Parliamentary questions

Ukraine War

Bríd Smith

504. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will investigate allegations of unacceptable behaviour by management of a hostel for Ukrainian refugees (details supplied) in County Cork; if he will outline the person or body that is responsible for and the way oversight of these centres is being carried out and maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53011/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Louise O'Reilly

505. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is anything in the terms of the core funding agreement that precludes creche and Montessori schools from applying locally-agreed discounts, including sibling discounts. [53027/22]

Ukraine War

Brendan Griffin

506. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to increase the accommodation recognition payment for households accommodating Ukrainian refugees given the increase in the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53109/22]

Children in Care

Alan Farrell

507. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will shorten the time that foster parents have to wait to receive the child benefit payment for children in their care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53286/22]

Children in Care

Alan Farrell

508. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when foster parents will receive his recently announced additional payment of child benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53287/22]

Children in Care

Alan Farrell

509. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is undertaking a review of the monthly payments foster parents received to care for their foster children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53288/22]

Ukraine War

Alan Farrell

510. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Ukrainian refugees that Ireland has welcomed and accommodated since the invasion of their country in February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53289/22]

Departmental Staff

Alan Farrell

511. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of additional staff members have been allocated to his Department to manage the increase in work incurred by the Ukrainian refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53290/22]

Legislative Reviews

Patrick Costello

512. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 407 of 20 September 2022, if the proposed review of the Equality Acts will examine if there is a need for regulation to recognise epilepsy alert dogs and seizure alert dogs as service animals and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53383/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Catherine Murphy

513. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding increases, if any, that have been made to the early childhood care and education scheme since its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53412/22]

Childcare Services

Catherine Murphy

514. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which many early learning and care services have engaged with county childcare committees in relation to financial sustainability in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53413/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Catherine Murphy

515. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the level of profitability for sessional services funded via the early childhood care and education scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53414/22]

Childcare Services

Catherine Murphy

516. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the circumstances of the closure of a montessori (details supplied) in Tuam, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53415/22]

Childcare Services

Catherine Murphy

517. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports that are available to services, either private or community, to support them with financial sustainability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53416/22]

Mother and Baby Homes

Holly Cairns

518. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide details from the records available to his Department of the number of persons who spend less than six months in mother and baby homes or county homes for the time period covered by the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022. [53582/22]

Departmental Schemes

Mary Lou McDonald

283. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the applications to date to the Magdalen laundries redress scheme by country of residence; the number of successful applications to the scheme by country of residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52640/22]

Family Resource Centres

Marian Harkin

284. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will commit to an increase in funding to all Family Resource Centres, so that all FRCs receive a minimum of €166,400 annually through core funding under the National FRC programme with an adequate percentage increase annually thereafter in view of the recent increase in Tusla funding in Budget 2023 to €37 million. [52478/22]

DNA Database

Marian Harkin

285. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will reconsider his position to set up a database to hold DNA samples of family members of those who were resident at St. Mary's Mother and Baby home in Tuam. [52479/22]

Childcare Services

Alan Dillon

286. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that childminders who have a service reference number for their premises are Tusla registered and have an active NCS or ECCE contract, are excluded from applying for a building blocks improvement grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52486/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Alan Dillon

287. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if early years' service providers who provide early years education from their personal private residence are eligible to apply for the building blocks improvement grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52487/22]

Departmental Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

288. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the Mother and Baby Institutions payment scheme will be extended to those who spent less than the prescribed time period of six months in an institution given that many persons have been excluded from the scheme on this basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52490/22]

Departmental Schemes

Eoin Ó Broin

289. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in relation to the Mother and Baby Institutions payment scheme if it is open to persons to challenge the Commission's interpretation of specific named institutions; and if so, if the process will be outlined. [52491/22]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

290. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of all early years and SAC services that are in receipt of the graduate premium. [52496/22]

Childcare Services

Catherine Connolly

291. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to increase the income limits for the income assessed strand of the National Childcare Subsidy; the details of any analysis carried out by his Department in this regard; if he will clarify what, if any, mitigating circumstances are taken into account when assessing a subsidy application in respect of parents earning marginally over the income limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52498/22]

