The Government recognises that there are unacceptable delays in accessing assessment of need. The Department and the HSE are committed to addressing these delays. The delivery of an effective and efficient assessment of need system continues to be a priority for the Government. Intensive work has been under way to deliver actions to achieve this. It is important to note that children do not require an assessment of need to access health services, whether primary care, children’s disability network teams or mental health services. However, as the Deputy has pointed out, demand for assessment of need has increased significantly in recent years. This reflects both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their children. The number of applications has increased significantly since 2020, rising from 4,700 applications to over 10,000 applications in 2024. It is expected that the number will increase further this year. The reasons for this growth are complex and reflect the changing needs and awareness of disability in our society as a whole. Capacity constraints have meant that the system has struggled to respond to the substantial increase in demand. In this regard, the Department is working with the HSE to identify opportunities to enhance processes, improve training and increase administrative supports. It is important to highlight that there has been a noted improvement in the number of completed assessments. Over 4,100 were completed in 2024, an increase of 30% compared to 2023. HSE data shows this trend is continuing this year and there has been a 57% year-on-year increase in completed assessments in the first nine months of the year. This improvement has been achieved by a number of measures, including the assessment of need targeted wait-list initiative. Under this initiative, the HSE procures clinical assessments from approved private providers. Over 6,300 clinical assessments have been commissioned from private providers since the initiative commenced in June 2024.
Sentiment score: 0.34
I thank the Deputy. Again, I acknowledge the points he makes. Parents are right to access every opportunity they can for a child. I would do it. They are right to do it but we need to find better ways to progress the assessment of need. As I have said, over 6,300 assessments have been done privately. Some €10 million was made available but it is likely that between €18 million and €20 million will be spent this year. I acknowledge that other measures have been attributed to the increase as well. Despite the fact that AON is not required to access health services, primary care, CDNTs or mental health services, it is still a route that is chosen. Specifically in relation to the legislation the Deputy referred to, work is under way to identify relevant legislative changes relating to Part 2 of the Disability Act, which addresses assessment of need. This aims to support the effective and efficient delivery of assessment of need. It is intended to bring forward the legislation before the year end. It will not affect the statutory right of any individual to access an assessment of need or the statutory timeframe set out in the Act. The provision of an effective and efficient assessment of need system continues to be a priority.
Sentiment score: 0.30
Specifically in relation to the private capacity, €10 million was made available last year. I did say that if at any point more were required and if there were capacity to do more, more funding would be made available. It is our estimate that between €18 million and €20 million will have been spent, and a further €20 million has been secured in budget 2026. If more is required again in 2026, we will not be found wanting. We need to look at other measures as well. For example, the HSE is looking at a single point of access model, which I think will be very helpful. It will mean that children will be referred to the right supports and not be placed on a number of different waiting lists. That will be a significant step forward. The HSE is also introducing an autism protocol, which will mean that there will be a specific autism assessment. It is important to remember that 45% of assessments of need in the third quarter of this year alone led to an autism diagnosis. Looking at all levers, whether it is the change in legislation, the private capacity-----
Sentiment score: 0.16
Pardon?
Sentiment score: 0.32
We will present that before the end of this year.
Sentiment score: 0.00
As the Deputy said, in a survey recently published by Childminding Ireland, 393 childminders responded to a question about their intentions for when registration becomes mandatory. Some 44% said they were undecided, 32% said they intended to stop childminding and 24% said they intended to register with Tusla. While those who responded to the survey and answered the question represent a small proportion of childminders, with census data indicating there may be approximately 13,000 non-relative childminders across the country, I fully understand the sense of uncertainty and anxiety childminders may be experiencing in this period of transition in relation to registration. Significantly, those childminders who answered the same survey and who had already gone through the process of registration reported very positively on their experiences. In fact, only 4% described their experience as negative - we would not want any percentage there, and we have to work on that - while less than one in eight of those who had been previously registered and who now operate under the new regulations were dissatisfied. I therefore believe that communications will be essential to addressing many childminders' concerns. A national communications strategy is a key element in phase 2 of the national action plan for childminding during the transition period, which lasts until September 2027. Work on this strategy has begun, aiming to inform childminders and parents about the changes, the supports available and what to expect. The childminding-specific regulations, which came into effect in September 2024, are designed to be proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting in which childminders work. Childminders were consulted on and involved in all aspects of the development of the regulations. Both the steering group for the national action plan for childminding and the various advisory groups that have supported it have included childminders as well as representatives of Childminding Ireland. The steering group will meet again in December in relation to the action plan and advancing supports, communications and any further benefit we can give to childminders to support them in terms of registration.
