Parliamentary questions

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

490. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of unique children that are in a sponsorship arrangement through the NCS for 2022 and 2023; the full year cost for 2022 and 2023; the cost per child of these sponsorship arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7621/24]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

494. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children availing of the national childcare subsidy in 2022 and 2023, and the total cost in 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7698/24]

Nursing Homes

Kathleen Funchion

579. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if there is any circumstance where the fair deal payment owed at the end of a nursing home resident's stay is deferred or can be paid in instalments over a period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7743/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Kathleen Funchion

423. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the financial supports that are in place for those who suffer from long-Covid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6551/24]

Departmental Data

Kathleen Funchion

525. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total estimated cost to increase the national childcare scheme universal rate from €1.40 to €2.14 for 20234 and projected cost for 2024; the total cost to increase the national childcare scheme by a further 25%, after the September 2024 increase comes into effect; the monetary value of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6076/24]

Departmental Bodies

Kathleen Funchion

526. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if all allegations of potential child safe guarding matters are investigated by Tusla once brought to their attention; since the introduction of CASP, if there have been any changes to this procedure in any way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6082/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Kathleen Funchion

541. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for further details on the rationale for the practice of the mother of a child entering foster care continuing to be paid child benefit for six months even though the child now resides with a foster family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6513/24]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

542. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on what changes his Department has made to charter of accounts; if his Department is still requiring accounts to be signed off by a chartered accountant; if he is aware that a number of services are finding it impossible to engage chartered accountants to do this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6522/24]

Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

559. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health how many pregnancy loss clinics are in operation in Ireland; if there is a staffing shortage at present in these clinics; how often do these clinics offer appointments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6083/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Kathleen Funchion

602. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will list all medications that are needed for long-Covid sufferers that are not available on the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6552/24]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

288. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated associated costs to reduce the national childcare scheme income threshold to €40,000; the estimated number of children that would potentially benefit from lowering the threshold and all other cost implications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5907/24]

School Accommodation

Kathleen Funchion

163. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education when a school in County Carlow (details supplied) will receive the funding for two modular classrooms that it was granted in June 2023, but is still being processed. [4923/24]

Visa Applications

Kathleen Funchion

347. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Justice the status of a visa application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5214/24]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

429. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what capital funding has been allocated for 2023 to increase childcare places; if this funding will facilitate the building of purpose built childcare facilities; what specific plans his Department has through the NPD capital funding for expanding places for the zero to two years and eight months cohort when ECCE kicks in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5044/24]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

430. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the costs associated with building a new community childcare facility, including associated costs; if any new facilities are being planned; if so, the location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5045/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

451. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current percentage of ELC SAC services that are contracted to provide ECCE only and ECCE/ NCS for 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [5423/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

344. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the childcare fees being paid by parents at present, by county; and the childcare fees that will be paid by parents from September 2024, by county, in tabular form. [4680/24]

Foreign Birth Registration

Kathleen Funchion

135. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his officials in the foreign births registration section will liaise with the parents of a child (details supplied); if he will confirm receipt of the application which was sent in December 2023 through the Irish embassy in Beijing China; the status of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4242/24]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

457. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of early years and SAC closures, by county. in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; the number of babyroom closures, by county, for 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; if he has considered the policy paper drafted by an organisation (details supplied) to assess and react to early years, childcare and SAC closures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3653/24]

Hospital Services

Kathleen Funchion

502. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) is referred to either St. James’s or St. Vincent's Hospital. [3726/24]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

325. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children availing of his Department’s funding programmes (details supplied) in 2022, 2023, in tabular form. [3432/24]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

326. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated number of childcare services that have signed core funding contracts; the total number who signed up for core funding and subsequently withdrew; the years they withdrew; and the estimated number of children that are not covered by NCS, in tabular form. [3433/24]

Departmental Data

Kathleen Funchion

327. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children by county/ nationally that are not covered by his Department’s NCS subsidy excluding ECCE services. [3434/24]

Departmental Data

Kathleen Funchion

328. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the lowest, highest and average, geographically of fees actually currently being paid by parents in 2023/2024. [3435/24]

Departmental Data

Kathleen Funchion

407. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting 14 weeks for a decision on their invalidity pension claim. [3062/24]

