Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
7. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is satisfied that the number of childminding services registered with Tusla, and the numbers of childminders undertaking the pre-registration training, will be sufficient to meet the future demand in Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73088/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraRoughly 22,000 children will need childcare in County Clare by 2027. Only five services have registered and only 26 individual childminders have done the mandatory pre-registration training so far. With less than two years before these new regulations take effect, what is being done to ensure the number of childminders will be sufficient to meet the future demand in Clare by 2027?
I thank the Deputy. Childminders are a hugely important part of early learning and care and school-age childcare provision and they continue to be the option of choice for many families. The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 set out a pathway for the extension of regulation to childminders. A singular objective of the national action plan is to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from State subsidies through the national childcare scheme. The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the national childcare scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered childminders are eligible to participate in the scheme. The limitation of public funding schemes to Tusla-registered providers helps to ensure public funding is provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision.
It must be noted that childminding regulations only came into effect in September 2024, with a statutory transition period of three years ending in September 2027. Registration is therefore not mandatory until the end of this transition period. 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. The childminding-specific regulations are designed to be proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting in which childminders work. The regulations differ substantially from regulations for centre-based childcare. While the Department has successfully completed phase 1 of the national action plan, considerable work lies ahead during phase 2 in supporting the large number of unregistered childminders to register with Tusla and take part in the national childcare scheme before the end of the transition period, in County Clare and right around the country.
I fully understand the sense of uncertainty and anxiety childminders may be experiencing in this period of transition. Communication is essential to overcoming this. A national communications strategy is a key element in phase 2 of the national action plan during the transition period we are now in. Work on this communications strategy has begun with the aim of informing childminders and parents about the changes, the supports available and what to expect. The Department has committed to a review of the initial implementation of the childminding-specific regulations in phase 2 also. I aim to meet Childminding Ireland on a one-to-one basis before the review of the regulations commences.
I thank the Minister. In Clare we will need roughly 170 childminders to accommodate the number of children who use individual childminders' services. My experience on the ground in Clare is that existing services are already under huge pressures, with long waiting lists, very limited availability in many areas and, unfortunately, increasing numbers of childminders shutting up shop. I acknowledge the need for registration but am very concerned about how this will play out if there is not a well-thought-out strategy put in place to retain existing childminders and encourage new entrants to the sector, which is vital and important for our young generation in these very demanding times.
I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge that the issue of childminders and registration and the challenges they might face has been consistently raised in this Chamber.
I do not wish to be repetitive but I will say again that I absolutely acknowledge that childminders are an incredibly important and valuable resource in the whole sphere of the childcare sector and I want them to continue in the business. I have to ensure they are regulated and, as has been said, I do not think any childminders are opposed to that. However, it is an important element of child safeguarding.
There will be a review - I spoke about it earlier - as early as possible in 2026. That will be important for engagement. I have also given a commitment that I will meet Childminding Ireland before that review commences. Yesterday, I published Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan. The action plan commits to restructuring the core funding pilot for registered childminders in 2026 - in other words, a number of childminders in the pilot are part of the core funding process. That will also be restructured going forward to bring more and more into it. That is my ambition anyway. I am committed to continuing to work with childminders to make it as easy and accessible as possible for them to come within the regulations.
My main concern is that there will only be a trickle of applications for the training and a then a flood at the last minute. We can be smart and avoid that last-minute surge by putting in place a planned, targeted information campaign for next year, possibly using the childcare committees. This would ensure that any misinformation about the process is countered and that anyone who might be interested hears about this well before the deadline, which is important. We could take this campaign directly to parents by going to schools. This would drive a huge awareness campaign at local level, especially in more rural areas where the impact will be mostly felt.
I appreciate that the Deputy has come with many positive suggestions for how we can collaboratively support childminders going forward. Already the Department provides funding to each of the county and city childcare committees so that there is a specific individual who is a childminding development officer in place in each of the committees to work directly with childminders. That is an important access point for childminders and it will be drawn upon more and more. I have already outlined a stronger communication campaign which we are in the process of undertaking. We will do all we can - and I appreciate the many examples the Deputy gave - to ensure the maximum number of people are engaging on a consistent basis before 2027. It is a feature of life that there is always a rush towards the end and I absolutely accept that it would be better if there were a consistent registration so we will continue to work on that. I appreciate the Deputy's input.
9. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to address the waiting time for assessments of needs, considering there are in excess of 18,000 children waiting for such an assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73106/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMore than 18,000 children are currently waiting for an assessment of need and this figure is expected to increase to between 22,000 and 25,000 by the end of the year. These are children whose lives are suspended. They are waiting for assessments so they can receive the medical and educational supports necessary for their continued development. As the Minister of State will be aware, early intervention is crucial and that intervention is being denied to many children. The long waiting lists affect development as they cannot access the supports they need. How will the changes the Minister proposed last week assist in rectifying this breach of the law?
I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to address this on the floor of the House. The delivery of an effective, efficient assessment of need system is a priority for the Government. There has been intensive work by the Department of Health and the HSE. Demand for assessments of need has increased significantly in recent years. Applications may be in excess of 11,000 this year compared with 4,700 in 2020. That represents a doubling in five years. This reflects both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child. The impact of this increased demand has contributed to more than 18,000 applications being overdue for completion nationwide at the end of September. We will have figures for the end of this year shortly. In September, there was a 42% increase on this time last year.
