Written Answers Nos. 500-509
501. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any review has been undertaken since 2020 regarding the adequacy of aftercare supports for care-experienced young adults over 21 years of age, particularly those with histories of special care, psychiatric admission, severe trauma or placement instability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41130/26]
View answerStatutory responsibility for the provision of aftercare rests in the first instance with Tusla, as set out in the Child Care Act 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. Tusla is independent in the performance of its duties and may exercise discretion in carrying out its statutory functions.
Tusla has advised that the effectiveness of aftercare supports is evaluated primarily at an individual level, namely the assessment of need, the preparation and implementation of an aftercare plan, and the ongoing review and updating of the plan where needs change or where the plan is not meeting identified need. The focus is on whether the supports set out in the plan are aligned to assessed need and are assisting the young person to progress towards improved outcomes across the key life domains..
In 2022 the Department launched a research and data programme, Care Experiences: Journeys Through the Irish Care System, which is being run in close collaboration with the Child and Family Agency, Tusla.
The Care Experiences Programme comprises a combination of primary research and administrative data analysis to examine and better understand the lives of children and young people in care and aftercare and adults who were in care as children.
As part of the Programme, the Department has commissioned two studies which specifically look at the experiences and outcomes of those who have left the care system. One study has undertaken research with care leavers and stakeholders to explore the educational and career journeys of young care leavers. A second study is looking at the experiences and outcomes of adults who left the care system ten to fifteen years ago. Reports from these studies will be published this year.
Additionally, in 2023 Tusla published the Strategic Plan for Aftercare Services for Young People and Young Adults 2023 - 2026. The Department continues to engage with Tusla on the implementation of this plan with a view to improving aftercare services for care leavers, particularly those at risk of homelessness.
502. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration has been given to extending statutory aftercare eligibility beyond 21 years of age for vulnerable care-experienced young adults with complex needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41131/26]
View answerOfficials from the Department are currently progressing the development of The National Policy Framework for Alternative Care. The Framework will aim to articulate a future and Whole of Government vision of alternative care in Ireland, including consideration of eligibility for aftercare, and will also deliver on a Programme for Government commitment in this regard.
A robust consultation process is currently underway to support the development of the National Policy Framework, through which the views of members of the public, stakeholders, key workers and carers, and people with care experience has been captured. Eligibility for aftercare services has been raised by stakeholders as an important issue. The National Policy Framework is expected to be delivered in summer 2026.
503. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the new residential respite services being provided in County Kerry, in relation to children and adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41293/26]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
504. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare places currently available in County Kerry, broken down by childcare setting and age category; the number of children currently on waiting lists for childcare places in the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41340/26]
View answerEach year, Pobal compiles data from Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers as part of the Early Years Sector Profile. Data for the Early Years Sector Profile is typically captured in May/June of each programme year and as such, that data is not yet to hand. While ELC and SAC offerings vary across service providers and the allocation of ELC or SAC places is flexible, the published capacity data provides an estimate of the number of children enrolled in ELC and SAC and the percentage of services with at least one vacant place at a given time. It should be noted that only services who are contracted to deliver at least one DCDE funded programme/scheme (i.e. ECCE, NCS, CCSP) are invited to take part in the survey.
505. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the cancellation of summer childcare provision for children due to commence primary school in September 2026 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41342/26]
View answerI am aware that the service in question has notified parents that it will not be running early learning and childcare provision this summer. I am advised by Kerry Childcare Committee that this is due to staffing issues.
Kerry Childcare Committee are currently engaging with families affected with a view to securing alternative places.
On the wider issue of staffing, I am aware that recruitment and retention is a challenge for all employers.
In general, these wider challenges are not caused by insufficient supply of staff, but by high levels of turnover. A significant contributor to that turnover is low pay and conditions in the sector.
Although the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions. The Joint Labour Committee is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders, and is independent in its functions.
Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by Government through Core Funding. In this programme year, 2025/26, Core Funding has increased by 6% to approximately €350 million with an additional €45 million in ring-fenced Core Funding provided to support services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector.
More recently I announced another allocation of up to €15m of ring-fenced funding from September 2026, which amounts up to €45m for the full programme year, to support service providers with costs associated with possible increases in minimum rates of pay that may be negotiated via the independent Joint Labour Committee process.
A Sub-Group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum is also working to address recruitment and retention challenges. The Sub-Group has advanced initiatives including:
• A Student Fast-track Process for recognition of studies to work in service out of term, which is currently open for student for the summer months.
• The assessment of unfinished qualifications, where people who may have started a relevant qualification but did not get to finish it, can have what they completed assessed for meeting qualification requirements
• An agreement to promote careers in the sector. A communications campaign is currently under development and will include a series of videos aimed at promoting careers in the sector.
