Parliamentary questions

Childcare Services

Colm Burke

1111. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to ensure that when a childcare setting indicates that it is going to close, it must first be signalled this within the Pobal Hive, by giving a minimum of three months' notice and six months if at all possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11816/24]

Childcare Services

Colm Burke

1112. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a child care setting has confirmed with Pobal that it is to close, this will trigger a response from a Stakeholder Response Team (SRT); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11817/24]

Childcare Services

Colm Burke

1113. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he will take to ensure that when child care settings are at risk of closures, the Stakeholder Response Team (SRT) will work with a range of local agencies and others to devise a sustainable plan for the setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11818/24]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

1114. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of IPAS applicants now residing in a facility (details supplied) by status, that is, male, female or child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11832/24]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

1115. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the stages involved in the assessment of properties offered for IPAS accommodation; the timeframe for assessment from time of offer to signing of contracts; the date the offer was received for a property in Tipperary (details supplied); the current stage of assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11833/24]

Disabilities Assessments

Pádraig O'Sullivan

1116. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the 16,500 children awaiting an AON as per CDNT estimates are included in a schools assessment as per the new SET allocation model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11842/24]

Disabilities Assessments

Pádraig O'Sullivan

1117. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of assessment of needs conducted per annum in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11846/24]

Disabilities Assessments

Pádraig O'Sullivan

1118. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the parents of a child (details supplied) can expect to receive an assessment of needs for their child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11853/24]

Adoption Services

Richard Boyd Barrett

1119. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress to date of the DNA working group established to consider the potential role of DNA in the context of the provision of the statutory tracing service under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11869/24]

Adoption Services

Richard Boyd Barrett

1120. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on how to approach birth information and tracing policy where a birth parent or other individual with access to relevant information is withholding information or otherwise failing to cooperate with an individual who is seeking out their birth information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11870/24]

Adoption Services

Richard Boyd Barrett

1121. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps his Department has taken to inform adoptees and mother and baby home survivors of any potential role for DNA technologies in tracing birth information, given the diverse levels of technological literacy across society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11871/24]

Childcare Services

Paul McAuliffe

1122. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to assist families with newborns where maternity leave/payment ends at 26 weeks, but the vast majority of crèches will only take children aged from 12 months upwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11879/24]

Housing Provision

Mattie McGrath

1123. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of his Department’s plans to use the HSE-owned lands on the Heywood Road, Clonmel, County Tipperary for the provision of 62 modular homes; the current status of such considerations; the proposed use of such modular homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11890/24]

Housing Provision

Mattie McGrath

1124. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline plans for the use of the HSE-owned lands on the Heywood Road, Clonmel, County Tipperary; if these lands are being considered for the provision of modular homes by the Department of Children, Equality, Disabilities, Integration and youth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11892/24]

Disability Services

Thomas Pringle

1125. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 459 of 7 March 2023, if the Preliminary Design (Stage 1) Report for the new intellectual disability adult day services facility at the Cleary Centre in Donegal town is complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11909/24]

Disability Services

Denise Mitchell

1126. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider changing the criteria in order to successfully apply for the motorised transport grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11920/24]

Disability Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1127. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she is aware that the CDNT team in Donegal east has no office of its own, a 65% staff vacancy rate and key leadership positions unfilled; and if she will urgently examine all options to resolve this crisis as soon as possible, including pooling resources with other CDNT teams in the county, until the vacancy rates improve. [11926/24]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Paul Kehoe

1128. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether a property (details supplied) is being considered for refugee accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11947/24]

Disability Services

Cian O'Callaghan

1129. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to review the motorised transport grant and tax relief for drivers and passengers with disabilities given that the criteria for both schemes are restrictive; if he will consider changing the eligibility criteria to be more inclusive of different disabilities where people still cannot drive without an adapted car; when this criteria was last reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11962/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

1130. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of residential places that were available as of December 2023; and the number available to date in 2024, in tabular form. [11964/24]

Disability Services

Verona Murphy

1131. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children on the waiting list for CDNT services in County Wexford in each of the four Wexford CDNTs; the number of clinical staff currently assigned to the CDNT in County Wexford; the number of clinical staff currently employed to the CDNT in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11971/24]

Disabilities Assessments

John Brady

1132. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number currently awaiting an assessment of need by the children's disability network team, broken down by CHO and waiting list timeframe that is, by one, three, six, 12 and greater than 12 months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11978/24]

Disability Services

John Brady

1133. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a staffing breakdown for the childrens disability network team for each CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11982/24]

Departmental Properties

Catherine Murphy

1134. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is satisfied that information relied upon by his Department in concluding that a property (details supplied) used for the accommodation of IPAs and BOTPs is a company and not the entity listed as the owner by the Land Registry. [12002/24]