More positively, there has been continual improvement in the number of completed assessment of need reports. Over 4,500 reports were completed in the first nine months of this year, a 57% increase compared with the same period last year. This improvement has been bolstered by significant investment by the Department in the targeted waitlist initiative, which focuses on the families waiting longest for assessments of need. More than 6,300 clinical assessments have been commissioned from private providers under the initiative since it started in June 2024. Budget 2026 provides for the continuation of this initiative next year, with €20 million provided for the delivery of some 6,000 clinical assessments.
Last week, the Government announced a series of reforms to the assessment of need process that will make the process more effective and efficient for children and their families. Over time, this should lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment. This reform includes changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005, which provides for assessments of need. I will elaborate further.
My concern about the changes announced last week are that they risk deepening the chaos already prevalent in special education and that we are placing an additional administration burden on educators. In Limerick, for instance, 259 children are waiting for an assessment of need and none of them was met within the statutory timeline so the Government is failing those children with zero of 259 children having been met. The fact remains that the Government is in daily breach of the law by not honouring the requirement to provide an assessment of need within six months.
I urge the Minister to initiate a new campaign to recruit people to services, to advertise it properly - unfortunately, that was not done the last time - and, if sufficient applications are not received, to expand the drive internationally if we need to do so. The removal of the need for a formal diagnosis to access a special class or special school placement and its replacement raises concerns, not only with me, but with the teachers' unions which said they were not consulted in advance of last week's announcement, which is disappointing to say the least. It is not acceptable for this responsibility to be pushed onto educators without them even being consulted. Decisions on the necessary supports should remain the responsibility of qualified educational and disability professionals.
It goes without saying that the issue of assessments of need has been a disaster for a considerable time. There is much unease about the proposals that were put forward. One of the issues with the proposals is that they are only an indication of a proposal. We had an engagement earlier in the week and if we are talking about removing the need for assessments of need in schools, it is a fact that we are talking about something that is a few months away from being completed. Will the Minister of State give an indication of how she and the Department of education will come up with a process and by which means children will be assessed for the appropriate class, special class or mainstream education with supports? That is vital.
The Minister of State has said previously that there is not always a need for an assessment of need to access the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, or primary care but we all know the issues. Children get bounced back and there is a real need to deal with that. The problem with primary care is that the service that was once there is not there at the moment.
I thank both Deputies. I was delighted to engage with the cross-party group on autism about this issue the day before yesterday. The direct question about the education plans was how the process will be formulated, and the answer is through consultation. The Department of Education and Youth has indicated to us that it is willing to explore how to get to a point where it can remove an assessment of need as a requirement for entry to special schools and special classes. It will now consult on how best to do that with relevant stakeholders and officials and will come back to the Taoiseach through the Cabinet committee on disability in the first quarter of next year with a proposal for how and by when it can make it happen.
On people being bounced from list to list, one of the things announced this week was the single point of access, which is the HSE's new system to ensure there is no wrong door and that when children get to the top of a list, they are not pushed to the bottom of another list. This is a service-based and needs-based approach the HSE is implementing in collaboration with our Department.
Last week's announcement was an attempt to shift responsibility to schools and mask the failure overseen by this and previous Governments.
However, I do note that each team will include a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist and an administrator. Where will they come from? Is it not a better approach to have a proper recruitment campaign and try to access the resources that exist that we have not been able to harness so far? The change will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an assessment of need for their children nor will it alter their statutory six month-timeframe in the Disability Act. It does not explain how the Government will achieve this legal obligation of accessing an assessment of need within a six-month period. Will the Minister of State advise how this change will assist these children who are waiting for 27 months or more for an assessment? These children need their assessments and they need to have them completed within the six-month period. What we and the children need to see is an urgent workforce plan to recruit and, more importantly, to retain the staff we have already to deliver this important service without breaching the rights of these children. Every month and every single day that an assessment is delayed impacts children.
We all support the idea of a single point of access. My understanding is there will be 11 teams delivered in 2026 and then nine teams in 2027. That all sounds grand but I would follow up on what Deputy Quinlivan said. At this point I imagine, because we cannot always get the updated figures, we are looking at 300 or so positions unfilled in the CDNTs. I would like if that figure was lower but how do we recruit the OTs, SLTs and psychologists to those teams? How do we recruit to these new teams? How will these new teams work? We are all supportive of therapies within schools and involving the schools, the parents and everyone involved in the child's life. Assistive technology is absolutely important at that point. How do we get that recruitment process done while we are recruiting to all these bodies at the same time because many advocates have said there are difficulties in relation to this?
On the same line of questioning, if we reduce the waiting list so quickly then the next waiting list is for the therapy, so there will still be a huge number of children waiting for therapies, particularly speech and language. I referenced in the Dáil this week the children with Down's syndrome who are waiting. What happens when all of those children are added to the list?
I thank the Deputies. Can I be really clear? Last week's announcement was about children with disabilities who require therapies and that is exactly what we are setting out to achieve - the delivery of therapies regardless of children's disability. There is a six-pronged approach here. The heads of Bill have now been published. They will go through pre-legislative scrutiny at the Joint Committee on Disability Matters. We have committed to informing parents earlier about when a decision is arrived at as to whether or not their child has a disability. We have the HSE's new model of having a single point of access which we have discussed and which will be supported by additional recruitment. Between that and the autism assessment process and protocol, which is also a huge part of this, they will be supported by 11 inreach teams next year and 20 inreach teams by the end of the following year. We are also recruiting within our own teams - the CDNTs. We have had a 27% increase in staffing in the 18 months up to April of this year. We have 45,000 children now receiving therapies through our CDNTs and I would like to thank our staff and our clinicians who are delivering those. We are also supplementing our assessment of need process by outsourcing. We will outsource 6,000 of those next year. That frees up therapists to work with children to deliver the therapies they need.
12. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures she is taking to improve disability services in Kerry. [72874/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for State with special responsibility for disabilities, I am committed to delivering a step-change in supports and services for people with disabilities and their families, ensuring they are enabled to live full lives of their own choosing and on an equitable basis with everyone else in society. The Department has been working closely with the HSE to deliver on this ambition and improve disability services for all who use them.
The Deputy will be aware that services are provided on the basis of need and funding is provided now through the regional health areas, RHAs. The Deputy has asked about the improvements being made to disability services in Kerry, which falls within the HSE South West RHA. As part of a broader programme of work, the HSE, with the support of the Department, has progressed a range of service improvements in the Kerry area. As previously stated, the programme for Government includes a commitment to the continued expansion of all types of respite services, building on additional investment and progress over the past few years. The HSE South West disability service operates separate children and adult regional respite forums. Each forum manages the referral and respite service provision for the population of the region to ensure equitable access to respite services, consistent with each person's assessed need and preference. Service provider representatives and HSE South West disability service personnel comprise the membership of the regional respite forum. The HSE South West disability services provide a range of respite models for children and adults and these include: residential overnight respite centres, after-school clubs for children and young people, in-home support, outreach support and holiday breaks for adults. These options ensure that respite is provided in the manner which best meets the needs of the people and their families and carers.
RHA HSE South West, which extends to the Cork and Kerry areas, provided 17,181 respite overnights in 2024, 2,833 day-only respite sessions and supported 760 people with a disability. Kerry residential respite services for children aged between 6 and 18 years of age are delivered by St. John of God Services. There are two residential respite houses, one in north Kerry and one in south Kerry. Each house has four respite beds and operates seven days per week, with planned closures this equates to approximately 2,800 respite beds for children.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I remember attending a meeting in Listowel last year when the services in north Kerry were closed. It turned out that they were reopened but there were such levels of stress and anxiety among the families and the service users who were used to attending the service, which was just outside Listowel, the north Kerry service the Minister of State mentioned. Will the Minister of State guarantee to expand those services because it is a county where, for example, we have only have two early school intervention classes in the whole of the county whereas County Cork has 22 of them and there are three in the town of Mallow alone? The early services are not there and they need to be expanded. I will come back to it in a few minutes but the NCSE letters that have been sent out are a matter of grave concern also.
Just to advise the Deputy that our Department and the HSE are currently auditing respite services to have better visibility and to be able to plan better and make decisions based on the need. It is our intention to increase both overnight and day respite next year throughout the country. That will be part if the HSE's national services statement and national services plan and we will be making the decisions on that based on the level of current provision and the level of identified need in an area. I hope that is of benefit to the Deputy in terms of his own county.
The NCSE recently said it is saying it is no longer in a position to issue letters of eligibility for ASD classes in schools and special schools because it issued a deadline on 1 October and it is using that as an excuse to tell parents they are not getting places and to contact the school for any additional supports. Clearly, it is not appropriate to issue a final deadline like that. There is huge stress and anxiety among the parents. We heard earlier about the judicial review and there are legal challenges available to some of those parents where they are not getting the services they require. Will the Department give more flexibility so that people can access the proper services in a timely manner?
Just to clarify, the NCSE is under the remit of the Department of education rather than our Department. I know this is something the Minister of State with responsibility for special education and the Minister for education are looking at.
Together with the NCSE, they had set a date of 1 October for applications. That was to be able to give the parents better clarity, better security and early decision-making ahead of the coming academic year. I appreciate that there are parents who may have been in a position to provide information after this date. That is something I have raised directly with the Minister of State with responsibility for special education.
14. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her proposals to provide additional respite capacity for adults and children with disabilities in County Monaghan. [72976/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister of State may be aware that until last year, Monaghan had no respite facilities for children at all. The services it has currently are incredibly stretched. I ask the Minister of State to outline the proposals to provide additional respite capacity for both adults and children with disabilities in County Monaghan.
HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East and the disability services in the Cavan-Monaghan IHA service area have identified a premises for sale that is suitable for the purposes of renovation to develop a HSE respite centre for children. The purchase transaction has been approved and completed. The keys of the premises have been transferred to HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East. The premises are located at Drumbear, Ballybay Road, County Monaghan.
Following the conclusion of the preliminary design stage with disability services in quarter 3 of 2025, the HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East office, through the appointed design team, has progressed with preparing a planning application for the proposed development, to be lodged no later than the end of January 2026. Subject to statutory approval of the planning application, it will be the HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East office’s intention to commence the preparation of tender documentation for the project. The HSE will then complete a capital project to prepare the property to deliver a five-bedroom residential respite facility.
HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East has advised that, if all of those steps go according to the timeframe set out, this project should be completed in quarter 4 of 2026. The number of children who will avail of respite in this new centre will be dependent on the assessed individual needs of each child and his or her family. In order to legally operate as a registered residential respite centre, a facility will need to meet the required standards for a designated respite centre, which is assessed and determined by the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA.
Cavan-Monaghan disability services secured a commitment for funding for an interim, two-year residential respite service for children in County Monaghan pending the development of the new HSE facility. The location of the interim children’s respite centre for Monaghan is at Urbalkirk, approximately 8 km from Monaghan town. The Talbot Group operates the service under a service arrangement with the HSE. The interim children’s respite centre, called Rainbow Lodge, became operational on 1 October 2024. Retention of this respite centre’s services will be contingent on future funding considerations. Cavan-Monaghan disability services helped prepare capital submission documents for the national HSE capital and property steering committee to seek approval and funding to provide a stand-alone respite centre for adults with an intellectual disability in County Cavan.
