the implementation of a single agency for early years and school age care. [17162/26]
View answerOn 29th March 2022 Government accepted the findings of the independent Review of the Early Learning and Childcare Operating Model in Ireland that a dedicated state agency is the optimal operating model for the early learning and childcare sector for the years ahead.
Significant progress has already been made in advancing this ambitious and transformative reform programme. A Programme Oversight Board was established to oversee this important work. It was comprised of interdepartmental representatives alongside several external experts with experience at senior level in change management, large-scale reform, leadership, governance, public policy, and a knowledge of the sector.
DCDE engaged independent consultants Indecon in December 2023, on foot of a competitive procurement process, to undertake an initial phase of research, analysis and stakeholder engagement to inform the design of the agency. Indecon’s work is largely complete and in November 2025 a draft consolidated report was approved in principle by the Agency Programme Oversight Board. Those final edits are being concluded.
In the coming weeks further consultation and engagement with key Government Departments is planned. This will be in advance of returning to update Government, as was committed to in the decision of March 2022.
770. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE senior work practitioner posts that was filled at Kilbarrack children's disability network team as of 23 February 2026, in tabular form. [17232/26]
View answer771. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE senior work practitioner posts that were filled at Coolock children's disability network team as of 23 February 2026, in tabular form. [17233/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 770 and 771 together.
As this question refers to the service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
