Parliamentary questions

Early Childhood Care and Education

Alan Dillon

106. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the building blocks improvement grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9027/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Robert Troy

107. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the process and considerations his Department give when an offer of accommodation for asylum seekers is made to his Department prior to a decision to progress such offers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9709/24]

Disability Services

Thomas Gould

108. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the impact of the recruitment embargo on children's disability services in Cork. [9638/24]

Disability Services

Aindrias Moynihan

109. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current capacity of respite care in County Cork for children with disabilities; the current shortfall on providing the respite service for children with disabilities for County Cork; what measures are being taken to increase the current capacity to meet the demands identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9697/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Kathleen Funchion

110. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the exact date of the opening of the mother and baby institutions payment ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9498/24]

Health Strategies

David Stanton

111. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is aware of the Icelandic planet youth model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9571/24]

Flexible Work Practices

Steven Matthews

112. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is a plan to expand entitlements to flexible working and remote working contained in the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 to all employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9175/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Brian Leddin

113. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount by which investment in early years has increased year-on-year in percentage terms in the past eight years; if he will indicate the domestic and/or international indicators which demonstrate this improvement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9183/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Darren O'Rourke

114. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on childcare services in County Meath; the number of childcare places available in the county; the length of the average waiting list; to report on any planned measures to increase these places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9570/24]

Youth Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

115. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he and his Department have mapped the existence of youth-focused community projects and staff across the state; if he is aware of gaps in coverage or large and populous areas without or with inadequately resourced projects and how do they intend to resolve this. [4038/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Pearse Doherty

116. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is concerned that the extension of payments under the accommodation recognition grant for a further year without changes risks interference with the private rental market, with negative consequences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9725/24]

Youth Services

James O'Connor

117. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has considered having a full-time youth worker in Youghal, County Cork, considering the number of IPAS refugees in the area, following a meeting with local community groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9660/24]

Disability Services

Niamh Smyth

118. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of new appointments that have been made to the children's disability network teams (details supplied) services in counties Cavan and Monaghan since January 2022, given the very high vacancy rate within the service. [1940/24]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

119. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will intervene to encourage parties involved in ELC and SAC pay talks back to the table with a view to ensuring staff can be paid the next pay increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9500/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Thomas Gould

120. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the role his Department has taken in supporting young people who have been impacted by the consequences of Covid-19 lockdowns. [9639/24]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Connolly

121. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1070 of 7 November 2023, the status of the review of the project timelines for the implementation of the White Paper to end direct provision and establish a new international protection support service; if the review has been completed to-date; the timeline for the publication of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9502/24]

Tax Code

Brendan Griffin

122. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what discussions he has had with the Department of Finance regarding how changes to taxation could reduce the cost of childcare for families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9729/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Patricia Ryan

123. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason for his failure to respond properly and fully to multiple emails and phone calls regarding the installation of facilities to house people seeking temporary international protection at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9738/24]

Youth Services

Brendan Smith

124. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total financial allocation from his Department in 2023 for youth services; if any new services were established during the course of 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9726/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Steven Matthews

125. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding the details of the Equal Participation Model for Early Years which was announced to be funded as part of Budget 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9176/24]

Childcare Services

Paul Murphy

126. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to increase childcare places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9519/24]

National Cultural Institutions

Patrick Costello

127. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the proposed national centre for research and remembrance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9191/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Patrick Costello

128. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that older applicants for the mother and baby institutions payment scheme are prioritised when the scheme opens as planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9190/24]

Health Service Executive

Violet-Anne Wynne

129. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will discuss the issues faced by service users with respect to agencies who contracted to deliver their PA hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9593/24]

Health Service Executive

Marian Harkin

130. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what therapy and intervention supports are available to children who are unable to access these supports through the public disability network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9583/24]

Disability Services

Aindrias Moynihan

131. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons with disabilities that received home support hours in CHO4 in 2023; the number of persons with disabilities in 2023 that received personal assistance hours in CHO4 in 2023; the total number of hours provided in each category in CHO4 in 2023; the target number of hours for each category in CHO4 in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9524/24]