I welcome that progress is being made on a permanent respite centre for children in Monaghan. However, I am deeply concerned by what the Minister of State referenced in relation to Rainbow Lodge, which is an interim measure. The Minister of State indicated that its future is contingent on funding. It would be completely unacceptable if Rainbow Lodge were closed before the permanent centre opened. I appeal to the Minister of State to take a hands-on approach to this. Even the new centre with five bedrooms is going to be at or above capacity on day one. I suggest it would make eminent sense for the HSE and the Department to ensure that Rainbow Lodge is maintained as a respite centre, even beyond the construction and completion of the new centre.
There is huge demand for respite services. Rainbow Lodge is operating well. It is incredibly popular with users and a huge relief to the families who have benefited from it. It would make sense to maintain both respite centres into the future.
As the Deputy is aware, Rainbow Lodge is an interim children's respite centre. It came into operation on 1 October 2024. Retention of this respite centre service is contingent on future funding considerations. I take on board what the Deputy has said in relation to the new centre coming on board at the end of next year, and that there may perhaps be a gap. I take that feedback on board and will bring it back to my officials.
Regarding respite services for adults and children in County Monaghan, I draw the Deputy's attention to the fact that there is also Annalee View Respite Centre. The HSE disability service in IHA Cavan Monaghan operates one respite centre directly in County Cavan, which is in the Deputy’s area. Steadfast House is an overnight respite centre in County Monaghan. It is a HSE-funded, section 39 provider, which is funded under a service agreement with the HSE to provide 1,500 respite nights per year. Following the submission and approval of additional funding in 2024, the number of respite nights increased from 840 per annum to the current level of 1,500. Mountain View Respite Centre, in County Cavan, provides services for adults with physical and sensory disabilities from both Monaghan and Cavan. It opened in November 2026.
The Minister of State said Rainbow Lodge is contingent on funding. She is the one who provides the funding. Has she allocated sufficient funding for Rainbow Lodge to operate throughout 2026?
Second, Annalee View is a respite centre that operates one week for adults and one week for children. The truth of the matter is that there is a deficiency in respite places. As the Minister of State outlined, it can be a lengthy process to provide new respite services. If we have a respite centre that is up and running, and operating well, which the users love and the families think is a great service, it would be illogical to close it down. I contend that if it is closed down, at some point in the future, another Minister will have to start the process all over again.
Will the Minister of State confirm that the funding is in place for 2026? Will she confirm that she will actively pursue keeping Rainbow Lodge open, even post the second and permanent respite centre being in place?
The Deputy described a deficiency in respite care in Monaghan. I assure him that the Department and the HSE are currently auditing respite services to give us better visibility of the full picture regarding the provision but also, more importantly, the need. We have additional funding next year that we sought through budget negotiations. That will be part of the HSE's national services plan that is to be published. To clarify, we will be making the decisions as to where the funding goes based on the current level of provision locally but also based on need. The Deputy has clearly outlined a case for why Monaghan needs further investment. If the HSE figures add up on that, we will absolutely be looking at it.
15. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will respond to a HIQA report published following an inspection of Tusla services in Dublin north city; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71909/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI want to give the Minister the opportunity to respond to the HIQA report that has been published recently in relation to Tusla services in Dublin north city.
The HIQA inspection was carried out between 24 June and 30 June 2025. The inspection was a monitoring inspection of the Dublin north child protection and welfare service to assess the progress made on the actions identified to address non-compliance during the previous inspection in May 2024. The inspection identified that significant system risks previously escalated to the Tusla regional chief officer following the April 2024 inspection had not been addressed, and required escalation to the Tusla national office following this inspection. In this inspection, HIQA found that of the five standards assessed for compliance with the national standards for protection and welfare of children, all five standards were deemed to be non-compliant.
The HIQA findings from its inspection of Tusla’s Dublin north city service area have been escalated within the Department. Tusla has submitted an action plan to address all areas outlined for improvement as a matter of urgency. This plan was accepted by HIQA. Since the inspection, Tusla has made significant improvements and rectified almost all areas highlighted by HIQA, with any remaining actions being addressed as a matter of priority. To oversee the implementation of this compliance plan, Tusla has established a child protection and welfare governance implementation group, which meets weekly.
Following the inspection in June 2025, Tusla’s practice assurance and service monitoring team completed a 12-month, full audit of child-in-care referrals categorised as abuse. This was to ensure that screening, assessment and notifications were completed as required.
Tusla has increased the number of social workers at the front door of the service from three to eight and 94% of child protection and welfare referrals in Dublin north city are now screened within two working days. In relation to staffing shortages noted in the inspection report, Tusla is currently reviewing administrative capacity in the service area to ensure staff are being utilised effectively and to identify areas for improvement. The agency continues to move to a more multidisciplinary way of working to address challenges in recruiting a sufficient number of social workers from a very competitive and limited market. Since the inspection, Tusla has also undertaken a review of the governance structure and oversight processes in the service area relating to the receipt and management of referrals and case allocation in accordance with relevant policy, procedures and guidance.
I am glad to hear, and obviously the Minister has had it confirmed, that progress has been made in relation to the very serious findings not only in the initial inspection in April 2024 but also when HIQA went in well over a year later in June 2025 and things were not much improved at all. One example HIQA gave was a child with a disability who was non-verbal awaiting completion of a preliminary inquiry and safety planning for over two months. It reminded me, I have to say, of the Grace case - a non-verbal child with a disability waiting two months. Many other examples were given. There was an allegation of physical abuse by a parent against a child and they waited over four weeks. It was found the service was not safe, adequate or timely and where the screening for Tusla is supposed to be 24 hours, it was taking six months. I welcome if it is now two days. The likes of these cases really need to be checked on. We know the service also said things were done that were not done which was found when the inspection follow-up took place. I ask that a really close eye is kept on this.
