Written Answers Nos. 703-722
703. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE dietitians working at Coastal children's disability network team in the years of 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [32163/25]
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.
704. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether provision has been made in the Health Service Executive’s draft service plan for the establishment or support of an equine therapy centre in Tuam, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32188/25]
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.
705. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a timeline for the roll out of an adult disability service in Wicklow Town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32190/25]
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.
706. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will allocate funding to an organisation (details supplied) from the 2026 National Service Plan for a programme to directly employ nine senior physiotherapists nationally to enable 1,458 people living with multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions to receive group physiotherapy programmes and to deliver 3,726 individual appointments per annum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32250/25]
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.
707. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who, having been referred for assessment for ADHD/ASD, has yet to receive an appointment and has been advised that he will be waiting over two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32286/25]
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.
708. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she will consider, in collaboration with the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, introducing or promoting workplace supports, including possible menstrual leave or flexible working arrangements, for those affected by severe menstrual-related conditions such as PMDD; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32292/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to ensuring that workplaces consider the reality of employees’ lives and recognise that menstruation can be a key health issue for some women. The need for more awareness within the workplace of the impact of the symptoms of menstruation and related health issues is acknowledged by Government as necessary to promote changes in the culture, policies and practices in workplaces in order to lead to improvements in physical and mental health and wellbeing and work-life balance.
My Department will be commissioning research with a view to providing a range of advice to employers to better support employees suffering from severe menstrual symptoms or going through menopause. It will focus on understanding employees experiences of menstruation and menopause in the workplace and how symptoms limit their daily activities. It is planned that this study will begin later this year.
The next National Strategy for Women and Girls is currently in development and any research into workplace supports for those experiencing menstruation and menopause will be considered within this context.
709. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has engaged with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to proposed changes to the guardian ad litem scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32316/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAGALI (Association Guardian ad litem Ireland) is a professional organisation for Guardian ad litem in Ireland formally established in April 2025. Through the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), we understand there are approximately one hundred Guardians ad litem appointed by the Courts to 3,500 children (2024). Approximately, seventy Guardians ad litem are members to the Association. In preparation for the commencement of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022, Department officials has engaged with Guardians and litem including through AGALI over a number of years.
In March 2024, AGALI made a submission to the Department as part of the Department consultation process with a number of stakeholders. A response to the submission was issued in March 2024 by the Department. The submission received from AGALI, and other stakeholders inform the establishment of the Guardian ad litem National Service as set out in the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022.
In January 2025, the Department established an Executive Office, Guardian ad litem National Service with the appointment of the Director of the Service, Pat Bergin. The Director met with the chair of AGALI, Dermot Simms (Retired Judge) in March 2025 and the Director has provided three written updates to AGALI over this period. As part of the ongoing consultation, the Director has invited all appointed Guardians ad litem through AGALI to an information session on 17th June 2025. This engagement is a part on the ongoing going communication plan with Guardians ad litem and other stakeholders in relation to the commencement of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022.
710. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the budget that has been allocated to ensure the success of the proposed changes to the guardian ad litem scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32317/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2025 payroll budget for the Department has funded certain newly appointed staff members of the GAL Executive Office including a Director of the Service, Head of Corporate Services and the Head Guardian ad litem. A dedicated team of nine staff have also been redeployed within the Department to prepare for the commencement of the Guardian ad litem National Service. €400,000 non pay costs have been allocated in 2025 to further support the Executive Office establishment.
The Department have made budget provision to pay the fees being submitted by Guardians ad litem to the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) 2024 which was in the region of €10,000,000 in 2024. The Department also made budget provision for the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) to pay €11,000,000 to Tusla for legal services incurred on behalf to the Guardians ad litem. When the new service is established the resources available to TUSLA now to support the delivery of the GAL service will remain available pending final agreements as part of the normal estimates process.
As part of the Estimate process for 2026, the Department will also seek funding for requirements as identified by the Director to ensure successful operations of the national service.
711. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of guardian ad litem it is proposed will be employed under the proposed changes to the guardian ad litem scheme; the number of children each guardian ad litem will have responsibility for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32318/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraInformation available to the Department of Children Disability and Equality through the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) for 2024 indicate that there are one hundred individuals appointed as Guardians ad litem to approximately 3,500 children. The Executive Office is in the process of undertaking an analysis of this data so as to develop an operating model including the numbers of Guardians ad litem required in the provision of the Guardian ad litem National Service.