Direct Provision System

Catherine Murphy

292. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update in respect of the progress that has been made since the publication of a white paper to end direct provision; the number of international protection applicants that have transitioned into the new model to date in 2022; and if he will provide an update in respect of the work completed by implementation partners such as the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Agency and the local authorities to develop and implement the new accommodation model and support services. [52548/22]

Assisted Decision-Making

Patricia Ryan

144. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Government will fully commence the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52337/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Peadar Tóibín

145. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of indications received by his office in recent weeks, from early childcare providers, stating that they will have to close their business in the next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52200/22]

Mental Health Policy

Peadar Tóibín

146. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the mental health survey carried out by an organisation (details supplied); if so, if he will provide details of the findings of the survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52201/22]

Direct Provision System

Peadar Tóibín

147. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he will respond to correspondence from this Deputy’s office dated to August 2022; and the reason that he has not responded to date (details supplied). [52202/22]

Direct Provision System

Peadar Tóibín

148. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the entity that is responsible for the physical maintenance of direct provision centres. [52203/22]

Direct Provision System

Peadar Tóibín

149. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the conditions of a building with broken windows and caged windows to the rear of a building (details supplied) which is operating as a direct provision centre; if asylum seekers are currently living in the building; if they were ever living in the building; if so, the date upon which they vacated the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52204/22]

Children in Care

Peadar Tóibín

150. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will seek a proper debate in Dáil Éireann on the topic of historical child abuse within the foster care system. [52206/22]

Commissions of Investigation

Peadar Tóibín

151. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when it is expected that the Farrelly Commission of Investigation will produce its final report. [52207/22]

Children in Care

Peadar Tóibín

152. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide statistics of the death rate among persons under 18 years in Ireland; and the death rate among persons aged under 18 years who are in State care, both residential and fostering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52208/22]

Asylum Seekers

Peadar Tóibín

153. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions that he is undertaking to reduce the death rate among asylum seekers within the Internal Protection Accommodation Service. [52209/22]

Child Poverty

Peadar Tóibín

154. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions that his Department is taking to reduce child poverty and child homelessness. [52210/22]

Children in Care

Peadar Tóibín

155. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action that he is taking to reduce the death rate among children in State care, in both residential care and fostering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52211/22]

Traveller Community

Peadar Tóibín

156. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider issuing a State apology to members of the Travelling community regarding the systematic abuse, racism and discrimination that they have endured for decades under successive governments, particularly in the form of legislation which sought to prevent Travellers from travelling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52212/22]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

157. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of international protection applicants who have undergone an assessment for eligibility under the Child Care Act 1991 and the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022 with Tusla, the child and family agency to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52215/22]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

158. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of decisions by Tusla following eligibility assessments of international protection applicants under the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022 to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52216/22]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

159. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide further details on the statement in Budget 2023 that accommodation for vulnerable applicants will be developed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52217/22]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

160. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of international protection applicants who are accommodated in tented accommodation; and the location of those sites in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52218/22]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

161. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons currently accommodated in a hotel (details supplied); the capacity of that hotel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52219/22]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

162. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons in accommodation provided by the International Protection and Accommodation Service who have refugee status, subsidiary protection or permission to remain; if he will provide a breakdown of their location by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52220/22]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

163. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of minor international protection applicants who are sharing a room with an adult who is not their parent or guardian; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52221/22]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

164. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the asylum, migration and integration fund; when an open call for funding will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52222/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Mattie McGrath

165. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of AIM supported childcare positions available in County Tipperary together; the location of all AIM supported childcare services in County Tipperary; the supports that are available to a child with special needs who cannot access childcare services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52320/22]

Ukraine War

Jackie Cahill

166. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on plans to relocate 60 Ukrainian families to Thurles; if the essential educational and health wrap-around supports will be provided in unison with this move; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52465/22]

Departmental Correspondence

Catherine Connolly

547. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51328/22]

Children in Care

Thomas Pringle

548. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when Tusla will publish its fostering service improvement plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51122/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Cathal Crowe

549. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the options available to a preschool (details supplied) in terms of getting additional space for 2023. [51126/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Catherine Murphy

550. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports that he can make available to ECCE providers in respect of the administrative burden that the Hive hub presents to end users. [51132/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Catherine Murphy

551. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has conducted a data protection impact analysis in respect of the HIVE system for the ECCE service; and if he will clarify whether his Department is the controller or processor of data in respect of the HIVE system. [51133/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Catherine Murphy

552. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of registered ECCE providers that have not drawn down and or accessed core funding in 2022. [51134/22]

Cybersecurity Policy

John Lahart

553. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total spend by his Department and the agencies under his remit on cybersecurity measures since 2019 to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51167/22]

Cybersecurity Policy

John Lahart

554. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the proportion of his Department’s IT data that is stored in the cloud; the proportion of the data held by all agencies and subsidiaries of his Department in the cloud; if this represents an improvement; if so, the development that has been made towards cloud storage since 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51191/22]

Departmental Schemes

Pa Daly

555. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on scheme A funding application (details supplied). [51231/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Patrick Costello

556. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will commit to including the cuts in childcare costs announced in Budget 2023 in aspects of the ECCE given that all providers are not registered with the national childcare scheme and not all parents will benefit from the Budget 2023 announcements as it stands. [51248/22]

Ministerial Staff

Mairéad Farrell

557. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the names of all special advisers working in his Department; the Minister and Junior Minister who each advisor is associated with and their respective salaries, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51250/22]

Departmental Functions

Mary Lou McDonald

558. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide the timeframe for the completion of the transfer of disability functions from the Department of Health to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51268/22]

Mental Health Policy

Mary Lou McDonald

559. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will clarify the way in which his Department will interact with the Minister of State for Older People and Mental Health in relation to psychosocial disabilities once the transfer of disability functions is complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51269/22]

Departmental Reviews

Patrick Costello

560. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the childminding steering group; and when the group is expected to publish its report. [51274/22]

Departmental Reviews

Patrick Costello

561. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will release the minutes from the childminding steering group meetings. [51275/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Kathleen Funchion

562. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made to amend the policy regarding parents' leave and benefit to allow lone parents to avail of full-time entitlement as is the case with two-parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51276/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Michael Lowry

563. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an application for ECCE time extension exemption for a child (details supplied) which was refused will be reviewed on the basis that this child is waiting on an assessment with the child and disability team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51320/22]

International Protection

Pa Daly

564. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of transfers between different IPAS accommodation centres for each month to date in 2022, in tabular form. [51486/22]

International Protection

Bríd Smith

565. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will intervene in the case of a number of Ukrainian refugees who are currently accommodated in Killarney attending a college (details supplied) and are completing courses for progression to third level, who have received two days’ notice that they will be moved to another hotel in County Mayo; the rationale for this repeated upheaval of Ukrainian refugees; if the uprooting of this particular group of students will be reconsidered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51536/22]

Departmental Contracts

Chris Andrews

566. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a case with an accommodation provider (details supplied) will be fully addressed. [51539/22]

Asylum Seekers

Danny Healy-Rae

567. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding refugees being moved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51666/22]

Departmental Staff

Paul Murphy

568. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of the names of each special advisor employed by his Department since 2015, the relevant Minister they worked under and the date that their employment with the Department/Minister ceased where applicable. [51774/22]

Asylum Seekers

Brendan Griffin

569. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a list of vacant properties (details supplied) offered for accommodation of refugees has been with IPAS since August 2022 without progress or correspondence with representatives despite repeated efforts; if this is a widespread occurrence; if so, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51797/22]

Childcare Services

Imelda Munster

570. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the basis that Section 56 childcare organisations which were previously Section 38 organisations, identified as public sector workers by their inclusion in the HSE superannuation scheme, were excluded from public sector pay agreements and pay restoration when re-designated as Section 56 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51808/22]

Departmental Schemes

Mairéad Farrell

571. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on a person’s (details supplied) childcare subsidy claim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51879/22]

Asylum Seekers

Pa Daly

572. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagements that he has had with HIQA over inspections for IPAS contracted properties. [51896/22]

Homeless Accommodation

Pa Daly

573. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which his Department is competing with other Government agencies for private sector accommodation, including homeless emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51897/22]

International Protection

Pa Daly

574. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a breakdown of the average transfer notice period provided, by month, to those in IPAS accommodation to date in 2022, broken down by the status of the those receiving notices, for example TPD, leave to remain, current applicants for protection and so on in tabular form. [51898/22]

