Parliamentary questions

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

1134. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the requirement for service providers to engage a chartered accountant for smaller play schools will be postponed; if his Department accepts the Revenue Commissioners accounts submitted directly by service providers as sufficient evidence of income reporting (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14626/24]

Disability Services

Emer Higgins

1072. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of staff in the HSE's Children’s Disability Network Teams; the number of staff in Section 38 organisations; and the number of staff in Section 39 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11542/24]

Disability Services

Emer Higgins

1073. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Children’s Disability Network Teams that are currently fully staffed; the expected duration of such staffing levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11544/24]

Disability Services

Emer Higgins

1074. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the criteria used to determine the number of therapists required in each Children’s Disability Network Team; and the details of such criteria. [11545/24]

Disability Services

Emer Higgins

1075. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of therapy staff in each specialisation that have left the Children’s Disability Network Teams system in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11548/24]

Disability Services

Emer Higgins

1076. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a child who does not have access to an occupational therapist in their Children’s Disability Network Team can access an occupational therapist in another Children’s Disability Network Team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11550/24]

Disabilities Assessments

Emer Higgins

1077. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the process used to prioritise children on waiting lists for both an assessment of needs and access to critically needed therapists; if this process is understood by families; if they know where their child is on the list; how they are updated on their progress up the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11551/24]

Maternity Leave

Emer Higgins

541. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to review the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill to ensure benefits akin to adoptive and maternity leave are provided for the care of newborn infants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9979/24]

Asylum Seekers

Emer Higgins

433. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what efforts are being made to promote awareness of Irish legislation in reception centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8898/24]

Disability Services

Emer Higgins

493. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the recent funding challenges faced by WALK’s residential services and what steps are being taken to ensure the continuity of quality care for vulnerable individuals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7690/24]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

475. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the funding for the national childcare scheme in each county; the number of providers participating in this scheme, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3898/24]

Pension Provisions

Emer Higgins

1347. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to increase the pension contributions or pay increases per child for foster carers who are unable to take up other employment due to their role as a foster carer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56761/23]

Departmental Funding

Emer Higgins

494. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what efforts are being made to ensure that an organisation (details supplied) can continue to provide a much-needed service for children following the announcement of reduced funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51958/23]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

521. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way the charter of accounts for core funding aligns with the practical and financial realities in the childcare sector, given the COA's complex requirements seem excessive, particularly for small providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52413/23]

Constitutional Amendments

Emer Higgins

191. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the referendum to replace the article of the Constitution that refers to women’s “duties in the home” in November. [44374/23]

Legislative Programme

Emer Higgins

192. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the status of the Irish Corporate Governance (Gender Balance) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44375/23]

Disability Services

Emer Higgins

484. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to increase funding to disability services in CH07 in order to provide badly needed residential care places to adults with complex needs, who currently have been recommended for such care but cannot be accommodated due to a lack of funding; and if he will do so in the case of a person (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41295/23]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

995. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what steps are being taken to ensure that early learning and childcare funding is invested into smaller independent childcare operators as well as larger childcare chains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35954/23]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

996. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to naíonra preschools that are having to recruit staff from outside Ireland and as a result are unable to offer their service through Irish; and the steps he will be taking to support the naíonra format; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35955/23]

Departmental Regulations

Emer Higgins

598. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the drafting of regulations to give effect to the provisions of the Work-life Balance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31105/23]

Departmental Schemes

Emer Higgins

132. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to alter the eligibility for the ECCE scheme, given that the current cut-off dates for the scheme can lead to a child falling outside the eligibility by a couple of days thus having to wait a year to access the ECCE scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28665/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Emer Higgins

467. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans in Budget 2024 to increase financial supports for carers in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19090/23]

Children in Care

Emer Higgins

468. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the weekly allowance payable to foster carers will be increased in line with inflation or if retrospective payment will be made as current rates have remained static since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19091/23]

Children in Care

Emer Higgins

469. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of individuals and couples currently registered as foster carers with Tusla; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of foster carers in the State from 2009 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19092/23]

Children in Care

Emer Higgins

470. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on foster carers who give up work to care for children being eligible to avail of the full State pension (contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19093/23]

Children in Care

Emer Higgins

471. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will examine additional payments for foster carers in order to recruit more foster carers into the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19094/23]