This potentially includes the direct employment of Guardians ad litem and / or the contracting of Guardians ad litem through a panel system or a combination of both options. The numbers of Guardians ad litem and pay grades of staff employed within the Service is yet to be finalised and approval will also be required from DPENDR. Approval will also be required from DPENDR for the hourly rate to be paid to Guardian ad litem on a panel. The Department is considering options and engagement will then commence with DPENDR for approval to proceed.
An analysis was undertaken by the Executive Office on the information provided to the Department by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) by the Executive Office on the caseloads for Guardian ad litem for 2024. The average numbers of children per Guardian working fulltime was 53. However, variances were significant ranging from Guardians ad litem managing from 18 children to over 100 children. The Executive Office is in the process of formalising case allocation and management system which will ensure appointments are equitable and professional informed to ensure the rights of all parties are met in a fair and transparent manner.
712. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the different pay bands there will be, and the criteria for each pay band, under the proposed new guardian ad litem scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32319/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is working to establish the new GAL service in line with legislation. Following analysis the Department is formulating a proposal on the potential pay and resourcing model for the Guardian ad litem Service for submission to DPENDR for approval and sanction
The potential alignment of the Guardian ad litem role to a paygrade within the Civil Service will consider existing rates and equivalent/ similar professional roles and grades. The process of engagement with representatives from DPENDER on the new GAL service has commenced and the outcome of these discussions will also inform the Estimates process for 2026.
713. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of WTE clinical nurse specialist based at Coolock children's disability network team in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [32337/25]
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.
714. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views in relation to a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32363/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for this question and acknowledge the challenges associated with the issue as detailed and the barriers that individuals may face, not least in relation to communication and mobility.
It is important to note that while eligibility criteria for different schemes and supports offered by the state can differ, in broad terms we do not define disability by way of reference to individualised impairments or medicalised diagnoses. For instance, the Disability Act 2005 interprets disability as meaning a “substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability”.
This definition takes a broadly functional approach to disability, recognising that an individual's specific circumstances, societal barriers, and medical history will all have an impact on the extent to which a person is or is not "disabled". This is in line with the social model approach to disability set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It also provides a more flexible definition to health and social care practitioners where specialised health needs can be addressed in a manner that is not tied to a prescriptive list of conditions - which runs the risk of inadvertently excluding people from recognition or supports.
In respect of the EU declaration detailed, Government is committed to ensuring that disabled people are respected as self-evident holders of the same human rights as all others, aligning with our obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
As regards services provided to disabled people, including those specified by the Deputy, the HSE provides a range of assisted living services including Personal Assistant (PA) and Home Support (HS) Services to support individuals to maximise their capacity to live full and independent lives. PA and Home Support Services are provided either directly by the HSE or indirectly through a range of voluntary and private service providers. The majority of specialised disability provision (80%) is delivered through non-statutory service providers.
Home support services are provided to both children and adults with a wide range of disabilities from physical and sensory disabilities to intellectual disabilities and autism. The home support service for children with disabilities assists the child with various activities and supports the parent/family. Over 3.8 million home support hours were delivered to more than 6,600 persons in 2024.
PA services provide one-to-one support to people with physical disabilities in their homes and communities. The PA service facilitates a person’s independence, aims to improve their quality of life, and supports them to participate in their local community. A PA support can range from a few hours a week to daily assistance. A vital element of this personalised support is the full involvement of the individual in planning and agreeing the type, times when support is provided to them and choosing the best way to use their allocated PA hours, to enable them to achieve maximum control over their life by tailoring their service to meet their unique support requirements. In 2024, approx. 1.85m PA hours were delivered to more than 2,700 adults across the country.
715. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide details of the amount spent or incurred by the Decision Support Service on PR consultants or PR advice in respect of the calendar year 2023, calendar year 2024 and 1 January 2025 to 31 May 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32400/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for their question regarding the Decision Support Service (DSS).
The Decision Support Service does not, and has never, retained the services of PR consultants. In that regard the communications and marketing section of the Mental Health Commission supports the organisation’s different divisions and services. The Mental Health Commission falls under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Health.
716. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding a review of the effectiveness of the Director of the Decision Support Service provided for under section 102(3) of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015; if it has been completed; the timeline for when the report of the review will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32401/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for their question regarding the Decision Support Service (DSS) and the statutory report regarding the effectiveness of the Director of that service.