Sentiment score: 0.05
I concede that childminders are hugely important and make a very significant contribution to caring for children right across communities, even in rural communities. I am very familiar with the extraordinary benefit childminders provide. The Department has committed to a review as part of the transition period. That will commence in 2026. Supports are available to childminders from the city and county childcare committees. Each city and county childcare committee has been funded by the Department to ensure that it has a childminding development officer who is on the ground and available to support childminders with any questions they might have or supports they might require in terms of pre-registration training courses or anything at all of that nature. The childminding development grant provides up to €1,000 to assist both registered and unregistered childminders who are providing a childminding service in their own homes. In 2025, the Department has paid €413,338 to childminders through the childminding development grant. A further round of the grant will be paid in 2026. I have not forgotten the point the Deputy has raised about the question of commercial rates and so on. I am engaged on that with the Minister for housing.
Sentiment score: 0.39
I think we all appreciate that registration is important. It is critical to the safeguarding of children. It involves oversight of Garda vetting, proof of insurance, first aid and safeguarding training and so on. That is a positive thing in terms of registration. Again, there are specific people available through the city and county childcare committees, childminding development officers, who are available on the ground to offer support. A communication strategy is being developed. I am absolutely engaged with the Minister for housing in relation to this issue that has arisen. It is my understanding it is within a person's own home, but that is a matter for a different Minister and I am engaging with him in relation that. On the meetings, I have already met Childminding Ireland through the stakeholder forum and provider forum but I will be engaging with it on a one-to-one basis as part of the review.
Sentiment score: 0.35
I thank the Deputy very much. I acknowledge that many childminders, when asked about their intention to register, report that they are undecided, while some say they intend to stop childminding. As I have said previously, I understand the anxiety and uncertainty of childminders in a period of transition. Change is never comfortable. Communication is essential to that. It is a key element of phase 2 of the national action plan for childminding during the transition period. Work on this communications strategy has begun. Childminders are a hugely important part of early learning and care and school-age childcare provision. They continue to be an option of choice, which is important, for many families. I am firmly behind the regulation of childminding services, which is critical to the safeguarding children - I have already outlined this - whether it is Garda vetting, proof of insurance, training courses and all of that. I am heartened to see that in the recent survey carried out by Childminding Ireland, those childminders who have already been through the registration process and are working under the new regulations report that their experience is a positive one. The childminding-specific regulations, which came into effect in September 2024, are designed to be proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting in which childminders work. Childminders were consulted on and involved in all aspects of the development. There was an independent assessment by Dr. Bill Maxwell, the former CEO of Education Scotland, former chief inspector of both Scotland and Wales and OECD consultant, which confirmed that the approach that was being taken was proportionate for childminding in Ireland. As I said, I have met with representatives of Childminding Ireland in both the early learning and childcare stakeholder forum and the providers forum. I am determined that I will meet with them on a one-to-one basis before the review of the regulations commences. That regulation is between 2024 and 2027, so the ideal time for the review will be in 2026.
Sentiment score: 0.07
To be fair, there would have been no point in doing a review in the first year. It is important that we have the benefit of the experience of those who registered and went through the process. It is a three-year process. It is appropriate that at a midway point, before September 2027 and during 2026, the review will take place. There is no point in doing it without having the experience on the ground to inform it. As I said earlier - it just so happens that these two questions are coming one after another - childminding development officers employed by the city and county childcare committees are on the ground to support anyone who is having any difficulties or challenges. I ask them to engage directly. We are in agreement that regulation is important. It provides support and security from safeguarding, Garda vetting and proof of insurance points of view and so many other different elements. I absolutely accept the fantastic service being provided by childminders. I do not underestimate that, but we must move towards regulation. We will support those who will move towards regulation.
Sentiment score: 0.29
The Deputy should have no fears. I hear and see exactly what is going on. To be clear, this is a three-year process. It would be entirely inappropriate for any type of review to take place in the first year.
Sentiment score: -0.06
It would not allow the system to get itself up and running. It would not allow us to learn and gain from the benefit of the experience of those who go through the process. It is appropriate that it would take place in the second year. I have committed to that. I have articulated it clearly. It will take place in 2026. We will have the benefit of the first year of those who have gone through the process. We will have the opportune time until September 2027, realising that is the closing point. It is appropriate that we have the first year and the review take place in the second year. I am committing to that review taking place in the second year. I appreciate the work of Childminding Ireland. I acknowledge that everybody was consulted when these regulations were being introduced in the first place. They were independently assessed by an independent outsider. There are always opportunities to learn from the process on the ground. That is the reason why. There will be a review and it will commence in 2026.
