Parliamentary questions

School Funding

Brendan Griffin

88. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if funding is available for national schools to set up after-school services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48565/21]

Cybersecurity Policy

Violet-Anne Wynne

89. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if all of the information and data that was lost during the cyber-attack has been restored, consolidated; and if the HSE systems are up-to-date. [48626/21]

Direct Provision System

Holly Cairns

90. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the report concerning the opening of a direct provision centre (details supplied) in March 2020. [48725/21]

Direct Provision System

Holly Cairns

91. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of all direct provision accommodation centres; the number of persons resident in each centre; the number of those who are under 18 years of age; the number who are remaining in each centre as they cannot secure accommodation elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48726/21]

Social Welfare Inspections

Gary Gannon

92. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of referrals made to his Department or Tusla as a result of social welfare inspectors performing site visits between 2017 and 2020 and to date in 2021. [48739/21]

Tax Reliefs

Cathal Crowe

473. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he, in conjunction with the relevant Departments will consider putting a scheme in place similar to the cycle-to-work scheme for those on disability and invalidity allowance in order to financially assist them to access bicycles and electric scooters and so on. [47464/21]

Departmental Policies

Jennifer Whitmore

474. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reasons for the delay to the successor of Better Outcomes, Brighter Future; when he expects same to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47486/21]

Child Poverty

Jennifer Whitmore

475. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a child poverty unit has been established in his Department; if so, the staff and resources provided to the unit; the remit of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47487/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Holly Cairns

476. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the advice he sought from persons and bodies with expertise in GDPR concerning subject access requests by survivors seeking personal information from the archive of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47502/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Róisín Shortall

477. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 254 of 16 September 2021, if he will consider matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47513/21]

Childcare Services

Bernard Durkan

478. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to reduce the cost of childcare for parents with particular reference to ensuring as much support as possible to working families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47569/21]

Childcare Services

Michael Healy-Rae

479. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of an inspection of a crèche (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47595/21]

Traveller Community

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

480. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made towards delivering on each of the specific nine actions outlined under Cultural Identity in the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021; the amount of funding that has been allocated to or spent on each of those actions to date; and his plans to address the continued need for progress in the area following the completion of the current strategy. [47685/21]

Youth Services

Thomas Pringle

481. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to increase funding for resources for young persons and youth services in line with proposals by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47770/21]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

482. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure that early years and childcare workers are receiving adequate benefits, such as sick leave, sick pay and maternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47782/21]

Youth Services

Jim O'Callaghan

483. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that can be taken to strengthen the role of an organisation (details supplied) and other organisations that are involved in enhancing the lives of young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47783/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Ivana Bacik

484. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to introduce additional entry points during the year for parents availing of the ECCE scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47870/21]

Child Protection

Ivana Bacik

485. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to ratify the optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; and if so, if he will supply a timeline for same. [47873/21]

Programme for Government

Alan Dillon

486. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of programme for Government commitments (details supplied); if they have been completed; if not, the timeline on their progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48007/21]

Revenue Commissioners

Dara Calleary

487. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to a settlement between a State agency (details supplied) and the Revenue Commissioners; if there are any agencies under his Department’s remit that have had a similar issue or have made a settlement with the Revenue Commissioners in relation to any issue in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48018/21]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Catherine Connolly

488. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of unaccompanied minors that have gone missing while in State care in each of the years 2010 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the number found or accounted for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48035/21]

Assisted Decision-Making

Thomas Pringle

489. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown by section, including a precise timeline for the commencement and the reason for the delay in commencement, of the remaining sections of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48147/21]

International Agreements

Thomas Pringle

490. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he plans to sign the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability to meet Ireland’s obligations under the convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48148/21]

Disability Services

Thomas Pringle

491. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures that are in place to meet the 6% employment target for 2024 under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48149/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Peter Burke

492. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will review the refusal of ECCE for a child (details supplied) considering the circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48224/21]

Adoption Services

Joan Collins

493. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of applications for declarations of eligibility and suitability to adopt from abroad that were made by individuals and couples in 2020; and the number that were assessed as suitable. [48232/21]

Disability Services

Violet-Anne Wynne

494. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider establishing a commission or a cross-party working group on ableism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48253/21]

Youth Work Supports

Kathleen Funchion

495. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will take on board the recommendation in the review by an organisation (details supplied) of the youth work sector response to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48288/21]

