Parliamentary questions

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

402. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that all childcare service providers must adhere to health and safety and fire safety regulations to be able to re-register in 2019 for the coming year; if he will consider allowing providers to use these funds towards other important capital improvements to their facilities in this round; and if there is a facility for providers to recoup same, given that many services have already heavily invested in fire safety from their own funds to re-register. [43207/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Kathleen Funchion

551. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will allow dance classes to open during level 3 restrictions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43205/20]

Schools Building Projects

Kathleen Funchion

115. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) will be included in the next tender bundle for its building project; if the required documentation is being prepared; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42273/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

164. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes' report is 3,000 or 4,000 pages in length; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42247/20]

Agricultural Colleges

Kathleen Funchion

39. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it will be ensured that agriculture students attending Teagasc colleges will be eligible for the same financial supports as other third level students. [41618/20]

Sports Organisations

Kathleen Funchion

225. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the allocation of State funding that adult female sporting organisations are in receipt of; the breakdown for 2019 and 2020; the funds allocated for 2021 in counties Carlow and Kilkenny by organisation; and the total allocation per county. [41191/20]

Sports Organisations

Kathleen Funchion

226. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the allocation of State funding that adult male sporting organisations are in receipt of; the breakdown for 2019 and 2020; the funds allocated for 2021 in counties Carlow and Kilkenny by organisation; and the total allocation per county. [41192/20]

Sports Organisations

Kathleen Funchion

227. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the allocation of State funding that juvenile female sporting organisations are in receipt of; the breakdown for 2019 and 2020; the funds allocated for 2021 in counties Carlow and Kilkenny by organisation; and the total allocation per county. [41193/20]

Sports Organisations

Kathleen Funchion

228. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the allocation of State funding that juvenile mixed sporting organisations are in receipt of; the breakdown for 2019 and 2020; the funds allocated for 2021 in counties Carlow and Kilkenny, by organisation; and the total allocation per county. [41194/20]

Sports Organisations

Kathleen Funchion

229. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the allocation of State funding that juvenile male sporting organisations are in receipt of; the breakdown for 2019 and 2020; the funds allocated for 2021 in counties Carlow and Kilkenny, by organisation; and the total allocation per county. [41195/20]

Sports Organisations

Kathleen Funchion

230. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the allocation of funding for county boards (details supplied); the breakdown in 2019 and 2020; and the funds allocated for 2021 in counties Carlow and Kilkenny per county. [41196/20]

Local Authority Staff

Kathleen Funchion

269. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the process for the hiring of antisocial behaviour officers in all local authorities; if it is a standard process throughout; if he will explain the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41198/20]

Third Level Fees

Kathleen Funchion

473. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the funding inequality that exists for graduate entry medical students (details supplied); and the supports in place to help students that find themselves in this position. [41708/20]

Student Support Schemes

Kathleen Funchion

474. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to overhaul the current SUSI grants system and investigate and implement a student loan system similar to the UK and Australia (details supplied). [41709/20]

Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

579. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied). [41199/20]

Flexible Work Practices

Kathleen Funchion

869. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding opportunities or ventures her Department is supporting to facilitate the roll-out of flexible working hubs in the towns of Carlow and Kilkenny. [41197/20]

National Childcare Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

84. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions he has taken to address the systematic discrimination of stay-at-home parents through their exclusion from access to the national childcare scheme, NCS. [40790/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

86. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will announce the date he plans to publish the report by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters. [40791/20]

Child Protection

Kathleen Funchion

251. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he has taken to address the high number of children in counties Carlow and Kilkenny without an allocated social worker; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40792/20]

National Childcare Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

283. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will disclose the research, often cited by Department officials that withholds access to any SAC hours during term-time unless the parents engages in employment and or education as a way of breaking the poverty cycle (details supplied); and if he will provide the source of the research that has caused a significant policy shift from a child centred approach to a work activation programme that withholds childcare service during term-time as a way to coerce parents into work, education by inflicting negative consequences on their children. [41043/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

284. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of SAC children granted zero hours term-time since September 2020; and the number under NCS. [41044/20]

National Childcare Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

285. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage increase and-or decrease in NCS registrations compared since September 2020 to 2019. [41045/20]

