Written Answers Nos. 681-698
681. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current staffing levels within the Gorey children's disability network team, including the number of sanctioned and filled posts in occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, psychology and dietetics; the length of time key vacancies have existed; and the measures being taken to fill these posts as a matter of urgency. [53235/26]
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.
682. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the procedures in place where a child requires specialist intervention that cannot be provided by their local CDNT due to staffing shortages; and whether the HSE considers it acceptable that children may remain without essential services because required professionals are unavailable locally. [53236/26]
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.
683. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason children referred to complex feeding clinics can be required to obtain assessments from CDNT professionals that are not available within their catchment area; and whether she will review these referral pathways to prevent undue delays in accessing specialist care. [53237/26]
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.
684. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated cost of the maximum pay uplift proposed by trade unions and Section 39 providers through the KOSI Section 39 process; the number of staff that would have been covered in said proposal; and based on this number, the estimation of the cost of funding full pay parity between Section 38 and Section 39 workers in the maximum scenario. [53363/26]
View answerThe WRC pay funding agreement reached last year between Government Departments and unions includes funding for a 9.25% pay increase for workers in community and voluntary health and social care organisations. Taken with the October 2023 Agreement of an 8% increase, this amounts to a 17.25% pay funding increase over a 3½ year period.
The agreement recognises that staff in these organisations should be fairly paid for the vital work they do. The agreement also includes an automatic link to future public sector pay agreements for these workers, to match the terms of all future pay adjustments.
This agreement improves the ability of vital organisations to actively recruit and retain staff, thereby enhancing the sustainability of services in the sector.
This increase will benefit around 17,500 workers in disability voluntary organisations and is equivalent to the current Public Sector Agreement.
In funding terms, the deal was estimated to cost up to €140 million per annum in additional investment across all the grant funding arrangements in scope under Section 39 (Health Act 2004), Section 56 (Child and Family Agency Act 2013), Section 10 (Housing Act 1988) and Section 40 (Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Act 2023). For those HSE services funded by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, the agreement involves an estimated uplift of €70 million for Disability services.
Funding increases to cover the cost within individual service providers are assessed and validated by reference to the statutory funding arrangements in place with the relevant Agencies on the date of the agreement. The actual costs incurred will be finalised once payments of all phases is completed for validated claims. The final 2% phase falls due for payment on 1 October 2026.
As part of the agreement a comprehensive data gathering exercise is being conducted on the pay and funding arrangements in the sector. The parties agreed that this exercise is crucial in order to create a shared understanding of the sector. Its outcome can inform targeted measures on the low pay issues that affect the delivery of services and the long-term viability of organisations. The exercise is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
685. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will investigate and address a delay in assessments of need for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53399/26]
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.
686. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide details of all grant schemes currently available through her Department for which individuals or community groups are eligible to apply; the purpose of each grant scheme; the eligibility criteria; the application process; the opening and closing dates for applicant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53410/26]
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.
687. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm whether the establishment of a specific scheme to replace the mobility allowance and motorised transport schemes (discontinued in 2013) is included within the plan of action for transport, as per the national disability strategy; and, if so, to provide a timeline for same. [53441/26]
View answerThe Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant were put in place in 1979 and 1968 respectively, for operation by the Health Service Executive at a time when there was limited availability of accessible public transport.
The Government decided to close these administrative schemes in 2013 to new applicants, on foot of the reports of the Ombudsman in 2011 and 2012 regarding the legal status of both Schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts. In 2013, the Government decided to continue payment of the monthly Mobility Allowance on an interim basis, to those who were in receipt of the allowance at the time that the Scheme closed.
Following a comprehensive public consultation process, the Department published the National Disability Strategy, which is a framework for collaborative whole-of-government action on disability policy, including transport and mobility.
The Strategy builds on work done under Action 104 of the previous National Disability Inclusion Strategy. Under Action 104, a Transport Working Group was established in 2020 to formulate proposals on how transport supports could be better coordinated across the state. The Final Report of the Group was published and is publicly available on the Department’s website.
The Department of the Taoiseach convened a Senior Officials Group to discuss how the proposals of the Transport Working Group final report can be progressed. Officials in the department are engaging and actively contributing to discussions on this matter, and outcomes will form a key part of ongoing work for the development of transport-focused actions under the next National Disability Strategy.
I am aware that the Department of Transport and its Agencies are also increasing access to public transport services by spearheading several initiatives focused on reducing the cost of public transport services. Collectively, these measures will benefit all members of society, including those with hidden disabilities.
688. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the steering committee for the national data equality strategy will commence its work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53442/26]
View answerThe National Equality Data Strategy was published in March 2026 and is available at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/the-national-equality-data-strategy/
This Strategy has been developed by the Central Statistics Office and my Department in partnership with a working group drawn from across Government and civil society. It provides a framework to support the collection and use of equality data across Government and sets out a plan to develop standardisation, guidance, and capacity-building to support this process over the period of 2026-2031.
Work is now underway on implementation, including the formation of a steering group to oversee, monitor and report on progress. This steering group will be largely comprised of members of the original working group that developed the Strategy. The first meeting of the group is planned for Q3 of this year.
689. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to support families in County Kerry and across the country by implementing the HSE Disability Action Plan (2024-2026), including a significant increase in respite, enhanced services and a commitment to provide an adequate number of long-term residential places for vulnerable citizens (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53528/26]
View answerI wish to thank the Deputy for raising this question. As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
690. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any review that is being carried out into the parental leave system to ensure that it is as beneficial as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53550/26]
View answerThere have been significant developments in entitlements for parents of working families in recent years. The Government is committed to supporting workers, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their child during their earliest years.
The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with 26 weeks of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave, alongside other entitlements such as breastfeeding breaks after the return to work, which have been extended to two years following the birth of the child, through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. Furthermore, since 20 November 2024, employees can postpone their maternity leave if they require ongoing treatment for a serious health condition as set out in the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Act 2024.
The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 provides the relevant parent (other than the mother of the child) with 2 weeks paid paternity leave. S.6(5) of the Act limits this entitlement in the case of multiple births to a single period of leave.
Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, working parents are now entitled to nine weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Parent's Leave is an individual separate entitlement and is non-transferable between parents.
Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco parentis’. Both parents have an equal, separate entitlement to parental leave.
The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. It transposes the Work-Life Balance Directive which specifically prevents the transfer of paid leave between parents in the interests of gender equality and of encouraging fathers as well as mothers to take such leave. Otherwise, there is a risk that only mothers would take the leave, potentially creating labour market disadvantages for them and that fathers would not be encouraged to take a greater share of their caring responsibilities.
A key priority in First 5, the whole of Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families (2019-2028) is to support parents to look after their babies at home for the whole of their first year given the benefits of parental care in that first year for children’s outcomes.
Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families and are also mindful of the impact of the leaves on workplaces.
The Programme for Government - Securing Ireland's Future commits to examining the extension of Parent's Leave and Benefit and additional flexibilities. The new National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 was published on the 18th of November 2025. The first Action Plan under the new Strategy is currently being finalised and will include actions to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work.
The first Action Plan is due to be brought to Government in the coming weeks. Any further changes to supports and family leave entitlements will be considered within this context.
The Programme for Government also commits to introducing Pay-Related Parent's Benefit and exploring other payments where a similar model could be applied. A pay-related model was introduced on 31 March 2025 for Jobseeker’s Benefit. The Department of Social Protection will draw on the learnings and operational experience from that scheme to inform the development of options for Parent's Benefit and other family leave schemes.
691. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the merits of amending the parental leave system to allow for greater time for parents of twins or other multiple births that would allow for greater supports to account for the additional challenges that these families face; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53552/26]
View answer695. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to providing additional parental leave and benefit to parents who have twins, triplets or other multiples, to reflect the greater demands that having twins or triplets has on parents, both practically and financially; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53728/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 691 and 695 together.
Significant improvements have been made in the entitlements to both paid and unpaid leaves in recent years, including by extending paid parent's leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their babies during their earliest years.
The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with 26 weeks of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave, alongside other entitlements such as breastfeeding breaks after the return to work, which have been extended to two years following the birth of the child, through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. Furthermore, since 20 November 2024, employees can postpone their maternity leave if they require ongoing treatment for a serious health condition as set out in the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Act 2024.
While the Maternity Protection Acts 1994-2004 do not explicitly refer to multiple births, the entitlement arises from the pregnancy and confinement, which are treated as a single event, regardless of the number of children arising. This applies also to the unpaid leave.
The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 provides the relevant parent (other than the mother of the child) with 2 weeks paid paternity leave. S.6(5) of the Act limits this entitlement in the case of multiple births to a single period of leave.
While the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 limits parent's leave to a single birth, since August 2024 the entitlement is nine weeks of paid leave for each relevant parent for each child, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.