International Protection

Jennifer Whitmore

284. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider increasing the intake of refugees from Afghanistan; if he is putting in place a programme to assist any unaccompanied minors coming from Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47253/21]

International Protection

Catherine Connolly

285. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to expand the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in order to accept an increased number of refugees from Afghanistan; the engagement he has had with the Minister for Foreign Affairs in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47276/21]

Childcare Services

Jennifer Whitmore

286. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to reports that childcare workers are not being paid when they are excluded from work due to Covid-19 cases in a class and pod; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47205/21]

Childcare Services

Jennifer Whitmore

287. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the results of a report (details supplied) whereby 70% of the managers who responded to the survey, found it extremely difficult to recruit staff in the past 12 months; the measures he will carry out to address the impending staffing crisis in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47246/21]

Childcare Services

Jennifer Whitmore

288. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to a demand for more childcare places outside of ECCE hours; the steps he is taking to address demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47247/21]

Childcare Services

Jennifer Whitmore

289. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way he plans to address flexibility of childcare hours given that flexible working arrangements are being promoted by Government; if he will address the need for greater flexibility in the childcare sector to meet this policy approach and the various new working arrangements parents are taking on board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47248/21]

International Protection

Jennifer Whitmore

290. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the numbers of children and families from the Mória refugee camp who have been resettled in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47252/21]

Childcare Services

Cormac Devlin

291. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to a Budget 2022 submission by an organisation (details supplied) which calls for a number of measures to tackle costs in the childcare sector; if he will consider the submission in Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47360/21]

Assisted Decision-Making

Éamon Ó Cuív

292. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 will be fully implemented; when the promised new assisted decision-making (capacity)(amendment) Bill will be published; when the decision support service will also be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47371/21]

International Protection

Éamon Ó Cuív

293. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the locations in which refugees arriving from Afghanistan will be accommodated initially on their arrival in Ireland; if they will be permanently accommodated in a small number of locations or dispersed throughout the State; the support that will be given to them on arrival and subsequently to settle in Ireland and make successful lives here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47378/21]

Assisted Decision-Making

Mattie McGrath

156. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015; when the commencement of the decision support service is scheduled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46915/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Mairéad Farrell

157. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total spend on external contractors, consultancy services and other outsourcing in 2018 and 2019. [46921/21]

EU Directives

Marian Harkin

158. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline for the transposition of the Work Life Balance Directive; the process by which this directive will be transposed and implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46966/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Violet-Anne Wynne

159. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the additional funding that has been allocated to the early childhood care and education sector in order to meet the commitment in the First Five policy document from 2019 to double public expenditure by 2028. [46978/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Violet-Anne Wynne

160. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement his Department has had with member and sector workers in relation to a campaign by a union (details supplied); and the way his Department plans to respond appropriately to the crisis in the early childhood care and education sector. [46979/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Violet-Anne Wynne

161. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider an inquiry into the findings of a report (details supplied) highlighting that 60% of workers in the early childhood care and education sector earn less than the living wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46980/21]

Domestic Violence

Violet-Anne Wynne

162. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions the State is taking to realise its obligations under the Istanbul Convention signed in 2011 to provide one space in domestic violence refuges per 10,000 women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46981/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Violet-Anne Wynne

163. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the fact that increasing the capitation fund to incentivise workers in the early childhood care and education sector to hold a third-level degree is not trickling down to the workers given that Ireland continues to have some of the highest childcare fees in Europe coupled with the lowest paid workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46982/21]

Childcare Services

Violet-Anne Wynne

164. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the restoration of funding cut through the community childcare subvention stream to a service (details supplied) as of 2021; if he will review the decision on which the cut was based; and if he will consider the restoration of this funding. [47040/21]

Children in Care

Mattie McGrath

165. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the spend on foster care in each of the years 2014 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the percentage of this that was allocated to for-profit agencies; and the amount paid to each individual agency. [47109/21]

Child and Family Agency

Mattie McGrath

166. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount Tusla has paid for the placement of Irish children abroad in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the details of the placements; the number of children involved and their ages; the locations they have been sent to; the reasons for being sent abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47110/21]

Children in Care

Mattie McGrath

167. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children reported missing from residential care homes from 2018 to date in 2021. [47111/21]

