Written Answers Nos. 663-682
663. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the new rules around maximum fee caps will apply to childcare providers who are re-entering core funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31855/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCore Funding programme year 2025/2026 introduced a new maximum fee cap for early learning and childcare services participating in Core Funding alongside record State funding of €390 million this year for the Scheme.
This new maximum fee cap introduced is for all new and existing services participating in Core Funding.
This applies to all services and scales across 6 bands, and therefore, the new rules around maximum fee caps will apply to providers who are re-entering Core Funding.
All Partner Services must adhere to the Agreement for the provision of Core Funding in programme year 4 when they sign up to Core Funding. This sets out the conditions of the scheme, including agreeing not to charge fees above what was charged to parents in September 2021.
In practice this means services who choose to re-join the scheme in programme year 4 will be required to revert to their September 2021 fees, and if these fees are higher than the new maximum fee caps they will need to lower them to re-join the scheme
Additionally, services can join Core Funding at any point even if they have previously chosen to leave the scheme.
664. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; the number of applications received; the number of appeals submitted; and the number of those appeals that have been overturned. [31856/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra665. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount of funding that has been drawn down under the redress component of the mother and baby institutions payment scheme. [31857/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra666. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when a review of the mother and baby institutions payment scheme is expected to take place; if her Department is considering extending redress to all children who spent less than six months in mother and baby homes as part of that review. [31858/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 664, 665 and 666 together.
As at Monday 9th June 2025, almost 6,600 applications to the Payment Scheme had been received, of which almost 6,300 are completed applications that entered the processing system. Decisions, or “notices of determinations” have issued in over 5,800 cases, over 82% of which contain an offer of an award and those applicants have six months to accept that offer. Once an offer has been accepted, a payment can be made and, to date, over 4,400 payments have been made. Some 2,440 applicants have also qualified for health benefits (an enhanced medical card or health support payment). The value of financial payments to date is just under €67 million.
All applicants who receive a notice of determination are entitled to a review and thereafter an appeal. Requesting a review is a very straightforward process for the applicant but it rightly triggers a very comprehensive assessment of all aspects of the application within the Payment Scheme Office. Ultimately a detailed report is prepared, followed by a thorough quality-check process before it is provided, together with the decision, to the applicant. If the applicant is still dissatisfied they can then easily request an appeal which goes to an independent appeals officer. Because the review process is so thorough, to date, just 43 appeals have been requested with 18 decisions issued, all of them affirming the decision of the Chief Deciding Officer.
The underpinning legislation for the Scheme provides for a number of reports and reviews to be produced. Section 48 provides for two reviews into the operation of the Scheme to be completed. The first is to be completed within six months of the Scheme’s second anniversary, by September 2026.
In the absence of these reports and reviews, it would be premature to consider changes to eligibility at this time.
667. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department plans for the National Centre for Research and Remembrance; actions are being taken in relation to its commemoration; and the amount funding has been allocated for this purpose. [31859/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Centre for Research and Remembrance, to be located in Sean MacDermott Street, Dublin 1, will comprise a museum and exhibition space, a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century, and a garden space for reflection and remembrance. This Centre will honour equally all those who spent time in Industrial Schools, Magdalen Laundries, Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, Reformatories, and related institutions.
The National Centre campus will also make a valuable contribution to the social and economic development of Dublin’s North East Inner City, through the provision of social housing units, further and higher educational facilities, and facilities for family and parenting supports.
A Steering Group, chaired by Mr Martin Fraser, former Secretary General to the Government and Ambassador to Great Britain, was established in April 2022 and is driving the overall coordinated development of the National Centre campus.
In July 2023, Government approved the masterplan for the National Centre campus and a preliminary business case for the main National Centre buildings. In March 2024 it approved the preliminary business case for the full National Centre campus. A major milestone was reached in February 2025 when planning permission was granted by Dublin City Council.
The development of the National Centre is multi-annual in nature and extensive work is continuing on the development of a detailed project plan, including timelines for development, with a number of Government departments and agencies acting in partnership. €10m is allocated to the project in 2025 under my Department’s capital budget.
In terms of commemoration more generally, the Department also funds a Commemorative Grant Scheme for those who spent time in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. This scheme aims to support survivor-centred advocacy organisations in commemorating their experiences in a way of their own choosing. Funding of €50,000 has been ring-fenced for this scheme for 2025 and organisations can apply for up to €2,500 per event to support their commemorative activities.
668. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions have been taken under the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to protect the sites associated with mother and baby homes; the engagement her Department has had with relevant county councils regarding the memorialisation and protection of these sites; and the steps being taken to preserve the dignity of these burial locations and the future use of these properties. [31860/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Institutional Burials Act 2022 provides the underlying legislative basis for an intervention, whereby the remains of those who died in residential institutions, and who were buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner, may be recovered and re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way. The legislation requires that Government must be satisfied that burials have taken place and must have evidence that those burials are manifestly inappropriate in order to appoint a Director of Authorised Intervention to undertake an excavation and recovery of remains at a site associated with a particular institution.