Community Childcare Subvention Programme

Kathleen Funchion

286. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage increase and or decrease in CCSP registrations compared since September 2020 to 2019. [41046/20]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

287. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage increase and or decrease in ECCE registrations compared to 2019. [41047/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

288. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of services, both early years and after-school that have changed the type of service they offer from full day to part-time sessional or part-time sessional to full day. [41048/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

289. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of SAC and ECEC services that have ceased offering SAC places. [41049/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

290. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of SAC children that were registered in 2019-2020; and the increase and or decrease in 2020-2021. [41050/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Kathleen Funchion

322. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if childcare professionals will be some of the first recipients of a Covid-19 vaccine; if there will be a cost for childcare professionals; his plans to ensure that persons who work in childcare will be the first to receive the vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41042/20]

National Childcare Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

98. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions he will take to address the extremely low levels of awareness of the NCS and after school programmes by Tusla social workers; the training that has been provided for Tusla social care workers on the NCS programme; and the guidance given to social workers in order that they can quickly and efficiently refer a child to an afterschool service. [40716/20]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

99. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the funding model for the AIM programme is tailored to the educational qualification levels of staff rather than the needs of the child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40717/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

100. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a chair will be appointed to the collaborative forum. [40719/20]

National Childcare Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

101. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the NCS is extremely complicated and creates a large amount of paperwork for providers in ascertaining the amount parents have to pay and the levels of subsidy they will receive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40720/20]

National Childcare Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

102. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider increasing the NCS hourly rate of €3.75, despite this being at the higher end given the fact that many providers are struggling to provide their services at this level and are extremely worried about their long-term viability. [40721/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

103. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider introducing a subsidy to cover transport costs which was provided for childcare services to collect children as per the previous schemes. [40722/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

104. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to reconvene the collaborative forum to discuss a pathway forward immediately after the publication of the report; if so if the discussion will include stakeholders who currently do not sit on the forum membership; and if he will consider the inclusion of other groups. [40723/20]

Domestic Violence Services

Kathleen Funchion

105. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports in place to support migrants and those whose first language is not English at risk of domestic violence. [40725/20]

Data Protection

Kathleen Funchion

106. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the list of recommendations he received from the Clann Project, dated 23 November 2020; his further views in particular on the recommendation that Government seeks independent advise from experts working in the area of international data protection law to guarantee that Ireland implements GDPR in relation to institutional, adoption and care-related records and their suggestions on access to records legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40726/20]

Foster Care

Kathleen Funchion

107. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions he is taking to address the shortage of foster carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40727/20]

Mental Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

134. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the additional funding and resources that have been allocated to HSE counselling services to deal with the inevitable rise in numbers of those who will access counselling services upon the publication of the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and other related matters. [40718/20]

Urban Renewal Schemes

Kathleen Funchion

293. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the regeneration plan, Project Carlow 2040: A Vision for Regeneration, launched recently by Carlow County Council and the local enterprise office and supported by local business groups in Carlow town; and if he will engage with and agree to meet local Deputies and business representatives remotely to discuss this vision for the town centre. [39826/20]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

531. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children that have applied for an ECCE overage exemption; the number of children whose applications have been successful; and the number of children that have been unsuccessful for the overage exemption by county in tabular form. [39823/20]

Visa Applications

Kathleen Funchion

588. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Justice if she will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied). [39824/20]

Hospital Services

Kathleen Funchion

676. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if developmental checks on babies by public health nurses are proceeding under current Covid-19 restrictions in counties Carlow and Kilkenny. [39822/20]

Health Screening Programmes

Kathleen Funchion

677. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of women that have had to have a repeat cervical check due to the fact their samples were out of date by the time they were presented at labs in the USA for testing by county in tabular form. [39825/20]

Disability Services Provision

Kathleen Funchion

699. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the circumstances in which a person (details supplied) has had transport stopped since the resumption of services to a facility post Covid-19. [39915/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

157. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the means by which the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation is contacting witnesses that gave testimony to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38942/20]