Children in Care

Mattie McGrath

168. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the longitudinal study his Department is conducting on children leaving the care system (details supplied). [47112/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Violet-Anne Wynne

523. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount that has been allocated to organisations that provide services that combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in each of the years 2016 to 2020, in tabular form. [46498/21]

After-School Support Services

Duncan Smith

524. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a family (details supplied) in County Kildare are not being offered free after-school tuition given it was previously received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46609/21]

Health Services

Holly Cairns

525. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the proposed introduction of baby boxes for all new parents will begin. [46735/21]

Health Services

Holly Cairns

526. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the proposed introduction of baby boxes for new parents will include all parents regardless of immigration status.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46736/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Mary Lou McDonald

527. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department as a data controller will grant access to the medical records for those survivors of mother and baby homes who did not nominate a medical practitioner when requesting their records as he is obligated to do under Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation. [46117/21]

Youth Services

Paul McAuliffe

528. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way the new UBU Your Place Your Space contract will allow detached youth work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46130/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

529. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if St. Kyran’s in Rathcoole, County Wicklow was included in investigations regarding mother and baby homes; if the files from this institution were handed over to the State; if so, if they are with his Department or Tusla; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46181/21]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

530. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 497 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46201/21]

Departmental Budgets

Alan Kelly

531. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost in 2022 if the budget for better start early years specialist within his Department increased by 10%. [46288/21]

Child and Family Agency

Peadar Tóibín

532. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of staff members Tusla has referred to CORU over concerns over standards, practice or misconduct in each of the past five years. [46336/21]

Child and Family Agency

Peadar Tóibín

533. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of staff dismissed by Tusla over misconduct in each of the past five years. [46337/21]

Departmental Schemes

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

534. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will facilitate a meeting with a service (details supplied) and with Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas from County Donegal to discuss serious concerns in relation to the ongoing failure of the Government and State agencies to adequately resource the vital service which has been provided for many years. [46531/21]

International Protection

Michael Creed

535. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when persons seeking international protection will be sent to a direct provision centre (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the critical importance of schools in the integration of these children in local communities; if his attention has been further drawn to the 30 September 2021 deadline for schools which determines staff enrolment for the subsequent academic year and the difficulty which a significant influx of additional students after this deadline can cause; the arrangements which he can secure with the Department of Education to facilitate greater flexibility around the 30 September 2021 deadline in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46576/21]

Child and Family Agency

Cormac Devlin

536. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of front-line social workers employed by Tusla in areas (details supplied) during each of the years 2016 to 2020 and in June 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46707/21]

Child and Family Agency

Cormac Devlin

537. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Tusla front-line social worker vaccines in areas (details supplied) in June 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46708/21]

Departmental Communications

Catherine Connolly

538. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement he has had with the Minister for Finance with regard to extending the EWSS exemption beyond Q3 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46719/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

539. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has any plans to change the number of entry dates into the ECCE system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46731/21]

Childcare Services

Jennifer Whitmore

540. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports that are available for childcare facilities continuing to employ high staff levels to facilitate the pod system, to provide sick leave cover due to Covid-19 or for when staff must isolate when their children are unwell; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46775/21]

Legislative Measures

Mark Ward

302. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to remove the requirement of a court order to allow a person access their files as per section 88 of the Adoption Act 2010 for adoptees who have already met their birth mother; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45789/21]

Cybersecurity Policy

Imelda Munster

131. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department’s IT infrastructure is monitored for security breaches on a 24/7 basis; the guidance provided from Government on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45305/21]

Flexible Work Practices

Emer Higgins

132. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps taken by his Department to support the implementation of the national remote work strategy Making Remote Work; the approximate number or percentage of staff within his Department who have access to cloud services for remote videoconferencing and the capacity to work remotely; his plans to increase this percentage; the framework under which procurement for this is managed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45362/21]

Flexible Work Practices

Emer Higgins

133. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps taken by agencies under the remit of his Department to support the implementation of the national remote work strategy Making Remote Work; the approximate number or percentage of staff within these agencies who have access to cloud services for remote videoconferencing and the capacity to work remotely; if there are plans to increase this percentage; the framework under which procurement for this is managed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45379/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Réada Cronin

134. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of any investigations into the leak regarding the report on the mother and baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45446/21]