In 2022 the Government directed the establishment of an independent Office under the 2022 Act to undertake an intervention at the site associated with the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam. The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam was established in March 2023 and the Director appointed in May 2023. The Tuam Director recently announced that works to forensically excavate the site would get underway this week.
The Government’s response to the legacy of Mother and Baby institutions is set out in the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. Actions related to local memorialisation are being progressed by a working group established by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The working group’s report, which will include guidelines for how local authorities engage with survivors, including in relation to local memorialisation, is at an advanced drafting stage.
In addition, in November 2022, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage wrote to all City and County Councils requesting that Development Plan processes give adequate consideration to incorporating appropriate measures to ensure the protection of unrecorded burial sites associated with an institution.
669. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the annual budget allocation to the Decision Support Service; the number of staff employed each year; and the amount that was spent on the garden exhibit at the Bloom Festival. [31862/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for their question regarding the Decision Support Service (DSS).
The DSS was established under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, 2015 which commenced in April 2023. The DSS began carrying out its statutory functions upon commencement of the Act, however there was a period in advance of this during which the organisation was preparing for operationalisation, including the establishment of I.T. systems.
To facilitate the performance of its duties my Department has provided the DSS with the below allocations for the years 2021-2025.
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
5.8m |
7.3m |
8.3m |
9.075m |
10.438m |
In the performance of its duties, the DSS is responsible for the operation of many of the functions under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. These functions include promoting awareness and providing information about the Act, regulating and registering decision support arrangements, supervising the actions of decision supporters, maintaining a panel of suitable persons who act as decision-making representatives, special visitors and general visitors and investigating complaints regarding the activities of decision supporters.
The staff employed each year are as follows:
|
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025(Q1) |
|
1 |
1 |
9 |
9 |
18 |
50 |
94 |
117 |
115 |
These figures include staff in the Mental Health Commission corporate spine, who support the functions of the Decision Support Service and the Mental Health Commission and whose costs are split jointly between my Department and the Department of Health. These figures also include additional staff acquired in July 2024 to establish a dedicated EPA helpdesk which has become a key feature of the service.
All of this has helped to fund, staff, and promote a multi-year establishment project as well as to design and build a new public-facing State service for all adults in the State. The DSS ultimately exists to promote the rights and interests of adults who may need support with decision-making through a framework that emphasises the will and preference of each individual.
The fee for the show garden at Bloom was €50,000 plus VAT, which was the standard fee for a medium show garden as instructed by Bord Bia, who run the Bloom festival. The purpose of the 'Support Garden', which was designed by Joe Eustace, was to raise awareness, promote, and remind all Irish adults of the fundamental importance of planning ahead in all aspects of life. DSS staff handed out at least 3,000 leaflets which contained information about advance planning and contact details for their dedicated EPA helpdesk, and spoke to thousands more over the five days of the festival about the importance of planning ahead. The plants and furniture have been donated to two community-based initiatives.
670. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason AIM support educators funding is withdrawn when a child is absent due to illness or holidays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31905/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra671. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason for the current policy under which AIM support educators funding is withdrawn when a child is marked as absent due to illness or holidays on the HIVE system; if she is aware that services must continue to pay the AIM support educators during these absences; the actions her Department is taking to address providers concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31906/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra672. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason services are required to pay AIM support educators when they are out sick, while the provider is still caring for the supported child without any replacement or additional funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31907/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 670, 671 and 672 together.
The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department. My Department and Pobal have recently received a number of queries relating to the attendance of children in receipt of AIM supports, with regard to absences due to illness or holiday.
Pobal recently published a notice on the Early Years Hive – the Early Learning and Care and School Aged Childcare service provider portal for programmes funded by my Department in order to address these queries. This notice clarified that the rules relating to absences or under-attendance for children in receipt of AIM supports, as outlined in Section 10 of the AIM Programme Rules, have not changed.
Specifically, for AIM Level 7 (Standard), service providers must adhere to the absence and under-attendance rules set out in the Early Childhood Care and Education programme rules, which have been in place for a number of years. In line with these rules, Pobal must be informed through a ‘Prolonged Absence Review’ if a child in receipt of AIM supports is absent for four or more consecutive weeks.
It is important to note that service providers are responsible for their own employment matters. AIM Level 7 funding acts to either reduce the child-to-adult ratio in the room or to fund an extra staff member as a shared resource with other children in the setting. If AIM funding has been provided for additional support in a room, that additional staffing must be maintained.
The Deputy may already be aware that through the independent Joint Labour Committee process, a formal mechanism has been established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate terms and conditions of employment for different roles in early learning and care and school-age childcare services. Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by the Government through the Core Funding scheme, which has an allocation for this programme year alone of €331 million. I have secured additional funding of nearly €20 million in Budget 2025 for Year 4 of Core Funding. This brings the full year budget for Core Funding Year 4 to a minimum of €350 million. In addition, a maximum of €45 million in State funding to support services to meet costs of increased minimum rates of pay in the sector will be made available to services from September 2025 onwards. This maximum of €45 million is contingent on the establishment of new minimum rates of pay in the sector through updated Employment Regulation Orders.
673. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the latest figures regarding number of childcare providers in Dublin that are eligible for core funding; the number that signed up for core funding in 2024 and 2025; the number that have applied for a fee adjustment for 2024 and 2025; the number of those successful, rejected or pending a decision; the number of crèches that have appealed the decision, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31911/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile my Department cannot mandate providers to participate in Core Funding, every effort has been made to carefully design the scheme to meet the policy objectives including to achieve high levels of participation by providers.
Over 92% of services are currently signed up to year 3 of Core Funding.
The table below outlines the Core Funding uptake in Dublin City, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown , Fingal and South Dublin as per 23 December 2024:
|
Area |
Number of Services eligible for Core Funding |
Number of services signed up to Core Funding |
|
South Dublin |
228 |
203 |
|
Fingal |
305 |
262 |
|
DLR |
188 |
155 |
|
Dublin City |
437 |
384 |
|
Total |
1158 |
1004 |
The table below outlines the Core Funding uptake in Dublin City, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown , Fingal and South Dublin as per 9 June 2025:
|
Area |
Number of Services eligible for Core Funding |
Number of services signed up to Core Funding |
|
South Dublin |
230 |
206 |
|
Fingal |
309 |
264 |
|
DLR |
194 |
158 |
|
Dublin City |
437 |
380 |
|
Total |
1170 |
1008 |
The table below outlines the Fee Increase Assessment applications, number of successful applications and the number of reviews in Dublin City, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown , Fingal and South Dublin:
|
Area |
Applications |
Successful |
Unsuccessful |
Appeals |
|
South Dublin |
80 |
55 |
25 |
5 |
|
Fingal |
93 |
70 |
23 |
16 |
|
DLR |
68 |
40 |
28 |
3 |
|
Dublin City |
99 |
69 |
30 |
9 |
|
Total |
340 |
234 |
106 |
33 |
674. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE psychologists based in Waterford south city children's disability network team in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [31923/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
675. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE dietitians based in Waterford north city children's disability network team in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [31924/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
676. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE speech and language therapists based at Dungarvan children's disability network team in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [31925/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
677. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the findings and recommendations from the personalised budget pilot; her next steps to deliver an effective personalised budget model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31947/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraA personalised budget is an amount of funding allocated to an eligible person with a disability to enable them to make their own arrangements to meet specified support needs.
On foot of a commitment in the Programme for Partnership Government (2016) to introduce personalised budgets for persons with disabilities in Ireland, the then Minister of State for Disabilities, Finian McGrath T.D., established the Personalised Budgets Taskforce on 20 September 2016.
Published in 2018, the report of the Taskforce on Personalised Budgets recommended that the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive should establish demonstration projects to test the delivery of personalised budgets in an Irish context with a view to identifying the best approach for the wider roll-out of the model following the initial demonstration phase.
In 2019, the Department of Health formed an Oversight Group for the demonstration project which included representatives from the Health Service Executive and the National Disability Authority. Following the Group’s completion of an implementation plan, the first phase of the demonstrator pilot was launched in August 2019 with expressions of interest for participation sought from disabled adults in receipt of Health Service Executive funded specialist disability services.
In 2023, responsibility for specialist disability services transferred from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (now the Department of Children, Disability and Equality), and with it, responsibility for the Personalised Budget Demonstrator Pilot.
As of 12 February 2025, there are 130 active participants in the Pilot, with 50 people participating in the final Stage 4, the “Living Life Phase”.
The evaluation of the Pilot has commenced, led by the National Disability Authority, and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The evaluation will inform next steps in developing an effective model of personalised budgets in Ireland.
678. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE social workers and nurses, by grade, that are based in south Kildare children's disability network team in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [31969/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
679. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people with disabilities in receipt of home support hours in each LHO area as of 1 June 2025 or latest date available; the number of people currently on the waiting list for same in each LHO area; the number waiting 0-3 months; the number waiting 3-6 months; the number waiting 6-12 months; and the number waiting more than 12 months, in tabular form. [31986/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra680. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people with disabilities in receipt of personal assistance hours in each LHO area as of 1 June 2025 or latest date available; the number of people currently on the waiting list for same in each LHO area; the number waiting 0-3 months; the number waiting 3-6 months; the number waiting 6-12 months; and the number waiting more than 12 months, in tabular form. [31987/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 679 and 680 together.
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.
681. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of residential places for people with a disability currently being provided as of 1 June 2025 or latest date available; and if she will provide a breakdown of same, by CHO area, in tabular form. [31988/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra682. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new emergency places provided to people with a disability as of 1 June 2025, by local health office area, in tabular form. [31989/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 681 and 682 together.
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