Childcare Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

575. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the admissions policies of early years providers; if he has plans to put in place a legal basis for the parameters that an early years' provider may have placed upon them in drafting admissions policies; and the recourse that parents have if they are dissatisfied at the manner of implementation of such policies. [51921/22]

Gender Equality

Mary Lou McDonald

576. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions he has taken to progress the recommendation of the Different Paths, Shared Experiences: Ethnic Minority Women and Local Politics in Ireland research funded by the gender equality unit of his Department. [51927/22]

Maternity Leave

Mary Lou McDonald

577. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that he has made to date in advancing a statutory entitlement to maternity leave for Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas. [51930/22]

Asylum Seekers

Eoin Ó Broin

578. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of adults and children with leave to remain living in direct provision, with a breakdown by local authority area and by household size, one and two-adult household with no children, households with one child, two children and three children and with more than three children. [51978/22]

Youth Services

Michael Lowry

579. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will urgently seek a review concerning the level of funding for youth services such as Waterford and South Tipperary Community Youth Service in Budget 2023 (details supplied); the measures that are being taken to alleviate the financial difficulties and obstacles that youth service organisations are experiencing; if additional funding will be made available to such organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52018/22]

Youth Services

David Cullinane

580. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding funding increase for all strands of youth funding from his Department; if additional funding will be provided for community youth services including youth programmes, activities and projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52049/22]

Domestic Violence

Violet-Anne Wynne

581. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the person or body that is responsible for housing victims of domestic violence when the six-week refuge period comes to an end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52056/22]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

94. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the assistance that he can provide to a service (details supplied) that is currently operating out of a club; if he will provide assistance to the service manager to draw down funding to expand this vital community service and provide much-needed places in the local area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50610/22]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

95. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that the Government has not ratified the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which would provide a mechanism for people to challenge when their rights are not being upheld; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51023/22]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Kathleen Funchion

96. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the support that his Department is giving in terms of personnel, expertise and resources to the Minister for Justice in order that she can fulfil her duties in regard to supporting victims of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51017/22]

Disability Services

Verona Murphy

97. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the position of the Government to ratify the optional protocol of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which would allow people with disabilities to take a case to the United Nations over violation of their rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50741/22]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Connolly

98. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the development of the mother and baby institutions payment scheme Bill 2022; when the Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50718/22]

Children in Care

Thomas Gould

99. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions that he is taking to increase foster care allowance. [49682/22]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

100. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the engagement he has had with childcare providers in Dublin regarding core funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49692/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Sorca Clarke

101. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that he is taking to address the staffing crisis in the childcare sector to ensure the continued provision of adequate childcare across the State. [50733/22]

Ukraine War

Steven Matthews

102. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons from Ukraine who are being housed in private properties in which the owner is in receipt of the recognition payment; if he will provide an update on the number of pledged properties which have been deemed suitable for the placement of a person or family from Ukraine; the number of such people who have been placed in pledged accommodation to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50217/22]

Parental Leave

Brian Leddin

103. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the various types of family and caring leave that have expanded in Ireland over the past ten years; if his attention has been drawn to any data measuring how beneficial this has been to families in this time; the plans under consideration for the future provision of leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50606/22]

Youth Services

Verona Murphy

104. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the provisions that his Department are making in view of a recent survey showing that over seven in ten young persons are considering leaving Ireland for a better quality of life, to deliver improved youth services and supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50740/22]

Departmental Reviews

Matt Carthy

105. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects to receive the comprehensive review of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme. [50588/22]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

106. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide the details of the proposals on domestic violence leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50289/22]

Mother and Baby Homes

Jim O'Callaghan

107. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the commitment to excavate the burial site at Tuam; when the director for authorised intervention will be appointed; the support that will be provided to the director in ensuring that excavation works can commence on the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50738/22]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Pauline Tully

108. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will introduce some flexibility in the ECCE scheme to enable children with disabilities to repeat a pre-school year if needed in order that they can have a successful primary school transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50602/22]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Bríd Smith

109. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the widespread anger at his recent decision not to engage an international legal expert to review testimonies given to the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50631/22]

Children in Care

Ruairí Ó Murchú

110. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans, if any, to improve the pay and conditions of foster carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49959/22]