Childcare Services

Niamh Smyth

135. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the proposals he has to improve childcare provision under the national childcare scheme for children whose parents are not working or in education or training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45462/21]

International Protection

Duncan Smith

136. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons that were deemed adults by the International Protection Office and placed into direct provision following the assessments; and the number that were deemed minors and placed in the care of Tusla. [45467/21]

Grant Payments

Pádraig O'Sullivan

137. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the ECCE grant for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45470/21]

Disability Services

Richard O'Donoghue

138. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to provide supports and recreation centres for families with autism and other such spectrums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45477/21]

Assisted Decision-Making

Violet-Anne Wynne

139. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the Bill to amend the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015; the other technical issues that have been resolved other than the repeal of the Marriage of Lunatics Act 1811 to date; and the actions currently being taken by his Department apart from the development of the decision support service. [45509/21]

Legislative Programme

Violet-Anne Wynne

140. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2019 which provides for the monitoring structures that will apply to the implementation of the UNCRPD. [45510/21]

Disability Services

Violet-Anne Wynne

141. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the distinction that is being made in his policy work between organisations for persons with a disability and disability representative organisations. [45511/21]

International Agreements

Joan Collins

142. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 442 of 20 January 2021 and 179 of 12 May 2021, the exact outstanding issues that need to be resolved by the Department of Justice before the State can proceed to ratify the Second Optional Protocol on the UNCRC which includes the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45548/21]

Departmental Funding

Violet-Anne Wynne

143. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the projects or grantees in his recently announced €1 million funding for children’s services within the What Works initiative that will be targeted directly at benefiting the lives of children with disabilities. [45624/21]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Holly Cairns

144. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a subject access request from survivors seeking personal information from the archive of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be facilitated without the requirement for a nominated general practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45701/21]

Asylum Seekers

Jennifer Whitmore

145. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the postnatal supports that are available to asylum seekers who give birth in Ireland; the policy that is currently available for the postnatal care of both asylum seeker mothers and their babies in direct provision centres or hotel accommodation; if his attention has been drawn to the particular case of a woman (details supplied) who was transferred to another centre with a newborn baby; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45728/21]

Childcare Services

Jennifer Whitmore

146. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address the anomaly whereby parents who do not work or study cannot access the national childcare subsidy for after-school care during term-time; if he has carried out a poverty impact analysis on the new national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45730/21]

Childcare Services

Patrick Costello

419. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider making it mandatory for all crèches to undergo inspection from Tusla upon their opening and to have regular inspections taking place once operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44438/21]

After-School Support Services

Róisín Shortall

420. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); the steps he is taking to ensure access to after-school projects for all children in DEIS areas; the way he plans to support after-school projects negatively impacted by changes to the national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44542/21]

Disability Services

Richard Boyd Barrett

421. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the schemes in place as part of the job-share initiative or community schemes for persons with a disability or mental health issues; if there is no replacement, if he plans to introduce a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44645/21]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

422. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to address the rise in closures of small and average sized childcare services since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44662/21]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

423. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the UNICEF recommendation for 1% of GDP to be invested in childcare; if it is his plan for Ireland to reach this benchmark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44664/21]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

424. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Ireland is one of the lowest spenders on childcare in the EU; the steps he is taking to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44665/21]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

425. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if supports will continue for childcare providers to help them access insurance given the rising costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44666/21]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Neale Richmond

426. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many childcare providers find the current rates for the early childhood care and education scheme to be untenable and insufficient to allow providers to make ends meet; the steps he is taking to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44667/21]

Childcare Services

Neale Richmond

427. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure that childcare is affordable for parents and is not a factor in parents exiting the workforce prematurely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44668/21]

Direct Provision System

Niall Collins

428. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44707/21]

Programme for Government

Violet-Anne Wynne

429. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a progress report on the Programme for Government commitment to fully implement the access and inclusion model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44726/21]

Maternity Leave

Michael Healy-Rae

430. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to extend maternity leave going forward (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44789/21]

Departmental Properties

Holly Cairns

431. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the locations of all offices and buildings either owned or used by his Department or by public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit which are usually open to the public to access services. [44907/21]

Social Welfare Code

Neale Richmond

432. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 753 and 754 of 9 September 2021, his views on whether employers should top up the rates of parent's benefit; if he will engage with employers on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44987/21]