Disability Services

Thomas Pringle

1135. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 459 of 7 March 2023, if the preliminary design Stage 1 report for the new intellectual disability adult day services facility at the Cleary Centre in Donegal town is complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12009/24]

Disability Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

1136. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps being taken to improve disability services in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12054/24]

International Protection

Holly Cairns

1137. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of currently vacant beds within the IPAS system, by county, in tabular form. [12117/24]

International Protection

Holly Cairns

1138. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of currently vacant beds in accommodation centres contracted for Ukrainians under temporary protection, by county, in tabular form. [12118/24]

International Protection

Holly Cairns

1139. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of accommodation providers contracted to provide accommodation for Ukrainian citizens under temporary protection that have been asked to extend their contract provisions to include accommodating international protection applicants, by county, in tabular form. [12119/24]

Childcare Services

Catherine Connolly

1140. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to detail his plans to secure adequate and safe accommodation for all international protection applicants and to prevent the emergence of refugee camps on our streets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12142/24]

Departmental Funding

John Brady

1141. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost to implement a 10% increase across the board for youth funding schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12203/24]

Departmental Funding

Sorca Clarke

1142. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount allocated for service provisions in St. Christopher’s, Longford, per heading for 2021, 2022, and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12245/24]

Disability Services

Sorca Clarke

1143. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current vacancies per role for St. Christopher’s in Longford, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12246/24]

Departmental Funding

Paul McAuliffe

1144. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for a breakdown in the funding provided by his Department to youth services in the Finglas and Ballymun areas; and for a breakdown in the changes to the level of funding since 2020. [12276/24]

Departmental Funding

Paul McAuliffe

1145. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for a breakdown of the number of new posts funded by his Department in youth services in the Finglas and Ballymun areas since 2020. [12277/24]

Departmental Funding

Paul McAuliffe

1146. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding provided by his Department for youth services in Finglas and Ballymun since 2006, in tabular form. [12278/24]

Childcare Services

Louise O'Reilly

1147. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the notice to quit issued to a creche (details supplied) that provides essential childcare services for over 50 families in Balrothery; that the landlord only gave the crèche four weeks to vacate the premises; and if his Department will engage with the creche to help find an alternative location in the Balrothery area. [12312/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Catherine Connolly

1148. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 110 of 14 December 2023, if the negotiation process between the expert negotiator and religious orders with regard to contributing to the mother and baby institutions redress scheme has been completed to date; if not, the expected timeline for the conclusion of the negotiation process; when the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12339/24]

Departmental Staff

Catherine Murphy

1149. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of exit and-or severance and-or redundancy packages granted by his Department, and bodies under his aegis and of bodies he funds in full or in part, of €100,000 and above but less that €200,000, by the amount and by each body in each of the years 2019 to 2023 and to date in 2024. [12344/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Michael Healy-Rae

1150. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to review a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12361/24]

After-School Support Services

Alan Dillon

1151. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what funding or schemes are available to support communities with after-school services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12367/24]

Disability Services

John McGuinness

1152. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if all the services and therapies required in the case of a person (details supplied) have been put in place; the steps being taken to ensure that all the interventions that have been recommended in their case are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12380/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Kathleen Funchion

1153. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is any provision to include survivors of mother and baby homes who contributed towards the Investigation Committee of the final Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation and who passed away before the Taoiseach's apology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12427/24]

Disability Services

Colm Burke

1154. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what action his Department is taking to ensure a standardised rate of pay for the different types of home and community care providers, given that disability home support is not operated under an authorisation scheme, which indicates that providers of disability support are paid less than those who are providers of elderly home support, wherein these providers are not guaranteed the living wage or travel time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12459/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Ring

1155. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of his Department's expenditure (details supplied), on a monthly basis for the past six months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12463/24]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Mairéad Farrell

1156. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the full list of purpose-built student accommodation complexes that are currently being paid to house Ukrainian refugees; the current number of refugees each is currently housing; the amount that has been paid to each provider to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12475/24]

Disability Services

Paul Murphy

1157. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the HSE, CDNTs and CHOs do not employ behavioural therapists. [12497/24]

Disability Services

Paul Murphy

1158. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the CDNT staff allocations are based on 2016 figures. [12498/24]

Disability Services

Paul Murphy

1159. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the views of the HSE on how the numbers it allocates for staffing are sufficient to efficiently decrease the waitlist numbers and provide suitable and effective therapies in each CDNT; and if the HSE admits its potential role in understaffing and overworking current employees as a contributing factor for the crisis in finding and retaining therapeutic workers (details supplied). [12504/24]

Departmental Policies

Paul Murphy

1160. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to his comments (details supplied), the reason for his acceptance of using a symbol created by a hate group and dismissing a symbol that was agreed upon by a consensus of neurodivergent and autistic individuals for themselves, given Autism Awareness day on 2 April 2024 and Autism Awareness Month; and if he will review the use of this symbol. [12517/24]