Rights of People with Disabilities

Violet-Anne Wynne

132. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide on update on Ireland's progress in ratifying the Optional Protocol of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9594/24]

Childcare Services

Brendan Griffin

133. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on what further assistance the State can give to families towards the cost of childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9728/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Francis Noel Duffy

134. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to include additional institutions in the schedule of the Birth Information and Tracing Act, 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9195/24]

International Protection

Mick Barry

135. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to report on his Department's dealings with residents in an IPAS centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9664/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Fergus O'Dowd

136. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the current discussions within his Department in respect of the dual use proposal for accommodation services within a hotel (details supplied) in Drogheda considering it is the only remaining hotel of scale in the town of Drogheda, the largest town in the country. [9523/24]

Disability Services

Cathal Crowe

137. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons with disabilities that received home support hours in CHO3 in 2023; the number of persons with disabilities in 2023 that received personal assistance hours in CHO3 in 2023; the total number of hours provided in each category in CHO3 in 2023; the target number of hours for each category in CHO3 in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9522/24]

International Protection

Pádraig O'Sullivan

138. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to reduce the weekly payment to existing beneficiaries of temporary protection at any point in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9712/24]

Childcare Services

Gino Kenny

139. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will establish a publicly owned childcare service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9514/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

140. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide details of the recently released data on vacancy rates and waiting lists for early learning and childcare and school aged services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9499/24]

Direct Provision System

Fergus O'Dowd

141. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the current discussions within his Department with regard to the long-term plans to deal for dealing with those arriving in the country seeking protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9551/24]

Children in Care

Peadar Tóibín

142. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children currently in State care in special emergency accommodation; the number of whom are unaccompanied minors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8788/24]

Asylum Seekers

Gino Kenny

143. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure that asylum seekers who have not been provided with accommodation are protected from attack by far right and racist people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9510/24]

International Protection

Richard Bruton

144. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the methods in place for ensuring that new international protection centres are supported with necessary services and activities so that integration into the community is facilitated. [9733/24]

Community Welfare Services

Ruairí Ó Murchú

145. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the ongoing situation with an organisation (details supplied) that has stated that it will transfer care services to the HSE by August 2024; the interactions that have happened between his Department and other Government Departments about the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9352/24]

Child and Family Agency

Pearse Doherty

146. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to his debate in Dáil Éireann with this Deputy, if he has considered making an apology on behalf of the State to a person (details supplied) after they received an apology from Tusla regarding how they and their family were treated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9702/24]

Disability Services

John Lahart

147. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons with disabilities that received home support hours in CHO7 in 2023; the number of persons with disabilities in 2023 that received personal assistance hours in CHO7 in 2023; the total number of hours provided in each category in CHO7 in 2023; the target number of hours for each category in CHO7 in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9527/24]

International Protection

Mick Barry

148. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to report on measures his Department will take to improve access to public transport for the residents at an IPAS centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9665/24]

Disability Services

Niamh Smyth

149. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the investment and enhancement in respite services for people with disabilities in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9517/24]

Disability Diagnoses

Bernard Durkan

254. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a diagnosis might be forthcoming in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9900/24]

Disability Services

Brendan Smith

255. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons with disabilities that received home support hours in CHO1 and CHO2 in 2023 respectively; the number of persons with disabilities in 2023 that received personal assistance hours in CHO1 and CHO2 in 2023, respectively; the total number of hours provided in each category in CHO1 and CHO2 in 2023, respectively; the target number of hours for each category in CHO1 and CHO2 in 2024, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9521/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

256. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans to commit adequate funding for the implementation of the Disability Action Plan over its full- term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5753/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

257. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will commit to adequate ring-fenced funding for the Disability Action Plan for its full-term;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5752/24]

Child and Family Agency

Cormac Devlin

258. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of a decision by Tusla (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9765/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Peter Burke

259. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a query from persons (details supplied) in relation to a childcare provider will be examined; and his plans to assist these children. [9776/24]