The Decision Support Service is responsible for operating many of the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 as amended, including, inter alia, establishing a register of decision support arrangements, promoting public awareness, confidence and providing information and guidance about the Act, establishing panels of special visitors, general visitors and decision-making representatives and reviewing complaints in regard to the performance of decision-making representatives, co-decision makers and designated healthcare representatives.
Due to their central role in the operation of the 2015 Act, the legislation provides for the completion of a report, to be provided by the Mental health Commission to the Minister, on the effectiveness of the Director, on the adequacy of the functions assigned under the Act to the Director, and to include any such recommendations that the Mental Health Commission considers would improve these aspects of the legislation.
The Act sets out that this report must be submitted to me within two years from the date of the commencement of Part 9 of the Act, that is by end April 2025.
I can confirm that this report was received within the timeframe set out, and is currently being considered. The report will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in due course.
717. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department will take to ensure that a child (details supplied) will receive individual occupational therapy intervention in a timely manner; if her Department will liaise with the parent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32404/25]
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.
718. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm the number of childminders who work in their own homes that are now registered under the national childcare scheme in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32412/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt present there are 6 childminders operating with a National Childcare Scheme contract in County Cork.
The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the National Childcare Scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered providers are eligible to participate in the Scheme. The limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered childcare providers helps to ensure that public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision.
The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028, launched in April 2021, set out a pathway for the extension of registration to childminders. A key objective of the National Action Plan for Childminding is to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from State subsidies through the National Childcare Scheme. As a result of the commencement of the relevant parts of the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2024 and the Childminding Services Regulations, which came into effect on 30 September 2024, childminders are now able to apply to register with Tusla and can therefore also take part in the National Childcare Scheme.
This was a milestone in the implementation of the National Action Plan for Childminding. Phase 1 of the National Action Plan for Childminding, which is now complete, included extensive consultation with childminders, parents and other stakeholders.
The 2024 Act provides for a transition period of three years before registration becomes mandatory. This phased approach aims to facilitate the largest possible number of childminders to enter the regulated sector, the sphere of quality assurance, and access to Government subsidies, while recognising the time and supports required for childminders to learn about and prepare for registration.
During the transition period, supports are available for childminders at local level through the City and County Childcare Committees. Each City and County Childcare Committee employs a Childminding Development Officer, who provides a range of supports to local childminders, including a short pre-registration training course.
719. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department will take to ensure that a child (details supplied) will have access to an appropriate preschool education in their locality. [32438/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides free universal pre-school to children in the eligible age range however ECCE is not a mandatory programme.
ECCE is provided by private enterprises, either privately owned or operated by community organisations. Services are contracted with my Department to provide ECCE at no cost to the parent and subject to the programme's rules. My Department has no role in securing ECCE places for children.
My Department funds a national network of City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs) who provide support and advice to parents, including support on availability of ECCE childcare places, as well as assistance for parents on all aspects of childcare.
Any parent experiencing difficulty in securing an ECCE place for their child should contact their local CCC who may be able to assist them in this regard. Contact details for the Waterford Childcare Committee may be found at https://cccw.ie/.
On a broader level improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.
A forward planning model is in development which will be central to my Department's plans to achieve the policy goals set out in the Programme for Government to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity.
720. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she will take to ensure that the number of preschool places available in Dungarvan and west County Waterford meets the needs of the growing population in the region. [32439/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.
Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2023/24 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 19% from the 2021/22 programme year. Core Funding application data shows that between Year 1 and Year 3 of the scheme, annual place hours increased by over 15%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net increase in the numbers of registered early learning and childcare services in 2024. However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply, particularly for younger children and in certain parts of the country.
Demand for early learning and childcare beyond sessional pre-school provision is highly elastic and shaped very substantially by families' individual composition, circumstances, and preferences; employment patterns and income; and the price and availability of services.
A Forward Planning and Delivery Unit in my Department has been allocated additional resources and is focused on identifying areas of need, forecasting demand, and planning for the delivery public supply within the early learning and childcare sector where required.
A forward planning model is in development which will be central to my Department's plans to achieve the policy goals set out in the Programme for Government to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity.
My Department continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of Core Funding which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core Funding, which is in its third programme year, funds services based on the number of places available.
This provides stability to services, and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service. For the current programme year, the allocation for Core Funding allows for a 6% increase in capacity. Additional funding was secured in Budget 2025 to facilitate a further 3.5% increase from September 2025, in the fourth programme year.
