Parliamentary questions

Early Years Sector

Eoghan Murphy

599. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of early learning initiatives funded by his Department; the changes that have been made in the context of Covid-19; and the funding commitment and arrangements for 2021. [9450/21]

Parental Leave

Eoghan Murphy

600. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the extension to parental leave to be implemented. [9451/21]

Childcare Services

Cathal Crowe

601. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will consider issuing retrospective grants to childcare providers that paid for works in 2019 to comply with Tusla fire safety standards to re-register their businesses in view of the fact that grants were paid out later to those in the same situation (details supplied). [9522/21]

Ministerial Advisers

Seán Sherlock

602. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the names and contact details for each special adviser requested for appointment by him in tabular form. [9591/21]

Child Abuse

Alan Kelly

603. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who have been referred to Tusla for suspected cases of abuse; the breakdown of the respective figures for physical, sexual, emotional or other types of abuse in each of the years 2016 to 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9653/21]

Departmental Staff

Mary Lou McDonald

604. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of staff employed in his Department by gender and by Civil Service salary scale in tabular form. [9656/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Joan Collins

605. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will not dissolve on 28 February 2021; and if it will be extended for another year (details supplied). [9675/21]

Departmental Reviews

Mary Lou McDonald

606. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current number of live studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned by him; and the date by which each study, review and research is scheduled to be completed in tabular form. [9678/21]

Domestic Violence Refuges Provision

Thomas Pringle

607. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons in domestic violence refuges in County Donegal in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9711/21]

Domestic Violence Refuges Provision

Thomas Pringle

608. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of domestic violence refuge places in County Donegal compared to the recommended number of refuge places; the refuge capacity by county in tabular form; his plans to increase access across Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9712/21]

Direct Provision System

Thomas Pringle

609. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of adults and children in direct provision accommodation in County Donegal in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9713/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Dara Calleary

610. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to issuing a pandemic extension to carer's leave for persons that were on carer’s leave prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly given the impact on vulnerable persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9794/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Sorca Clarke

611. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to reintroduce the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme for children of non-essential workers. [9875/21]

Immigration Policy

Alan Farrell

612. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of investments made through the National Integration Fund in tabular form; the further plans he is considering to enhance community integration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9891/21]

Child Protection

Jennifer Whitmore

613. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of outcome 3, aim 3.1 in relation to Better Outcomes Brighter Futures (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9925/21]

Maternity Leave

Holly Cairns

614. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will bring forward primary legislation to amend the Maternity Protection Acts 1994 to 2004 in order that women who had already started or completed their maternity period would be entitled to take a further 13 weeks leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9971/21]

Parental Leave

Holly Cairns

615. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 4 February 2021, the status of the legislation giving each parent an additional three weeks of paid parental leave; the commencement date he is working towards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9972/21]

Direct Provision System

Holly Cairns

616. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to plans to limit asylum seekers to an in-house shop rather than allowing them to buy goods in local stores in a direct provision centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9973/21]

Human Trafficking

Catherine Connolly

617. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the full inquiry into the scale of forced and illegal adoptions that occurred in Ireland as called for by Ms Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, the former UN special rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children will be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9982/21]

Human Trafficking

Catherine Connolly

618. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which illegally adopted persons will be considered for inclusion in any redress scheme to prevent further discrimination against this group further to the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9983/21]

Parental Leave

Sorca Clarke

619. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the legislation regarding the previously announced additional parental leave will be introduced; and the date from which the scheme will begin. [10013/21]

Parental Leave

Steven Matthews

620. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding the extended paid parental leave commitment in Budget 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10033/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

621. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a person (details supplied) will be provided with a copy of report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10034/21]

Direct Provision System

Pádraig O'Sullivan

622. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when additional cooking facilities will be sanctioned at a centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10044/21]

Direct Provision System

Pádraig O'Sullivan

623. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to concerns amongst residents at a centre (details supplied) regarding the standard of food; the actions being taken to address these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10045/21]