Under the Parental Leave Acts, 26 weeks of unpaid leave can be taken by an employee who is a relevant parent to take care of a child. The upper age limit of the eligible child has been increased in 2019 to the age of 12 or 16, where the child has a disability or long-term illness. This allows a parent more time in which to avail of the extended leave entitlement. This leave entitlement is for each eligible child.
S.7(3) of the Parental Leave Acts also provides that the amount of parental leave in the case of more than one child is limited in a particular year, unless the children are of a multiple birth in which case this limit does not apply.
The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. It transposes the Work-Life Balance Directive which specifically prevents the transfer of paid leave between parents in the interests of gender equality and of encouraging fathers as well as mothers to take such leave. Otherwise, there is a risk that only mothers would take the leave, potentially creating labour market disadvantages for them and that fathers would not be encouraged to take a greater share of their caring responsibilities.
A key priority in First 5, the whole of Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families (2019-2028) is to support parents to look after their babies at home for the whole of their first year given the benefits of parental care in that first year for children’s outcomes.
Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families and are also mindful of the impact of the leaves on workplaces.
The Programme for Government - Securing Ireland's Future commits to examining the extension of Parent's Leave and Benefit and additional flexibilities. The new National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 was published on the 18th of November 2025. The first Action Plan under the new Strategy is currently being developed and will include actions to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work. The first Action Plan is due to be published in the coming months. Any further changes to supports and family leave entitlements will be considered within this context.
692. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the action that is being taken to address the urgent need for respite facilities in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52282/26]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
693. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the nature and term of the lease/rental arrangement Tusla has in place on a property (details supplied); when the arrangement will be ended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53671/26]
View answerThank you Deputy, for your question. As this relates to an operational matter within Tusla I have referred your question to Tusla to reply directly to you.
694. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration is being given to the reopening or replacement of the motorised transport grant scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53675/26]
View answerThe Motorised Transport Grant is a means-tested Health Service Executive (HSE) payment for people with disabilities who need to buy a car in order to retain employment. This payment is also for people with disabilities who need to have a car or other vehicle adapted in order to enable them to drive and, as a result, earn a living.
It operated as a means tested grant to assist persons with severe disabilities with the purchase or adaptation of a car, where that car was essential to retain employment.
The maximum grant, payable once to an individual in any three-year period, was €5,020.
The Government decided to close this scheme in 2013, on foot of the reports of the Ombudsman in 2011 and 2012 regarding the legal status of both Schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts.
The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 is Ireland’s plan to advance the realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
It is a framework for collaborative whole-of-government action on disability policy, including transport and mobility (Pillar 5). Responses to the matters around personal mobility will be considered in the context of this work the priority actions identified therein.
696. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE psychologist posts, by grade, filled at Clontarf CDNT as of 30 June 2026, in tabular form. [53735/26]
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.
697. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE qualified social workers that joined TUSLA in each of the years of 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and the number of qualified social workers that left TUSLA during same period, in tabular form. [53736/26]
View answerThank you Deputy for your question regarding Social Worker joiners and leavers. You will find the information publicly available in tabular form in the quarterly Performance and Activity Reports published by Tusla, which can be accessed here:
www.tusla.ie/data-figures/2026-performance-data/
For convenience see below figures
2024
• 226 social workers joined Tusla (came onto Tusla’s payroll) in 2024, 9 (4%) more than 2023 (217).
• 164 social workers left Tusla (i.e., resigned, career breaks excluding retirements) in 2024, 66 (29%) fewer than 2023 (230).
2025
• 236 social workers joined Tusla (came onto Tusla’s payroll) in 2025, 10 (4%) more than 2024 (226).
• 169 social workers left Tusla (i.e., resigned, career breaks excluding retirements) in 2025, 4 (2%) more than 2024 (165).
2026 - to the end of Q1 2026
• 38 social workers joined Tusla (came onto Tusla’s payroll)
• 28 social care workers joined Tusla (came onto Tusla’s payroll)
• 50 social workers left Tusla (i.e., resigned, career breaks excluding retirements)
• 35 social care workers left Tusla (i.e., resigned, career breaks excluding retirements)
Overall, staff retention in Tusla continued to improve in 2025, reaching 94.5% across the agency (up from 93.25% in 2024), while social work retention remained consistent at 91.5%.
698. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health her plans to roll out the Safer Nightlife Harm Reduction Programme to nightclubs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52631/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