Children in Care

Emer Higgins

472. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a breakdown on the number of payments foster carers are currently entitled to; what those payments were in monetary value from 2009 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19095/23]

Health Services

Emer Higgins

1244. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will engage with the HSE to investigate whether providing group speech and language therapy while children await therapy sessions would be possible to ensure that more children get access to speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17318/23]

Health Services

Emer Higgins

1245. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has considered allowing children to access therapies in a neighbouring CHO, if that CHO has capacity to offer additional services and their own CHO does not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17319/23]

Disabilities Assessments

Emer Higgins

509. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department can provide a list or database of private medical professionals who can carry out an assessment of needs the HSE approves of; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14933/23]

Disabilities Assessments

Emer Higgins

510. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a child who is on a waiting list for speech and language assessment cannot also be on a waiting list to be assessed for potential autism spectrum disorder diagnosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14934/23]

National Lottery

Emer Higgins

312. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a list of all recipients of lottery funding in south Dublin from his Department from 2011 to 2023, in tabular form. [7819/23]

Departmental Funding

Emer Higgins

313. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a list of all recipients of the funding allocated to the Dublin local authorities play and recreation grant fund for the refurbishment and development of playgrounds and play areas on 2011 to 2023, in tabular form. [7820/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Emer Higgins

284. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the circumstances under which it is possible for a child’s parents to apply for an early childhood care and education programme over-age exemption or deferral to delay their child’s entry into the ECCE programme; if he will outline the qualifying requirements for this exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5715/23]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

392. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports that are in place to support mothers of children under three years of age who cannot find childcare before they return to work after maternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60193/22]

International Protection

Emer Higgins

518. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of hotels that the State is currently utilising to accommodate Ukrainians and other international refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59381/22]

Ukraine War

Emer Higgins

491. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the accommodation recognition payment for households accommodating Ukrainian refugees will be increased, given the current increase in the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57960/22]

Departmental Funding

Emer Higgins

430. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will consider providing sponsorship for the Christmas lights in Saggart, County Dublin, under his Department's integration remit given that Saggart hosts Ireland's only reception centre for refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56189/22]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

794. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the childcare subsidy announced in budget 2023 is applied as a reduction on the hourly rate as opposed to a monthly deduction, given many providers charge a fixed daily rate regardless of the length of time a child is in childcare for, and that parents paying the daily rate who do not avail of a full day of childcare will not benefit fully from the reduction in cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55531/22]

Employment Rights

Emer Higgins

112. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which his Department is supporting the expanded facilitation of breastfeeding in the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50310/22]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

167. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the newly announced pay rates for the childcare sector will include recognition of long service or an incremental pay scale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50311/22]

Direct Provision System

Emer Higgins

1319. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the criteria by which food supply contracts are awarded for persons in temporary accommodation whether or not cooking facilities are included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39624/22]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

656. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if providers that want to purchase, lease or rent the creche and childcare facilities required in housing developments as part of Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Childcare Facilities under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 have access to any affordability schemes nationally or locally. [37642/22]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

250. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the provision and affordability measures that are in place to assist the purchase of creches and childcare facilities, which were deemed necessary in developments given the number of units and demand in a particular area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36894/22]

Family Support Services

Emer Higgins

456. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the family support services available to families in Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart, Citywest and Brittas; if he will report on the progress in recruiting a child and family support network for this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36027/22]

Parental Leave

Emer Higgins

66. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of parents who availed of parents' leave in 2021; and when the extension of parents' leave from five to seven weeks will be introduced. [24227/22]

Childcare Services

Emer Higgins

209. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline proposals to increase the number of childcare providers in the Newcastle, County Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23765/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Emer Higgins

577. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason for the decision to change the provision of the early childhood care and education scheme to children from over two years and eight months on either 1 September or 1 January 2021 to just one date for entry, the first of September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22835/22]

Primary Medical Certificates

Emer Higgins

1128. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is a forum for members of the public to make submissions to the primary medical certificate review; if a public consultation will be arranged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19978/22]

Parental Leave

Emer Higgins

1133. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the legislation allowing for parent's leave to be extended from five to seven weeks will be signed into law given that applications for parent's leave are required to be submitted six weeks prior to commencement and a parent wishing to take the full seven weeks starting July 2022 will need to apply by mid-May 2022; and if he expects the legislation will be passed in time to accommodate such. [20085/22]