Health Screening Programmes

Kathleen Funchion

228. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that trials and pilot programmes in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States, have shown that lung cancer screening can increase early detection of the disease and thereby improve mortality; and his plans to introduce a lung cancer screening programme given lung cancer remains Ireland’s biggest cancer killer. [39034/20]

Electronic Cigarettes

Kathleen Funchion

229. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the findings (details supplied) of a recent Health Research Board report, published on 12 October 2020; and his plans to introduce stricter regulation on the sale and use of e-cigarettes. [39035/20]

Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

260. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance if consideration will be given to allow a company (details supplied) to raise EIIS funding towards its equity requirements for a solar farm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38540/20]

Wage Subsidy Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

277. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance if the current 30% threshold criterion of July to December for accessing the employment wage support scheme will be reviewed and amended (details supplied). [38125/20]

Commercial Rates

Kathleen Funchion

331. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration will be given to expanding the commercial rates waiver to cover the first quarter of 2021 (details supplied). [38126/20]

Education Policy

Kathleen Funchion

537. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available for children diagnosed as gifted; and if she will consider adding gifted children to the diagnosis that enables carers and parents to apply for the domiciliary care allowance (details supplied). [38373/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

619. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports available for parents to pay childcare fees during a period of self-isolation (details supplied). [38122/20]

Childcare Qualifications

Kathleen Funchion

620. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childminder learner fund grants awarded to childminders; the number of applications his Department has received; and the breakdown of the funding provided for 2018, 2019 and 2020. [38127/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Kathleen Funchion

854. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if at least seven days’ notice of the type of restrictions that may come into effect as Ireland emerges from level 5 at the start of December 2020 will be considered. [38358/20]

Health Services Provision

Kathleen Funchion

883. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if IVF is available through the public hospital system for a medical card patient. [38517/20]

Driver Test

Kathleen Funchion

231. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if more personnel will be provided to deal with the backlog of driver tests in County Carlow (details supplied). [36748/20]

Tax Reliefs

Kathleen Funchion

253. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance the tax relief subsidy that parents can avail of if they use a registered childminder. [36536/20]

Community Employment Schemes

Kathleen Funchion

587. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are circumstances in which a community employment scheme can be extended particularly when the employer and supervisor believe it would be beneficial for both (details supplied). [36892/20]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

619. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding his Department allocated to the childminder learner fund; the number of requests for funding received for the fund; the purpose of this funding; and if it is educational purposes only. [36537/20]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

620. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the grants system in place for childminders. [36538/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

621. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childminders that have notified their business to his Department but are legally exempt from regulation; and the reason a childminder might be exempt from registering with Tusla. [36539/20]

Departmental Consultations

Kathleen Funchion

622. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of public consultations that were held by his Department in late 2019 on the childminding action plan; and the groups with whom his officials held focus groups on the plan. [36540/20]

Speech and Language Therapy

Kathleen Funchion

687. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of children nationally who are waiting for an assessment for speech and language therapy in tabular form. [36397/20]

Speech and Language Therapy

Kathleen Funchion

688. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the length of time children nationally are waiting to see a therapist for speech and language in tabular form. [36398/20]

National Asset Management Agency

Kathleen Funchion

73. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Finance the actions his Department took to assist a person (details supplied). [35647/20]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

167. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the funding allocation for his Department for 2021, by project. [35642/20]

Departmental Data

Kathleen Funchion

168. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the various units within his Department; and the number of staff working in each unit in tabular form. [35643/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

169. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions his Department has taken since he took office to engage with the collaborative forum. [35644/20]

Departmental Staff

Kathleen Funchion

170. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of personnel employed within his Department who are working solely within the remit of mother and baby homes. [35645/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

171. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the groups his Department has contacted regarding the mother and baby homes legislation; and the dates when his Department made contact. [35646/20]

Dental Services

Kathleen Funchion

221. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for a dental appointment in counties Carlow and Kilkenny, and the length of time they have been waiting, in tabular form. [35648/20]

Mental Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

731. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the wait time for a person seeking the services of the national counselling service by HSE area, in tabular form. [35019/20]

Mental Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

732. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for an appointment with the national counselling service by HSE area, in tabular form. [35020/20]