Prison Service

Kathleen Funchion

420. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Justice the number of physical family visits to prisons that took place in 2023, by the number of visits per prison and the number of visits with a child present, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2433/24]

Health Promotion

Kathleen Funchion

9. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will ban tanning sunbeds outright, given the serious and increased risk of incidences of skin cancer. which is supported by scientific evidence linking skin cancer and tanning sunbed usage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1874/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Kathleen Funchion

289. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current estimated parental spend on childcare fees from the 2021/2022 or 2022/2023 Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile Report, in tabular form; when he expects the annual report to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2136/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Kathleen Funchion

395. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to elaborate on his plans to discontinue the long-standing and well-established pay/pension parity link which retired members of An Garda Síochána share with their serving colleagues in An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1041/24]

School Funding

Kathleen Funchion

592. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education to explain the rationale/process in awarding the recent round of STEM grant funding; the total funding allocated; if a lottery system was used, resulting in a significant number of applications not being examined; her views on whether this is an appropriate process, given the importance of funding to schools applying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1042/24]

Domestic Violence

Kathleen Funchion

1117. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Justice if engagement has occurred between her Department and the Garda Commissioner in relation to the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022, in particular the need to protect and support women who may experience increased violence as a direct result of the forthcoming Bill (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1576/24]

Beef Sector

Kathleen Funchion

1241. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that the recent changes to the STAR rating/evaluations for the suckler carbon efficiency programme will adversely affect farmers of traditional Irish cattle breeds (hereford and angus); the reason ratings/evaluations were revised after the commencement of the scheme, leaving many farmers, who entered these contracts in good faith, in an increasingly untenable position (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1028/24]

Dental Services

Kathleen Funchion

1455. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if assistance is available for a person (details supplied). [56283/23]

Health Services

Kathleen Funchion

1551. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will have a procedure carried out; and if they can avail of the cross-Border directive, given the circumstances. [56781/23]

Medical Cards

Kathleen Funchion

1705. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health what transport is available to patients with medical cards who regularly have to travel to appointments outside their own county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1423/24]

Departmental Funding

Kathleen Funchion

1728. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health what funding is available to support an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1580/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Kathleen Funchion

69. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on negotiations with relevant religious orders and pharmaceutical companies regarding their contributions to the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; how many meetings have been held to date; what actions he intends to take outside of these discussions to ensure religious orders and pharmaceutical companies contribute; when he expects the States redress scheme to open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54561/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

75. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on improving the chart of accounts mandatory for those services signed up to core funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54563/23]

Direct Provision System

Kathleen Funchion

82. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects to publish the White Paper on ending direct provision; the steps his Department is taking to address some of the recommendations highlighted in the Ombudsman for Children’s report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54565/23]

Departmental Communications

Kathleen Funchion

89. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will launch a zero-tolerance information campaign across all media, particularly social media, to counteract corrosive anti-immigrant and far-right narratives, which are feeding into aggressive or misdirected protests near places where refugees are accommodated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54564/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

93. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm if the NCS hourly/attendance-based rules are his Department’s policy or a restriction placed on his Department by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54566/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

120. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm a breakdown of new ELC and SAC services that are entirely new services and not corporate acquisitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54567/23]

Departmental Bodies

Kathleen Funchion

207. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first and full year costs associated with the proposed early years and childcare State agency; the status of the establishment of the agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55506/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

640. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the total costs of ECCE pay for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [54453/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

641. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of the total costs of ECCE/ AIM pay (combined) for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular. form. [54454/23]

Departmental Expenditure

Kathleen Funchion

642. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of total core funding for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [54455/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

643. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the flat rate paid to all sessional early years services; the number of services in receipt; and the total cost for 2021,2022 and 2023. [54456/23]

Childcare Services

Kathleen Funchion

644. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the minimum rate paid to all small, part-time and SAC early years services; the number services in receipt; and the total cost for 2021, 2022 and 2023. [54457/23]

Child Care Law Reporting Project

Kathleen Funchion

675. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the full year, first year and total funding budget of the Child Law Project. [54701/23]

Departmental Bodies

Kathleen Funchion

678. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the cost to establish a steering group to consult on a children-in-care system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54721/23]