Sentiment score: 0.18
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which is of the deepest concern to everybody, both in the Government and across the House. All of us have been greatly saddened by recent cases that have been highlighted. On the questions that the Deputy raised, Tusla has completed its work on the well-being check. This will be overseen by a steering group, which will be entirely independent of Tusla. The purpose of the well-being welfare check is to proactively test and strengthen the current safety net the State provides for children's welfare and protection and to provide assurances about the welfare of vulnerable children. The well-being welfare check is going to focus on cases that were closed to child protection services during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and relates to cases where there has been no further contact with the child since the cases were closed. Often, it is a real positive when a case can be closed. On other occasions, a case can be reopened. The check will be overseen by an independent steering group chaired by Ms Tanya Ward, the CEO of the Children's Rights Alliance. I can confirm to Deputy Farrelly that phase 1 of the project is under way and that a number of steps have been taken. The membership of the steering group is now finalised and includes representatives from my Department and the Departments of Social Protection; Health; Education and Youth; and Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; along with representatives from the HSE; the Central Statistics Office; Tusla and Barnardos and an independent social work expert. Engagements have taken place with other Government Departments to explore opportunities for appropriate data-sharing use to establish where the children encompassed by this review are currently or recently known to a relevant State service or State-funded service. A national lead has been appointed and a well-being check project team manager has also been appointed. A digital case management system is in place to support the work of the teams.
Sentiment score: 0.16
The Deputy asked about my engagement with this. I have met with the chair of the independent steering group. It is important to say that this is independent of Tusla. It is important that the steering group be independent of Tusla. I have met with the chair and will do so again in advance of the commencement of phase 2 of the project. I have secured additional funding in the Estimates for next year to assist with the implementation of the check. Funding of €3.2 million has been secured and is being allocated to cover the period of the review, and this funding includes provision for the additional administrative supports required. I and my officials continue to engage with Tusla on the well-being check. As Minister, I am committed to making our child protection system as robust as it possibly can be. I am shortly bringing forward a Bill to update and modernise the Child Care Act, which provides the foundation for child protection and welfare services in the State. This will strengthen the child protection legal framework and increase the powers available to Tusla. I also intend to bring forward amendments via the child care Bill 2025 to place the national review panel on a statutory footing. This will further enhance the work of the national review panel, as well as strengthening its independence and its ability to compel information and witnesses in respect of all reviews that it undertakes. While the recent tragic events are distressing for all - there is absolutely no doubt about that, particularly for all those who know and love the children involved - they serve as a reminder that safeguarding children is a collective duty across all State bodies.
Sentiment score: 0.34
I absolutely do not in any way question Deputy Farrelly's sincerity. Equally, I have to say this is not "a knee-jerk reaction". This is an important body of work. There is concern around cases that would have closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, notwithstanding that it can be such a positive when a case is closed by Tusla. It can be a really positive outcome. I am very conscious that many cases are reopened again and again; that is the nature of the work. It is important that we take the time to do this work. A figure of €3.2 million has been made available to do it. Indeed, Tusla in general received a significant uplift in the recent budget. As a matter of fact, Tusla received an increase of more than 50% between 2020 and 2025 in terms of its budget, with a further 14% uplift again this year. It is quite significant and I do not regret one single penny of it. The welfare of children is at the heart of all of this. I am confident that the independent chair is a person of particular and significant standing in terms of child welfare. I am very confident of her independence in the chair. The work that needs to be done will be done effectively for the benefit of the children.
Sentiment score: 0.30
In 2026, current expenditure for early learning and childcare will rise to €1.48 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 9% or €125 million. This additional funding will deliver real and meaningful change to the lives of thousands of children and their families in 2026 as well as to early years educators, school-age childcare practitioners and providers. Some 105,250 children will be supported to access free pre-school education under the ECCE programme next year. Furthermore, 286,000 children will benefit from their statutory entitlement to the national childcare scheme subsidies to offset the cost of early learning and childcare next year. This represents a year-on-year increase of 14%, with 35,000 additional children to benefit from the scheme next year. A figure of 8,400 pre-school children with a disability or additional learning need will benefit from the highest level of support provided through the access and inclusion model, enabling their meaningful participation in the ECCE programme. This is an increase on this year's figure of 7,900 pre-school children. We will also see an increase in the number of services designated for targeted supports under Equal Start and an increase in the numbers of children benefiting from these targeted supports, including through the new Bia Blasta pre-school nutrition programme. This year, 787 services serving 35,000 children have a priority designation under Equal Start. Next year, we estimate that 820 services serving 37,000 children will have this priority designation. Next year, the allocation for core funding will rise by 15%, with the allocation for year five of this scheme set to reach at least €437 million. On top of this, the Government will make available additional funding next year for further improvements to staff pay. This significant level of funding will support a range of key Government priorities next year and into year five of core funding. It will allow us to continue to support growth in the sector, which we estimate will be 4.2% in year five of the scheme. It will allow us to continue to support providers with the cost of employment regulation orders. It will allow us to support providers to sustainably maintain the fee management conditions that are attached to core funding, including a new maximum fee cap that will be introduced in September.