I accept that there is and was incredible urgency to ensure matters were rectified as a matter of priority. I acknowledge the work of Tusla in that respect. It has increased the number of social workers and 94% of all cases are now seen within two days. There is very strong oversight of the operation. The Dublin north city area team, with support from Tusla’s regional and national teams, has worked diligently in an incredibly challenging environment to make significant improvements and rectify almost all areas highlighted by HIQA. Plans are in place to address any outstanding items and Tusla has been in close communication with HIQA during the implementation of the compliance plan. It is really important that HIQA is kept in the loop. Concerning Tusla more generally, budget 2026 saw Tusla receive increased funding of €165 million to continue providing vital child welfare and family support services, bringing its funding up by 14% to €1.37 billion.
When the word "allocated" is used, the figures look like a child is allocated to a social worker and therefore getting support but we also know from the HIQA report that some children were allocated to staff on extended statutory leave and had received no contact. We need to be careful in relation to what "allocated" actually means and that it is not just that a case is allocated but the case and the child concerned in that case is actually being seen and getting the support needed. There is also a need for consistent oversight. The HIQA report stated, "It was a significant concern, given that the significant risk’s identified in the April 2024 inspection, that the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) returned by the provider in advance of the [June 2025] inspection had deemed the service area to be substantially compliant ..." Of course, it was not. HIQA was misled. I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the very many good social workers but where they do not have the resources, their hands are tied. This should be a lesson to all of us in terms of what can go on in some of these services. Consistent oversight is needed.
The HIQA report on Dublin referred to by the Deputy sets out specifics. The questions raised by parents all over the country are similar to the questions raised in the context of the HIQA report and Tusla. What is the process in Tusla to respond to individual complaints of a serious nature? Is it expected to respond to and deal with issues or is it the case that parents have to go further? I referred to the Jones case recently in the Chamber and I refer to it again now. I referred to a child being cared for in a hotel setting which is unacceptable. All of these things are in breach of proper procedure and standards. Given the reports I have read, Tusla needs a complete reform and overhaul in order to deal with this. I ask the Minister to insist that the CEO of Tusla respond to queries and not make false promises.
To go back to the case highlighted, in the intervening time, it has to be an absolute priority. I welcome the HIQA report because where things are not right, it must be highlighted and rectified. Tusla submitted the action plan which was accepted by HIQA. Since the time of inspection, Tusla has made significant improvements and rectified almost all of the issues, for example, 94% of all cases are now screened within two days. That is really important. I do not take from the challenges and I appreciate that Deputy Kerrane has acknowledged the very strong work ethic of really good people on the ground dealing with very changed, different and challenging circumstances. I acknowledge that work as well. New oversight has been put in place. Resources were referenced by Deputy McGuinness. Resources for Tusla have increased significantly to €1.37 billion, a significant uplift which Tusla itself has acknowledged. In terms of attracting staff, there are new schemes such as earn and learn for social workers and recruitment from abroad. More will be done in this area going forward.
18. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when a report by the special rapporteur on child protection will be published; if part of the annual report has been furnished to her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71911/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI want to ask the Minister about the awaited annual reports from the special rapporteur on child protection and when they will be published. The special rapporteur was appointed in February 2023; it is now almost 2026. It is actually coming to the end of her term and we have not seen any report whatsoever unless the Minister has. I would appreciate an update on this.
The special rapporteur on child protection plays an important role in examining and reporting to Government on legal, legislative and litigation-related matters in respect of child protection. The annual reports of the special rapporteur provide important input to the development and review of child protection policy and legislation as well as an objective and independent expert view of the child protection system in Ireland. The reports have been influential in informing policy responses across government to improve the lives of children and young people. The Department has not yet received any annual report or part of any report in respect of the current term of the special rapporteur on child protection. Department officials are engaging on an ongoing basis with the special rapporteur on the matter of the submission of the annual reports prior to the completion of the rapporteur's term of office on 31 January 2026. The special rapporteur has indicated that she expects to submit a report in respect of the period 1 February 2023 to 31 December 2024 imminently. She has indicated that this report will also include her observations and important developments from July 2022 to January 2023, before her term of office commenced. The special rapporteur has also indicated that an annual report in respect of 2025 will be delivered by the end of March 2026. The annual reports of previous special rapporteurs have tended to cover a wide range of policy areas and certain commentary and recommendations relating to several Departments and agencies.
Once submitted, a copy of the report will be provided to all relevant Departments for appropriate review. On completion of this review process, I will submit the report to Cabinet for approval to publish. Once approved, the report will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and published on the Department's website. With the end of the current term of the special rapporteur approaching, I recently secured Cabinet approval to fill the position of the next special rapporteur on child protection for a two-year term. It is my intention to progress the selection of the nominee for the position by way of an open competition run in conjunction with publicjobs.ie as soon as possible.
Unless I am missing something, the Minister should have received by now an annual report from somebody who was appointed in February 2023 and who is almost at the end of her three-year term. I would have expected the reports to have been annual.
I take the Minister’s point entirely that the role is extremely important. It is about our child protection system in Ireland. There are few things more important, particularly in the Minister’s Department. Was there an expectation or a timeline concerning annual reports when the position was filled in February 2023? Has she raised the issue of having no annual report as we come to the end of the three-year term?