Direct Provision System

Thomas Pringle

624. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the White Paper on ending direct provision will be laid before Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10090/21]

Direct Provision System

Thomas Pringle

625. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of all contracts with private companies providing direct provision accommodation, including the monetary value of each contract and the expected expiry date of same in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10091/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Thomas Pringle

626. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of providing PPE to all residential care facilities; the number that are Tusla units and privately run units respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10093/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Dara Calleary

627. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position of those who made submissions to the mother and baby home commission that did not relate to one of the 18 mother and baby homes of the commission, but to another home (details supplied); the way their testimony and personal details were incorporated into the work of the commission; if his Department acknowledges the personal trauma and effort involved on the part of those who made submissions in preparing same; if so, the way in which such trauma and effort will be acknowledged within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10140/21]

Legislative Measures

Marian Harkin

628. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider putting in place the necessary legislation to provide unconditional access to birth certificates for adopted persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10239/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Marian Harkin

629. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider putting in place the necessary legislation to allow full access by those affected to the entire archive of administrative files gathered by the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation and to end secrecy on the way the institutions and system of family separation were run; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10240/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Claire Kerrane

630. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the childcare supports in place for front-line hospital staff, including for children who are of primary school age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10257/21]

Child Detention Centres

Peadar Tóibín

631. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of inmates currently in Oberstown Children Detention Centre, Dublin; and if a social worker has been provided to each of those residing in the facility. [10260/21]

Direct Provision System

Seán Sherlock

632. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10273/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Dara Calleary

633. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to review the early childhood care and education programme entry time; if he will examine a potential exemption for children born prematurely, as a consequence of which, parents feel the child may not be able to enter early education within the current window; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10354/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

634. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a person (details supplied) will be provided with a copy of the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10361/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

635. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons who have requested and have yet to receive a copy of the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; when such persons will receive a copy of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10362/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

636. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons who have requested a copy of the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10363/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

637. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of reports of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes sent to survivors to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10364/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

638. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be made available in audio format; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10365/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

639. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be published in Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10366/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

640. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of the way in which the audio recordings of oral evidence given by persons to the Confidential Committee of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes were destroyed; the reason these recordings cannot be retrieved or recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10367/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

641. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the details and copies of all correspondence between him and-or his Department and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in relation to audio recordings of oral evidence given by persons to the confidential committee of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10368/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

642. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the details and copies of all correspondence between him and-or his Department and the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in relation to audio recordings of oral evidence given by persons to the confidential committee of the commission will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10369/21]

Autism Support Services

Martin Browne

643. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the current waiting lists for autism assistance dogs and the number of years children are left on the list; and his plans to address this issue. [10384/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

644. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a person (details supplied) will be provided with a copy of the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10386/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

645. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a person (details supplied) who has requested a copy of the transcript of their evidence to the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes on at least five occasions without acknowledgement will receive same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10387/21]

Children in Care

Róisín Shortall

646. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 277 and 278 of 3 December 2020 and 399 of 15 December 2020, when the requested data will be provided (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10404/21]

Direct Provision System

Steven Matthews

647. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding the independent monitoring of direct provision centres that was due to commence in January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10517/21]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Howlin

206. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of funding granted to each organisation under the national integration fund 2020, in tabular form (details supplied); the rationale for granting funds to public bodies such as third-level institutions and county councils while rejecting the applications of certain migrant groups active on the ground serving migrant communities with scarce resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9082/21]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Sherlock

207. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the forthcoming scheme for playgrounds will include accessible equipment for playgrounds on school properties. [9121/21]

Adoption Data

Catherine Connolly

208. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which survivors of Protestant homes can access their personal records following the closure of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9047/21]

Child and Family Agency

Malcolm Noonan

209. Deputy Malcolm Noonan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the funding challenges facing an organisation (details supplied) which have put its counselling service in extreme jeopardy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9114/21]