The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme is designed to increase capacity in the 1–3-year-old, pre–Early Childhood Care and Education, age range for full day care. Core Funding Partner Services could apply for capital funding to physically extend their premises or to construct or purchase new premises.
I was delighted to announce recently the 49 applications which will be progressing to the next stage of the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme. These 49 applications come from a mix of Community Extension (24), Private Extension (7), Community Purchasing (4) and Community Construction (14) projects, which, when completed, will deliver almost 1,500 additional full time childcare places for 1-3 year old's across the country. I look forward to seeing how these projects progress over the coming months.
My Department funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees, which provide support and assist families and early learning and childcare providers. The network of 30 City/County Childcare Committees across the country can assist in identifying vacant places in services for children and families who need them and engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion among services, particularly where there is unmet need.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee for assistance. Contact details for the Waterford County Childcare Committee may be found at https://cccw.ie/.
721. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department’s website employs analytics tools (details supplied) that track website traffic using UTM parameters (for example, utm_source); if so, whether any visits have been recorded with a specific parameter or similar identifiers indicating traffic from ChatGPT; and to provide the monthly number of such visits, if recorded, for each of the past 12 months, in tabular form. [32493/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for his question. Below, in tabular form, is the information requested.
|
11-30 June 2024 |
Jul-24 |
Aug-24 |
Sep-24 |
Oct 24 |
Nov-24 |
Dec-24 |
Jan-25 |
Feb-25 |
Mar-25 |
Apr-25 |
May-25 |
1-11 June 2025 |
|
0 |
10 |
20 |
69 |
174 |
89 |
199 |
432 |
594 |
789 |
609 |
460 |
345 |
Please note – as you may be aware, in late 2024 the government analytics provider changed for operational reasons. Therefore the data for the period 11 June 2024 to 30 November 2024 is from Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The data supplied for the period from 1 December 2024 to 11 June 2025, is from our current analytics provider, Matomo.
722. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she can outline the plans being developed by the disability unit within her Department to increase the recruitment of speech and language therapists from abroad. [20997/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIncreasing the workforce in the Disability Sector is a key priority of Government as reflected in the Programme for Government. Whilst acknowledging the challenges, it is important to recognise that the disabilities workforce is growing year on year. For example, the Children’s Disability Network Teams Workforce Report for 2024 shows that the CDNT workforce increased by 17% when compared with the 2023 figure. That report was based on a survey conducted in mid-October 2024 by the HSE. Another survey carried out in April 2025 points to further improvement, with an increase in CDNT staffing levels of the order of 8% recorded in the previous six-month period. The HSE are currently validating the detailed survey data and expect the full report to be available in the coming months.
To continue the staffing level improvements seen in 2024 and to date in 2025 and to fill current vacancies, there are extensive domestic and international recruitment efforts across the HSE and section 38 and 39 organisations to recruit and onboard staff.
It is important to note that the HSE is operating in a very competitive global market for healthcare talent. There are significant shortages of qualified healthcare professionals across the globe, including speech and language therapists. Seven of the disciplines working in CDNTs have been included on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s Critical Skills Occupations List.
The HSE continues to work with overseas agencies to expand international recruitment of Health and Social Care Professionals, including speech and language therapists. Within this, there is a particular focus on Irish trained overseas applicants with a relocation package available to meet vouched expenses for those who have left Ireland. A commitment must be given by the candidate to remain in the employment of the HSE for a minimum period of two years.
The HSE and CORU have streamlined the process for registration of overseas candidates, resulting in a significant reduction in registration time. This facilitates the direct recruitment of registered professionals from the international market, particularly the UK.
The HSE has launched a comprehensive suite of supports to assist international candidates to navigate through the candidate journey from the initial steps of ‘Why Ireland’ through the application, selection, and onboarding process to settling in Ireland and building their future career. These supports are available on the HSE’s CareerHub portal.
On 15th May 2025, the HSE launched its first Virtual Career Fair, specifically focused on opportunities within Ireland’s disability services, including CDNTs. This event was open to international candidates and included information on career pathways and relocation supports. Employers are also supported in advertising internationally through the HSE’s CareerHub platform.
It should be noted that it is more difficult and takes longer to recruit and appoint international candidates compared to candidates who have gained their professional qualification from a recognised course in the Republic of Ireland. For this reason, international recruitment can be seen as one strand in the portfolio of workforce initiatives being undertaken by the HSE to support sustained growth of CDNTs and the wider Disability Service.