I thank the Deputy. I want to be clear. I acknowledge the work of the special rapporteur. I have engaged with her and she has made herself available. I acknowledge that there has been considerable engagement between the Department and the special rapporteur on making the reports available in a timely manner. The special rapporteur has indicated that she expects to submit her report for the period February 2023 to December 2024 imminently. She has indicated that the report will include observations on a period in which she was not in office, namely the period from July 2022 to January 2023. She has also indicated that an annual report in respect of 2025 will be delivered by the end of March 2026.
I thank the Minister. I appreciate that the special rapporteur is considering the year before she took up her role. It would be great to see the reports from her term in the first instance, but I welcome that the reports are imminent, if that is the case. I find it bizarre that, despite someone being appointed to the role in February 2023, we are now almost at the end of her term and still have not had an annual report. I hope that with the next appointment, we will have annual reports. As the Minister said, this is a really important body of work. I cannot fathom how, despite somebody’s having been appointed in February 2023 in the expectation that they would publish three annual reports, we have not had a single annual report at the end the person’s three-year term. I ask that for the next term, which the Minister has said will be two years, a time frame be put in place so an annual report can be expected annually.
Again, I appreciate the Deputy raising of the question. I accept the word of the special rapporteur that she will present the report for February 2023 to December 2024 imminently and that she will furnish the report for the period July 2022 to January 2023 before the end of her term of office. The annual report for 2025 will be delivered in March 2026. I expect that will be done with priority.
25. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the engagement there has been with relevant Departments and agencies, including Tusla, following the publication of recommendations from the national review panel report on the case of a person (details supplied); the projected timeline and cost of this implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72979/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhat engagement has there been with relevant Departments and agencies, including Tusla? I am talking about the recommendations following the national review panel, NRP, report on Kyran Durnin. We have had a large number of child protection issues, including in respect of Vadym Davydenko and Daniel Aruebose, and the shocking events surrounding the brutal assault on a ten-year-old girl who had been in care. What I am looking for is information specifically on the NRP report and assurance that the recommendations will be acted upon. Beyond that, I seek the timeline for the rest of the reports and assurance that we have the proper framework in play. I am aware that the Minister has legislation and other measures planned.
I appreciate the Deputy raising this matter. Any case of a missing child is of enormous concern to the Government, everybody in this House and others across wider society. I know he agrees with me on that. We are always conscious that at the heart of this case is a young child. All of us, including the general public, are devastated that a young child could go missing for such a long time.
The NRP delivered its report on the review of the Kyran Durnin case to the Department on 29 October last. I have been clear in my wish to publish the report in full on its completion. However, I was also clear at the outset that I would seek the advice and expert legal opinion of the Attorney General. I have done that. The Attorney General has determined that it would not be possible to publish the report at this time given the potential to prejudice any potential prosecutions. It may be possible to publish the report in the future, depending on the advice of the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
What was agreed on foot of the advice of the Attorney General was that the recommendations in the report would be published in full, and that was done on 3 December. Implementation of these recommendations falls to a number of Departments and agencies. They cover several areas, for example, tracking pupil movement between primary schools, including cross-border movement; a review of GDPR and network checking; guidance to social workers; the development of procedures for waiting list management; the development of a framework for quality assurance monitoring and review; outcome measurement for family support provider agencies; and a review of the Tusla–An Garda Síochána protocol.
The Attorney General recommended that the full NRP report be shared with the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Naughton. It has been shared with her. The Department is engaging with the relevant Departments and agencies, including Tusla, on the implementation of the recommendations relevant to them. Tusla has already commenced the process of implementing the recommendations under its remit. I am clear that the implementation of the recommendations should be completed as soon as possible.
I have recently introduced a Bill updating and modernising the Child Care Act, which provides the foundation for child protection and welfare services in the State. This will strengthen the child protection legal framework and the powers available to Tusla. Key child protection features include the introduction of a duty to co-operate among bodies.
The Minister will have an opportunity to follow on regarding what she envisages changing legislatively. Her comments recognise the need to update legislation and ensure a framework for child protection. Our thoughts are on Kyran Durnin and the other tragic cases I have mentioned. We need to put whatever protections we can in place.
I ask that the Minister engage with Tusla and other agencies to ensure the recommendations will be acted on. Could she give a timeline on the other reports and recommendations arising from them regarding the cases of Vadym Davydenko, Daniel Aruebose and the ten-year-old girl who was assaulted while in the care of the State? It is vital that we do all and sundry, that due diligence be done and that we have a framework that works. Tusla is not sufficiently resourced in respect of staffing and other areas. There are attempts to rectify this. How are they going?
The Deputy alluded to some of the new measures we will be introducing under amendments to the Child Care Act. A duty to co-operate will be introduced. This is important and it will mean there will be a compelling duty on all relevant bodies dealing with children, including Tusla and Departments, to co-operate proactively in performing their existing functions relevant to the development, welfare and protection of children.
With the new duty to co-operate, there will be a clear basis for the sharing of information between agencies and organisations when working together on child protection and child welfare matters. I am referring to the sharing of information around the table in the best interest of children so as to protect them.
I will also be introducing amendments to the Child Care Act to place the NRP on a statutory footing. The Deputy and so many others were keen for us to do this. This measure will further enhance the work of the NRP in addition to strengthening its independence and ability to compel information and witnesses in respect of all reviews it undertakes. I acknowledge the work of the NRP.
What the Minister referred to is vital whether we are talking about putting the NRP on a statutory footing or following through on all the recommendations. Could I have a notion of what the general timeline is? I understand that due diligence had to be done on the legislative process.
The issues around the tracking of pupils, particularly whatever cross-border directive is needed, should be addressed straight away. We should be overcoming whatever issues there are with GDPR. I would also like an update on the Tusla-Garda protocol.