Joint Labour Committees

Seán Sherlock

210. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the contact details for the sections that deal with all ongoing and established grant funding in his Department and in each agency under the remit of his Department in tabular form. [9123/21]

Joint Labour Committees

Alan Dillon

211. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status and nature of the examination by his Department of a joint labour committee process and its relevance to the early learning and care and school age childcare sector; the next steps to support improvements in wages and working conditions in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9206/21]

Child and Family Agency

Peadar Tóibín

212. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 461, 462, 463, 464 and 465 of 3 February 2021, if he will request Tusla to address the questions given more than ten days have elapsed since he referred the questions to the Child and Family Agency for a response. [9224/21]

Adoption Data

Denis Naughten

213. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to amend the Adoption Act 2010 to provide full access to birth certificates for adopted persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9251/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Denis Naughten

214. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of the provisions that the full archive held by Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation is transferred into his possession by the end of February 2021; the way in which he plans to ensure that those affected have full access to both personal information and the archive of administrative files; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9252/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Peadar Tóibín

215. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has engaged in correspondence or meetings with the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation since he assumed office; if so, the details of when such correspondence and meetings took place; and his views on the refusal by the Commission to grant interviews to the media or to come before Oireachtas committees. [9281/21]

Direct Provision System

Thomas Pringle

516. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of a direct provision centre (details supplied) in County Donegal; when the first families will be moving in following the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7859/21]

Direct Payment Scheme

Thomas Pringle

517. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if residents in a direct provision centre (details supplied) in County Donegal will be provided with vouchers for food instead of the points system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7860/21]

Childcare Services

Niamh Smyth

518. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if English as a second language students in a school (details supplied) can benefit from a lower ratio setting. [7934/21]

Departmental Consultations

Seán Sherlock

519. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he had discussions with an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8075/21]

Departmental Programmes

Richard O'Donoghue

520. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Tusla funded refuge places available in Limerick in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8140/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Mary Lou McDonald

521. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation destroyed audio recordings of 550 interviews given to its Confidential Committee; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that section 43(2) of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 provides that before the dissolution of a commission, the chairperson or if the commission consists of only one member, the sole member shall deposit with the specified Minister all evidence received by and all documents created by or for the commission; if he has clarified if the destroyed audio files can be recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8145/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Seán Sherlock

522. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of early childhood education and care facilities that have closed permanently since March 2020. [8170/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Cian O'Callaghan

523. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a child who is over the eligibility age for the early childhood care and education scheme but cannot get a place in a local primary school reclaim the missed months over the past year due to the Covid-19 pandemic for the coming year; his plans to address children in these circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8200/21]

Adoption Data

Mary Lou McDonald

524. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the agency to which the service, wait list, files and records of the Here2Help information and tracing service have been transferred to following its closure in June 2020. [8217/21]

Immigration Support Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

525. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the international protection procurement services have renewed the accommodation centre contract with a company (details supplied); the status of the accommodation centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8241/21]

Immigration Support Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

526. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if emergency accommodation outlets have been sourced in County Louth for accommodation services for protection applicants; if so, the location of these outlets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8242/21]

Immigration Support Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

527. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the existing accommodation centres for international protection applicants; and if further offers were accessed by the international protection procurement service in County Louth. [8243/21]

Immigration Support Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

528. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the board basis for international protection applicants in reception and accommodation centres specifically self-catering accommodation centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8244/21]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

529. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is a requirement of childcare providers to offer fee credits to parents for weeks in which the childcare provider setting is closed due to a Covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8321/21]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

530. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of his engagement throughout 2020 and to date in 2021 with au pair organisations in relation to the childcare duties many participants provide to parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8322/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Neale Richmond

531. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department considers au pair participants to be essential workers; if so, if specific provisions are in place to allow them to enter the country through essential travel provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8323/21]

Direct Provision System

Holly Cairns

532. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to reports from a direct provision centre (details supplied) that it is allegedly serving expired food to children in the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8338/21]

