1. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her engagement with Tusla following the report of a missing child in Donabate, Dublin, to date in 2025; the steps Tusla is now taking, and the timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49873/25]
Sentiment score: 0.08
Things have moved on since I submitted this question and we now know that child was Daniel Aruebose. I take this opportunity to offer my sympathies to everybody who loved him, especially the foster carers who looked after him.
Sentiment score: 0.39
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I appreciate, and we all respect, that the Garda investigation is under way and the force has to be allowed do its work. It is important to acknowledge those gardaí as well. It was a very difficult search, especially finding the remains. I have a couple of questions. I welcome that the closed cases will be examined, starting with those closed during Covid. For any social worker, like any of us in any job we do, cases may be closed and later on things may happen and unless they are brought to the attention of Tusla, nobody may know, so that is important. On that measure, I ask that, after these well-being checks are done, the mechanism of a look-back period of six months to a year after a case is closed would be built more permanently into Tusla and the work it does. I appreciate it is a lot of work and the agency is getting a lot of referrals but a look-back mechanism should be built in so a child would be checked on maybe six months to a year after a case is closed. Is that something the Minister would be willing to look at?
Sentiment score: 0.19
I take it from that reply that perhaps this will be done in future by Tusla, and of course there is a role for other organisations. On one other point, there appears to be a gap for preschool-age children. When a child is born, there may be a number of visits by the public health nurse to the home. After that, depending on whether the child goes into formal childcare, there really is no check that exists, and that is of concern. The Minister has cited ECCE data and maybe looking at that. That is something that should be considered. Unless a child is in a formal setting, who is there to check or to know? That gap is of concern. I welcome, of course, the review of closed cases. A lot of them are advice, like parenting advice, and they will be straightforward, but that job of work is important. A look-back period built in is important and that gap should be followed through on, perhaps using ECCE data.
Sentiment score: 0.08
3. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on key commitments made in the programme for Government on early years and, specifically, the commitment to undertake a broad consultation and publish a detailed action plan to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system with State-led facilities adding capacity, as well as a review of core funding; a timeframe for both; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49874/25]
Sentiment score: 0.27
I ask the Minister about a number of key commitments in relation to childcare in early years in the programme for Government, specifically the broad consultation, the detailed action plan to ensure accessible, affordable, high-quality childcare and also the review of core funding. I ask her to provide us with any timeframe in relation to any of those three key commitments. Within the broad action plan is also the use of State-led facilities for the first time, which is really welcome.
Sentiment score: 0.39
I want to come back to the State-led facilities, which is a significant move. The Minister talked about looking at areas of unmet need. I understand some scoping was carried out within the Minister’s Department in terms of where that unmet need is. To provide one example, which I have given here before, an analysis was carried out with the family resource centre in Boyle, County Roscommon. That analysis found that there are 20 childcare places per 1,043 children for Boyle and its catchment area. A total of 77% of children aged between zero and four years of age have no access to a childcare place. They would have liked, through the building blocks scheme, to purchase an existing building in the town. The limitations of the building blocks scheme - we have discussed this before - in that it applies to existing providers and to purchasing or building new premises only, are locking out a lot when it comes to building capacity. There are fine buildings in towns like Boyle that could be used for a service rather than lying derelict. Will the Minister look at the building blocks scheme and its limitations?
Sentiment score: -0.03
I appreciate the decision has not been made yet, but does the Minister envisage using the building blocks scheme to build capacity and allow a new group that has come together, particularly groups of parents, to purchase an existing building? It is a win-win then. New premises are not necessarily needed in Boyle. There is an ideal premises in the town that is well located and perfect for its use, but they are not in a position to buy it. I am sure in all of our counties and towns we can point to buildings that would be great to see in use again where there is so much need. There are only 20 childcare places per 1,043 children in Boyle. The service is just not there for parents and they are under an awful lot of pressure. Lastly, with regard to the review of core funding, core funding has been a game-changer for a lot of providers. It has saved a lot of them from closing their doors, but there appear to be issues for some providers. It is reasonable to ask that the review of core funding take place sooner rather than later, given it is a lot of taxpayers’ money.
Sentiment score: 0.12