A longer-term workforce strategy for the sector is also in place: "Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028". Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in the sector.
506. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration is being given to the establishment of a targeted summer childcare support scheme for working families during school holiday periods, particularly for children transitioning from preschool to primary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41343/26]
View answerMany registered early learning and childcare providers operate year round and provide early learning and childcare places throughout the summer months.
These places are subsidised by the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) for a maximum of 45 hours per week.
Local Childcare Committees can provide details of such services to parents seeking a place.
In addition, children who meet the criteria and are entering primary school in September 2026 are eligible for the Summer Programme, operated by the Department of Education and Youth. The Summer Programme is for children with complex special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.
There is also wider initiatives to support with the transition to primary school.
The Department funds the National Parents Council to deliver both face to face and online transitions meetings for parents with children leaving pre-school and starting primary school.
The Little Library initiative which is funded by the Department in collaboration with the Local Government Management Agency and Libraries Ireland offers a free little library bag for every child starting primary school at their local library. The bag contains 2 books on the themes of making friends and starting school and resources for children and parents on transitions. Over 40K of these bags are collected each year.
The Tús Máith pilot in 5 counties in the Northwest of the country which is a collaboration between Childcare Committees and Education Centres connects pre-schools and schools in these counties to connect educators, teachers, parents and children to work together on making preparations for each of the children starting school. The learning from this pilot is informing policy.
The Department also runs a digital campaign every summer to give families all the information they may need to support both transitions in early learning and care and the transition from pre-school to school. The is a campaign on social media and is supported by the Let's Get Ready website which is a one stop shop for all information a parent might need.
The Department is currently working with the Department of Education and Youth and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and science on a National Transitions Policy. The Inter-Departmental Group has been established to develop the policy in 2026. The Group is working collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders to co-create the National Transitions Policy.
507. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a report on the progress made implementing the Programme for Government commitments within her remit and on the achievements since the formation of the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41379/26]
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.
508. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health further to recent comments (details supplied), to provide details of the Strategic Infrastructure Programme to plan for the replacement and expansion at public radiation oncology services currently under development. [40967/26]
View answerSuccessive national cancer strategies, together with the National Plan for Radiation Oncology and the clinical oversight of the National Cancer Control Programme, have underpinned and delivered significant investment in radiation oncology services, including new types of radiotherapy treatment and the opening of new state-of-the-art centres in Cork and Galway along with the ongoing phased expansion of the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network (SLRON).
To build on these improvements and taking account the clinical importance of this service and the growing patient population, there is a need to plan for the replacement of linear accelerators on a phased basis at all public radiation oncology centres. A key action for the Department and the HSE is the development and implementation of a Strategic Infrastructure Programme for linear accelerator replacement and, where appropriate, expansion at public radiation oncology facilities.
To develop this Programme, the Department is establishing a Working Group, including representatives from the Department of Health and the HSE. The Programme will be developed in line with sectoral policies and strategies including the National Cancer Strategy, the National Plan for Radiation Oncology and Health Infrastructure Investment policy (as set out in the Strategic Healthcare Investment Framework).
The Strategic Infrastructure Programme will examine current and future clinical and service needs and will provide a planned, coordinated approach to systematic replacement and, where appropriate, expansion of linear accelerator (LINAC) infrastructure and associated enabling works at publicly operated radiation oncology centres.
The Working Group will be chaired by Department officials and include representations from across HSE functions such as the HSE National Cancer Control Programme and HSE Capital & Estates. The Working Group may also invite additional expert input, including clinical, health planning and economic expertise, and may engage with other relevant stakeholders on a consultative basis, as required.
It is expected that the inaugural meeting of the group will take place in the coming weeks.
509. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current status of the capital approval and funding process for the redevelopment of the emergency department and wider capacity expansion project at Beaumont Hospital; whether the project remains within the National Development Plan capital pipeline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40813/26]
View answerThere are a number of significant proposals for capital investment in Beaumont. All are progressing through the requisite design and planning stages.
As a live hospital campus there is an added complexity in terms of planning, sequencing and enabling each of these projects. All of these proposals are being managed through the HSE capital development process in line with the Infrastructure Guidelines from the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
The proposed new Emergency Department at Beaumont Hospital received a final grant of planning in May 2025. The project is progressing through the detailed design stage at present. That detailed design will inform a tender and market engagement strategy for construction works that will ultimately determine construction timelines.
To address the interim need to increase ED capacity, a proposal is being advanced to increase front-end capacity of the existing ED, reconfigure it to improve patient flow and ultimately improve patient safety, dignity, and infection prevention.
A planning application was lodged in April 2026 for this 2-storey extension and refurbishment of the existing ED. A final grant of planning was approved by Dublin City Council on 1 July 2026.
