Parliamentary questions

EU Directives

Seán Sherlock

608. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the nature of and current situation with regard to the European Commission’s announcement of 14 July 2023 that it was sending Ireland a reasoned opinion (INFR(2022)0309) for failing to transpose Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19508/24]

Disability Services

Pearse Doherty

609. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what plans are in place for residents of a facility (details supplied) in County Donegal, after news emerged that the facility was to close for two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19525/24]

School Staff

Thomas Gould

281. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth whether he is aware that a school (details supplied) is still not in receipt of therapist hours. [18489/24]

Disability Diagnoses

Mark Ward

282. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the list of recognised disabilities under the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18494/24]

Disability Diagnoses

Mark Ward

283. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if ADHD is a recognised disability under the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18495/24]

Disability Diagnoses

Mark Ward

284. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if dyspraxia is a recognised disability under the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18496/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Carol Nolan

285. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the legal costs to date incurred by his Department's response to High Court proceedings brought by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission against the Government over its failure to provide accommodation to all international protection applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18512/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Steven Matthews

286. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to planned closure of a childcare facility (details supplied); if his Department is engaging with management on possible supports that could assist the facility to remain open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18536/24]

Departmental Correspondence

John McGuinness

287. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will confirm the receipt of a submission from a community organisation (details supplied); his response to the concerns expressed by the residents; and if he and his Department officials will engage immediately with the community and this Deputy. [18602/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Michael Ring

288. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason no response has issued from his Department in relation to an issue that was raised twice (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18610/24]

Disability Services

Thomas Gould

289. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of positions, by role, assigned to CDNT west central Cork city; the number of vacancies that exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18615/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Fergus O'Dowd

290. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline if offers on modular units for BOTPs are still being considered; to outline the process on same; the number of units currently under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18616/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Peadar Tóibín

291. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 274 of 18 April 2024, the numbers in State-provided accommodation, to include private accommodation who been living in full-board circumstances, half-board and self-catering, of those in the IPAS system and beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine, respectively, from 2022 to date, in tabular form. [18617/24]

Disability Services

Brendan Smith

292. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if additional support will be provided as a matter of urgency to an association to enable the resumption of essential services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18680/24]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

142. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if additional rental payments are being made by Ukrainians to top up their ARP; if this is permitted in law; if Ukrainians benefitting from the ARP are given a distinct advantage over ordinary citizens seeking rental properties where the ARP is a tax-free payment for landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18363/24]

Disability Services

Peadar Tóibín

143. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of school OT staff who exist for each of the past five years; and the number of school speech therapist staff who exist for each of the past five years. [18165/24]

Disability Services

Peadar Tóibín

144. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of speech therapist appointments that have been cancelled for each of the past five years; the number of cancellations of school OT services appointments in each of the past five years; and the number of cancellations of school psychology appointments in each of the past five years. [18166/24]

Youth Services

Michael Healy-Rae

145. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18173/24]

Youth Services

Michael Healy-Rae

146. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if funding will be provided to ensure that youth workers are covered by the WRC recommendations to allow them to continue their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18174/24]

Youth Services

Michael Healy-Rae

147. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18180/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Carol Nolan

148. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department engages with the Department of Justice with respect to the accommodation of unaccompanied minors; if so, the number of unaccompanied minors who have been assisted with accommodation needs by his Department for each year during the period 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18249/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Carol Nolan

149. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department, or any body under the aegis of his Department, retains and collates data on the number of accompanied minors who were accommodated by the State but who are now unable to be contacted or communicated by the Department due to their locations being unknown; if so, the number of such instances for the period 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18250/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

150. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the return of essential therapists including a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, play/behaviour therapists, and social worker to a special school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18262/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

151. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to confirm the reason a special school (details supplied) is still without essential therapists including a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, play/behaviour therapists, and a social worker; the date they will start; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18263/24]

Special Educational Needs

Colm Burke

152. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to increasing the allocation of therapists to an area (details supplied) to meet the needs of the caseload, in view that the current level of allocation does not deliver essential intervention and support necessary to every pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18264/24]

Youth Work Supports

Brendan Smith

153. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider the request of a group (details supplied) in relation to the need to improve services throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18282/24]

International Protection

Mattie McGrath

154. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of accommodation recognition payments being provided in 2023 and to date in 2024; the type of accommodation provided that is single room in a house/ full house and so on; the amount of rental properties being provided to Ukrainians under this scheme; and the amount of Ukrainians who have transferred from State provided accommodation to the ARP payment to date in 2024. [18361/24]

Childcare Services

Mark Ward

155. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are any plans to provide funding for the construction or assistance of new community creches for the Newcastle area of County Dublin, in view of the changing demographics and the current pressure on childcare services in the area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18368/24]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Catherine Murphy

156. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an exception can be made in respect of a child (details supplied) who has missed the cut off point by one day in terms of eligibility for ECCE year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18370/24]

Special Educational Needs

Holly Cairns

157. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to issues facing students in a school (details supplied); whether the requirement for students to live in the CDNT area of the school in order to avail of supports can be lifted; if additional working hours for school therapists can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18378/24]

Departmental Advertising

Ged Nash

158. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for figures on the total spend for all forms of advertising in the years 2022 and 2023 in his Department; if figures can be provided on each Department’s spend on local media advertising (print and broadcast respectively, and broken down on that basis) for those years; if the Department used/uses an agency to place advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18386/24]

Youth Services

Willie O'Dea

159. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide increased funding to ensure youth workers are covered by the WRC recommendations on section 39, section 10 and section 56 workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18419/24]

Departmental Contracts

Carol Nolan

160. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has at any time engaged the services of a company (details supplied) or allocated the company funding or support in any capacity; if he or his officials have engaged with personnel from the company; if so, the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18438/24]

Disability Services

Niamh Smyth

501. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will refer matters raised in an email (details supplied) to the HSE estate management team for a review (details supplied); and if he will provide an update. [17490/24]

Emergency Accommodation

Frankie Feighan

502. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is considering filling vacancies as notified by the owners for an accommodation establishment in County Leitrim (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17305/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Cian O'Callaghan

503. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in privately residential care for unaccompanied minors; the number that have not been visited by a social worker since their initial assessment; the number that have been visited by a social worker only once since their initial assessment, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17327/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Cian O'Callaghan

504. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action his Department is taking to safeguard children in privately residential care for unaccompanied minors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17328/24]

Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children

Cian O'Callaghan

505. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action he will take on foot of reports of children being discharged at Tusla headquarters from privately residential care for unaccompanied minors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17329/24]

Mother and Baby Homes

Holly Cairns

506. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of survivors estimated to be eligible for the mother and baby institute redress scheme; his Department's work in reaching out to survivors to make them aware of the scheme; and the number of applications submitted to date. [17354/24]

Youth Services

Seán Sherlock

507. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of youth workers per education and training board area and youth worker vacancies per ETB area. [17369/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

508. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to reports (details supplied) whereby a child with complex needs was placed in a special emergency arrangement, despite concerns that this setting may exacerbate their self-harming behaviours; the steps being taken by his Department to ensure children with complex needs have a stable, appropriate and regulated placement, particularly in relation to increasing the number of special care placements available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17397/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

509. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to statements attributed to Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance reported in the media (details supplied) of “immediate safeguarding concerns” within special emergency arrangements; to respond to Tusla audit reports outlining a “lack of recording of child protection matters” by one provider of these arrangements; the interventions his Department has made to ensure the welfare and protection of these children is upheld; if his Department believes children in these placements should have their own bedroom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17398/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

510. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to statements attributed to Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance reported in the media (details supplied) that some providers of special emergency arrangements do not have plans in place for when a child goes missing from their accommodation; if his Department will investigate if safeguarding procedures outlined in the Joint Protocol between An Garda Síochána and Tusla and the Children’s First Act 2015 are being adhered to by private providers of special emergency arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17399/24]

Children in Care

Patrick Costello

511. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to public health concerns raised by Tusla’s acting head of practice assurance and reported in the media (details supplied) of “high occupancy rates” in special emergency arrangements, reports of bed bugs and scabies infestations in some settings and findings of “obvious health and safety hazards” at one special emergency setting; the plans his Department has taken or intend to take to ensure these health risks are not repeated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17400/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

512. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the proportion of disabled people in residential care in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024 who were categorised as having low to medium support needs; and the proportion of disabled people in residential care in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024 who were categorised as having high to intensive support needs, in tabular form. [17451/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

513. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the capital costs of providing a four-bedroom residential centre for disabled people; the first-year current costs of providing a four-bedroom residential centre for disabled people; and the full year current cost of providing a four-bedroom residential centre for disabled people, in tabular form. [17452/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

514. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the capital costs of providing a four-bedroom respite centre for disabled people; the first-year current costs of providing a four-bedroom respite centre for disabled people; and the full-year current cost of providing a four-bedroom respite centre for disabled people, in tabular form. [17453/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

515. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the Department's target for the provision of respite places for disabled people over the next three, six and nine years, in tabular form. [17454/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

516. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding allocated for the provision of home respite support packages that is within the Department's pre-committed current expenditure baseline. [17455/24]

Disability Services

Pauline Tully

517. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the current allocation for delivering existing levels of home respite supports for emergency cases, including funding for the 420 packages put in place in 2022 and maintained in 2023, as well as the additional 27 packages delivered in 2023, is within the Department's pre-committed current expenditure baseline. [17456/24]