Sentiment score: 0.46
I thank the Deputy. In terms of capital expenditure, for the early learning and childcare sector that will comprise €36 million in 2026, thereby allowing the Government to accelerate its work to ensure the supply of early learning and childcare meets demand. The year 2026 will see for the first time the acquisition of buildings to provide the infrastructure for State-led early learning and child care delivery, something which is very close to the hearts of most people here, including Deputy Kerrane. For the first time, a public model of early learning and childcare will be provided for. Alongside this, I will open a further building blocks scheme in 2026 to allow for extensions to existing premises to support services to offer additional full-day places. This follows on from the successful building blocks scheme in 2025 that is currently operating and will deliver up to 1,500 new places for one to three-year-olds. In terms of the delivery of places, extensions will be provided for and there will be a State-led model. We will also ensure that when we have places, we also have staff. The delivery of an ERO is also important, as is the increase in core funding for providers.
Sentiment score: 0.31
I thank the Deputy. On areas for the State-led public model, there is a forward planning unit in the Department, which is positive. It is specifically examining areas where there is demand but no service provision. I acknowledge that the Deputy has consistently raised issues in her area and the technicalities around the building blocks scheme, in particular for the cohort in Boyle. I am committed to a building blocks scheme in 2026. The detail of that has not yet been worked out, but the principle is there. In terms of delivery for the State-led model, it is our expectation that anywhere between 600 and 800 additional places will be involved as a first step, together with between six and eight premises. There is a commitment over the next four years, the lifetime of the Government, that we will do more and more in this space in terms of the public-led model. It will involve a combination of what we are doing in that regard, along with the building blocks scheme. As I said, we must not forget that we need to have staff in place. We also need funding for providers.
Sentiment score: 0.05
I thank the Deputy. As she may be aware, the family resource centre programme is expanding from 121 to 126 members this year. Funding for the expansion was secured by the Department in budget 2025 and I want to acknowledge in the Chamber the former Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, in that respect. Regarding the expansion of the family resource centre programme, a comprehensive national application and assessment process was undertaken earlier this year, which was led by Tusla and independently chaired by a representative of the University of Limerick. All applications were reviewed and scored against clearly defined and published criteria, including population need, the level of deprivation, child population data and existing service provision and gaps. This year's expansion is the first since 2018 and is a very welcome development. The five successful services joining the programme were announced on 29 August and are based in Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth and Monaghan. I understand Tusla and the family resource centre national forum will be on hand to assist the new services in assimilating into the programme. The selection process was outlined in the Tusla outcome letter issued to all unsuccessful applicants following the announcement of five new programme members by press release on 29 August. Applicants were also informed that their application will remain under active consideration should additional funding be secured for further expansion of the family resource centre programme in 2026. In line with the programme for Government commitment to work to increase funding and expand capacity and the network of family resource centres, I am delighted to report that I secured additional funding in budget 2026 for the further expansion of the family resource centre programme by increasing membership by ten to 136. This will see more people benefiting from the many positives that the centres bring to communities. I expect Tusla will be in a position in the near future to confirm the locations of the additional family resource centres on the basis of need, determined by the published criteria. I appreciate that is a significant uplift to a local community, given the breadth of work the centres do on the ground.
Sentiment score: 0.39
I thank the Deputy. I know first-hand from the Deputy the benefits of Trim Family Resource Centre and the great work it does. She has spoken to me frequently about that. With the resources they have, more and more is being asked of family resource centres and they are constantly stepping up to the mark to deliver. The Deputy outlined the great variety and breadth of work that is being provided by Trim Family Resource Centre, which is a testament to the determination to deliver on-the-ground services for the community. People may be aware that the funding equalisation scheme for the family resource centre programme was initiated in 2024. This ensures that all programme members received minimum core funding of at least €160,000 from 2025 onwards. Core funding principally covers the salaries of staff along with some operational costs. I can confirm to the Deputy that I have secured additional funding. We are currently working on that and within a short time, I should be in a position to confirm exact funding. There will be an increase in funding from the current figure of €160,000.
Sentiment score: 0.24
As I said, it is a strong commitment from Government that we will increase the number of family resource centres. I am conscious of the need to improve the core funding that goes to the centres. I am very pleased that, in budget 2026, I am in a position to have secured funding that will ensure there will be an additional ten family resource centres. I am also in a position to say that I secured funding that will increase the €160,000 base that is provided for in core funding. The great thing about family resource centres is that they do a multiplicity of work and provide a multiplicity of services. The door is open to everyone. Whatever the need might be, family resource centres, in my experience, will always find a way to meet that need. Whether that is education and training, supporting personal group development, offering practical assistance to individuals and community groups, such as to access technology or office facilities or whatever the case might be for the very young or older members or those at any age or stage in life, there is support to be found at the family resource centres. It is my ambition to ensure that we will provide a greater number of family resource centres and that we will also improve the funding to the resource centres.
Sentiment score: 0.53