Kate Duggan and others spoke about the increase in complex cases, the new model of care Tusla is looking to bring in and the need for it to increase its staff. We frequently hear from those in the community and voluntary sector who get referrals from Tusla. They also speak about their need for increased resourcing to ensure we have something that is more fit for purpose for looking after children and particularly the most vulnerable.
I acknowledge that those in Tusla, the Department and all the agencies who work with children are absolutely central to protecting vulnerable children and are doing excellent work individually. However, the purpose of the duty to co-operate is that collectively there will be the sharing of information the Deputy referenced, everybody will be around the one table as it were and there will be a strong sense of partnership across State agencies to ensure that everyone is fully engaged with and aware of the role they play in protecting children from harm.
The Deputy specifically referenced North-South co-operation. Although it is a matter for the Department of Education and Youth, I am aware of very extensive North-South engagement on that. It is an issue I have discussed with the North's Minister for Education, Paul Givan, on a number of occasions and the work there is very advanced. All the recommendations that have been outlined have been shared with each of the Departments and agencies concerned. It is a matter of priority for them to be put in place. As I said, the work with Tusla is under way. A considerable uplift in the funding of €1.37 billion has been provided for Tusla in the budget this year, and significant work is under way on recruitment of staff.
I ask the Minister to come back to me on a timeline for the report.
32. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeframe for implementation for each of the recommendations made by the national review panel following its examination of the case of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71912/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI ask the Minister for a timeframe for the implementation of the recent recommendations that have been published by the national review panel. Given the Kyran Durnin case, which the NRPl examined, it is really important that we have a very clear timeframe for when each of these recommendations must be implemented.
This is very similar to the issue raised by the Deputy's colleague. I reiterate that any case relating to a missing child is of enormous concern to all of us and is a priority for all of us because we know that at the heart of it is a child and child welfare. All of us share in the sense of devastation and loss that a child could be missing for such a long time.
The national review panel delivered its report on the review of the Kyran Durnin case on 29 October. I was always clear that it was my personal wish that the details would only be published if it were not to the detriment of an ongoing Garda investigation and that I would seek the advice and wisdom of the expert legal authority, the Attorney General. On seeking that advice, the Attorney General recommended or determined that it would not be possible at this particular time, given the ongoing Garda investigation, to publish the report in full because it had the potential to prejudice any future potential prosecutions. He has also said that it may be possible to publish the report at a future date but that would obviously be on the advice of the Attorney General and the DPP.
What has been agreed on foot of the Attorney General's advice is that the recommendations in the report would be published. As I have said, they were published on 3 December. The recommendations fall to a number of different Departments and agencies to implement. As Deputy Ó Murchú outlined, they involve: the tracking of pupil movements North and South; review of GDPR; guidance to social workers; development of procedures for wait-list management; development of a framework for quality assurance, monitoring and review, and outcome measurement for family support provider agencies; and review of the Tusla and Garda Síochána protocol.
The Department is engaging with all the relevant Departments and Government agencies, including Tusla, on the implementation of the recommendations relevant to them. I can confirm to the House that Tusla has already commenced the process to implement the recommendations that come under its remit. I am clear that the implementation of the recommendations should be completed as soon as possible and that has been advised to all the Departments and agencies involved.
With a number of Departments and agencies involved, it is really important that one person has oversight for ensuring that each of the recommendations is implemented as quickly as possible. I imagine that recommendations such as guidance, reviewing the protocol between the Garda and Tusla, and reviews of GDPR should all be initiated very quickly and some of them will be able to be implemented very quickly. Given the nature of the review panel's work, it is really important that we have a clear timeline for each of the Departments and the agencies involved so they are working to a specific timeframe to complete the work that needs to be done. That would be really important given we are going to see further recommendations from further reviews of the NRP. That makes it really important that the ones we have in front of us now are implemented as quickly as possible. It goes without saying that is exactly what the Minister wants. When a number of agencies and Departments are involved, a timeframe would be helpful.
The recommendations were issued on 3 December. There has been a genuine willingness from all the Departments and agencies to move with haste and priority, but also to do it right. I chaired a cross-departmental meeting on moving forward with the sharing of information and ensuring that this duty to co-operate can very much come into being. Outside of the work under way in the Department, that interdepartmental group is seeking opportunities for the sharing of information that one Department has and where there might be gaps in another Department.
I have brought forward the Bill to update and modernise the Child Care Act. Some of the key provisions will include the introduction of the duty to co-operate with all the relevant bodies. It will also include a clear basis for the sharing of information between agencies and organisations where they work together on child protection and child welfare matters. I will also bring forward the amendment, which is important from the NRP point of view, to put it on a statutory footing. All of that is being done as a matter of priority.
I appreciate all of that and I thank the Minister for those updates. It would be really helpful for her to provide to the Departments and agencies involved a time frame to ensure that each of the recommendations made by the national review panel is met. As I said, we will get further recommendations and more work is needed in these areas. That is why it is so important to have a clear and specific timeframe that the Department and agencies, particularly Tusla, are working towards. These recommendations need to be implemented as quickly as possible; nobody disagrees with that. As the Minister in this Department, she should provide them with a time frame for this really important work.
These recommendations were published on 3 December. From a legislative point of view, it is being given priority through my Department's work on the child care (amendment) Bill, which we move very rapidly through the House. I know that there will be very strong co-operation forthcoming from the Deputy and right across the House. We will continue to engage with all the Government agencies and Departments involved. Implementation of some of the recommendations is well advanced. In particular I am conscious of the Department of Education and Youth's North-South initiative because I have engaged in that myself. We will continue to ensure that these will be delivered as a matter of priority. It is important to recognise that some of the recommendations may be more complex than others but they will all be given priority.
96. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the engagement there has been with the Department of Education and Youth on the autism protocol to ensure that assessments of need are not required for school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72980/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhat engagement has there been with the Department of Education and Youth? There are proposals around the autism protocol. We spoke earlier about the very specific proposal to remove the requirement for an assessment of need in order for a child to find an appropriate school place, whether that is in a special class, in a mainstream setting with supports or in a special school. There has been huge unease among the teaching unions and others in relation to who will make this assessment. It is very important that we bring clarity to this particular case. We all want to see streamlining of the assessment of need process. I have always said I have no particular issue with that, but clarity is needed at this time.
The Government absolutely recognises there are unacceptable delays in accessing assessments of need. My Department and the HSE are committed to addressing these delays. Under the Disability Act, an assessment of need is an assessment process carried out by the HSE where a person is of the opinion that he or she may have a disability for anyone born after 1 June 2002. It first establishes whether the person has a disability as defined within the Act and then identifies the health and education needs of the person with the disability and the service required to meet those needs.
As the Deputy said, last week the Government announced a series of reforms to the assessment of need process which will make the process more effective and efficient for children and families, and will move towards more assessments being delivered within the six-month statutory timeframe. These reforms include changes to Part 2 of the Disability Act, which provides for assessments of need. The general scheme of the disability (amendment) Bill 2025 was approved by the Government on 9 December and will be published on the Department’s website shortly. It is important to say these changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an assessment of need for their child, nor will they alter the statutory six-month timeline set out in the Disability Act.
Turning to access to treatment and therapies, I must emphasise that children do not require an assessment of need to access health services including primary care, children’s disability network teams, CDNTs, or mental health services. However, it is recognised that there can be delays for children and families in getting access to the treatments and therapies they need.
Children can be on a number of different waiting lists which can cause confusion for families. In 2026 the HSE will introduce a single point of access system, which will make it easier for families to be referred to the right service whether that is a CDNT, primary care, or a child and adolescent mental health team.
The recruitment of staff across the disability sector continues to be a key priority in ensuring children can access therapies in a timely manner. An intensive focus of my Department has been on increasing the staffing of CDNTs that deliver supports and services to children with complex needs. My Department has been in discussions with the Department of education on the need to phase out the requirement for an assessment of need to access special education class or school.
Will the Minister of State give some detail on what that engagement has been? I get that it is the early stages but unfortunately it has led to some unease. We all accept there are huge issues in relation to those who have been on the assessment of need waiting list. None of it has been great for the families and children. People are looking for adequate and correct therapies and supports. I have heard many times that the Department does not require an assessment of need to deliver supports and therapies, but unfortunately parents operate in a slightly different world and at this time the schools require assessments of need. While that is being dealt with, we need clarity. As I said, I have no particular issue if we are accepting that 45% of those who go through assessments of need have autism and if we can find the means whereby people can get a proper assessment in relation to autism and then can get the therapies. However, I ask again about recruitment as we try to recruit to the CDNTs and directly to schools and these new teams. Can the Minister of State go into the detail of how things will change in these things given the huge amount of work and the huge cohort they have to deal with?
That statistic that 45% of children who go through the assessment of need process receive a diagnosis of autism is absolutely correct. For that reason the HSE is standing up a new autism assessment and protocol process in order to be able to respond to emerging need in this area. We hope that from January, but definitely from the first quarter of next year, children who are displaying autistic traits will be referred into the new HSE autism protocol and assessment process. That will absolutely help. It will provide them with specific interventions that will be most appropriate to them. That is a really welcome development. I thank the HSE for its hard work and its engagement with my Department on this.
Part of what was announced last week was a six-pronged approach. We have the heads of the Bill. Decisions are being communicated earlier to parents. There is a single point of access. There is the autism protocol and assessment. We also have recruitment in our own CDNTs. We are recruiting at the moment and will be recruiting another 150 staff next year. Throughout the disability service we will recruit 1,000 people next year and we are also outsourcing assessments of need. Education is the other element of that. The Minister for education will come back to the Cabinet committee on disability in the first quarter of next year with formulated proposals on that issue.
If we are talking about the first quarter for the education piece, it could be as far away as March before we have clarity on it. It needs to happen as soon as possible.
When will we see delivery on the single point of access? I think Bernard Gloster said that those who have the best things to say about the CDNTs are those who have a contact person they can engage with because then they know the ins and outs. That is where some of this falls apart. Sometimes there needs to be a straight conversation about supports and about the future trajectory for children and parents. When that is lacking, obviously it does not work.
The Minister of State is saying that in January or at least some point in the first quarter of next year, the autism protocol will operate. As that waiting list becomes populated, will we have capacity to deliver on it?
Will the new teams ensure there is a greater level of communication? As I have said before, I am worried about recruiting to all the bodies need to recruit to. Will they be able to deal with the huge cohort that are on the waiting list now and the parents who have suffered because they did not have the supports they should have?
A short response from the Minister of State.
Taking cognisance of the Chair I will give a short response. Our in-reach teams will support the HSE's new model and will work to ensure there is more joined-up thinking between primary care, CAMHS and our CDNTs. Each team will consist of a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist and an administration person. Part of the reason we have an administration person is because some of the feedback we have received from parents is around communication. This person will assist with that from a caseload management perspective. We will be standing up 11 teams in 2026 and a further nine teams in 2027. That will be 20 teams, which will be one team per regional health organisation.
I thank the Minister of State. That concludes questions to the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality.
Happy Christmas from all of us. Thank you for everything.
I wish the Minister and the Minister of State and their officials a happy Christmas.