Mental Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

733. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the additional counselling staff, that is, whole-time employees, who will be deployed to the HSE to provide counselling services specifically for mother and baby home survivors. [35021/20]

Mental Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

734. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the additional counselling staff, that is, whole-time employees, who will be deployed to provide counselling services specifically for mother and baby home survivors. [35022/20]

Mental Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

735. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health the package of measures that will support survivors of mother and baby homes. [35023/20]

LEADER Programmes

Kathleen Funchion

836. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the commitment has she given to Leader programme coordinators specifically on the funding shortfall that has been highlighted in regard to the finishing of the current Leader funding at the end of 2020 and the commencement of the new Leader funding programme at the beginning of 2023 (details supplied). [34607/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Kathleen Funchion

744. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education her plans to employ health professionals in schools to screen children that could be sent to school with Covid-19 symptoms. [32803/20]

State Examinations

Kathleen Funchion

769. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education if students will be allowed to be awarded 100% in their oral exams as promised in March 2020 (details supplied). [33058/20]

Youth Services

Kathleen Funchion

961. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the €5 million funding announced in the Budget for youth services (details supplied). [32804/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

968. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 335 of 13 October 2020, when they will commence and issue. [33159/20]

After-School Support Services

Kathleen Funchion

970. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Number 22 of 20 October 2020, if he will specifically answer the question in relation to term time when children are attending schools and the allocation of afterschool hours (details supplied); and if he will provide a copy of the specific piece of research that he is basing this new policy on. [33249/20]

Speech and Language Therapy

Kathleen Funchion

1310. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive speech and language therapy [33056/20]

After-School Support Services

Kathleen Funchion

22. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the situation in regard to disadvantaged children being locked out of after-school programmes under the national childcare scheme (details supplied); and the reason new children to after-school services are ineligible for the national childcare scheme due to the employment status of their parents. [31304/20]

Domestic Violence Refuges Provision

Kathleen Funchion

24. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if funding allocated to women’s refuges as part of their response to Covid-19 will continue (details supplied). [31305/20]

Youth Services

Kathleen Funchion

25. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the extra supports his Department has in place for young persons that have been severely hit by Covid-19, particularly in terms of their education, career and employment and the impact on their mental health. [31306/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

30. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a gap in funding is causing significant difficulties for providers and families in the delay between an application being made to NCS and then Pobal processing this application and as the NCS does not backdate payments, this means that either the parents or services are paying the full price until the application is fully processed. [31309/20]

National Childcare Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

44. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the reason that, in order to qualify for the national childcare scheme, NCS, parents need to have a public services card, given that other Departments have done away with requiring the public services card to access their services, namely the passport service. [31308/20]

National Childcare Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

46. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if his attention has been drawn to the issues surrounding the registering of CHICK numbers as this is also having an impact on the quick turnaround of NCS applications. [31310/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

61. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the letters issued by Pobal to providers in relation to refunds; and the reason his officials are seeking refunds from providers whose businesses are at risk of closure due to historical inadequate funding. [31307/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

70. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are some serious ongoing issues in terms of the service Pobal is providing for childcare providers (details supplied). [31311/20]

Military Honours

Kathleen Funchion

304. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Defence if the soldiers who were involved in the siege of Jadotville will be receiving medals of recognition; if so, when they expect can this; and if not, the rationale in this regard. [31628/20]

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme

Kathleen Funchion

427. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) can apply for back payment of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. [31633/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Kathleen Funchion

445. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the plans under way for a collaborative forum for survivors of mother and baby homes. [31119/20]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

450. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration his plans to raise investment in the early years sector to bring Ireland from the bottom of the investment league in the OECD. [31384/20]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

451. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration his plans to deal with the precarious position of school age childcare, SAC, services in view of an internal poll of Early Childhood Ireland’s SAC members found that 79% of members have seen their numbers reduce since they reopened. [31385/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

455. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if information on the sustainability fund will be provided; the way in which it can be applied for; and the locations in which information can be found in this regard. [31631/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

456. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the way in which the Pobal overpayments were calculated; and if a service can be given a breakdown of the figure if requested. [31632/20]

Community Childcare Subvention Programme

Kathleen Funchion

457. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he will address and clarify a series of matters (details supplied). [31637/20]