Direct Provision System

Patrick Costello

533. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the confidential freephone support service for residents in direct provision has been shared with all residents; if so, the way in which it has been shared; and if not, if he will correspond with each resident with details of the freephone number. [8416/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

James Lawless

534. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a statutory redress or other compensation scheme will be made available to the mother and baby home former residents; if so, the timeline for such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8442/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

535. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the investigation into the leak of the report of the mother and baby homes commission of investigation to a newspaper (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8444/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Denise Mitchell

536. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of early years providers that have closed permanently in January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8617/21]

Family Resource Centres

Rose Conway-Walsh

537. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there will be an application process for additional agencies to become members of the family resource centre programme in 2021 to allow for applications to address the need for a family resource centre in Erris, County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8635/21]

Adoption Services

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

538. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons waiting to partake in the preparation course in respect of adoption services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8685/21]

Adoption Services

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

539. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the number of preparation courses currently being delivered remotely in respect of adoption services will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8686/21]

Adoption Services

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

540. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8687/21]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

541. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider enshrining independent advocacy services in legislation to help protect children and young persons in care from abuse and poor practice, further to more than 20 investigations or reports over the past three decades into the State’s ability to adequately protect children in care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8692/21]

Care Services

Patrick Costello

542. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the age of aftercare to 26 years of age on a needs assessed basis (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8693/21]

Departmental Reviews

Patrick Costello

543. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the recommendation made more than 12 years ago by the report of the commission to inquire into child abuse that a longitudinal study be carried out over ten years, which would follow young persons who leave care in order to map their transition into adulthood, will be implemented given that a working group has been set up in his Department to advise on this objective but with no clear timeline for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8694/21]

Immigration Support Services

Kathleen Funchion

544. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if level 5 Covid-19 restrictions will impede or stop the family reunification process and court-ordered access (details supplied). [8738/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Seán Sherlock

545. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding the ECCE scheme; and if flexibility will be permitted in such circumstances. [8766/21]

Consultancy Contracts

Seán Sherlock

546. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the contracts for public relations advice and consultancy entered into by his Department costing more than €10,000 since January 2021; the nature of the contract; and the length of the contract, in tabular form. [8886/21]

Ministerial Communications

Seán Sherlock

547. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there has been any contact with his counterpart in the United States. [8906/21]

Adoption Services

Brian Stanley

548. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 432 of 8 December 2020, the progress being made on providing adoptive leave and removing the lacuna in the legislation that discriminates against same-sex couples in view of the commitment given by the previous Government. [8967/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Holly Cairns

549. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on encouraging the use of more inclusive face masks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8982/21]

Direct Provision System

Robert Troy

182. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps being taken by his Department to end the system of direct provision; and his views on whether health and safety risks at such facilities have increased during the course of the pandemic. [7478/21]

Direct Provision System

John McGuinness

183. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action taken to date to resolve the issues at the Mosney direct provision centre; the status of plans to change the direct provision system; and the timeframe for the implementation of a new scheme. [7673/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

184. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the manner by which persons who gave testimony to the confidential committee of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes were notified that the recordings of their testimony would be destroyed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7513/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

185. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the enquiries he has made about the possibility of the retrieval and-or recovery of audio recordings of testimony given by persons to the confidential committee of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes destroyed by the commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7514/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

186. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to amend section 7 of the commission of investigation records Act 2020 to extend the term of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes in order to resolve the issues arising from the destruction of the audio recordings of testimony given by persons to the confidential committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7515/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

187. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the report of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes has been delivered to persons in cardboard boxes, unbound, loose-leaf, being almost 3,000 loose pages; the instructions given to the external company engaged to deliver the reports in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7516/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

188. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if 30 copies of the report of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes will be provided to this Deputy to distribute to persons personally affected by same, many of whom do not wish to provide their names and-or addresses to an external company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7517/21]