I move the following Revised Estimates: Vote 25 — Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised Estimate). That a sum not exceeding €9,709,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and for payment of certain grants. Vote 40— Children, Disability and Equality (Revised Estimate). That a sum not exceeding €6,101,872,000 be granted to defray the c…

I had something prepared, but I will do my best to run through some of the points that have been raised. Deputy Kerrane should note that on the challenges regarding respite, residential services and others, it is positive that we can say there is a €3.2 billion budget for disabilities. This has been raised by other speakers as well. It has led to considerable improvements in some areas but, without doubt, there are challenges. It is our ambition, as we will be looking towards a new budget, to do more and more in th…

I know, but there were very few speakers so I took the opportunity. I thank all of them.

I will fire away.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle as ucht an t-am agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. Cara Darmody, a 14-year-old child, will be outside Leinster House for 50 hours starting today, highlighting the deficiencies in the assessment of need system and the impact it has on families. I have met and engaged with Cara and her father Mark on three occasions, including last week. I have been impressed by her intelligence, passion and enormous commitment. She is a strong and vocal advocate for her own family and other f…

I am not opposing the motion and I welcome the opportunity to debate this important issue. Like previous speakers and as I did earlier, I acknowledge Cara and her dad, Mark. In respect of Cara in particular, I acknowledge her absolute determination and her compassion to advocate not just for her own family but for all children in a similar position. It has been really worthwhile to have the opportunity to meet with her on a number of occasions. I acknowledge the work she does. The Government recognises and shares t…

Gabhaim buiochas leis an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach as ucht an ama agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I thank all the Deputies who have contributed to this debate on the final substantive report of the Farrelly commission. I intend to respond to as many of the issues raised as I can. I must emphasise that the commission of investigation is an independent statutory commission, empowered to investigate matters of significant public concern, possessing robust investigative powers, and, by design and by law, exercising its…

I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "welcomes the significant prioritisation by the Government of measures designed to: — reduce out of pocket costs of early learning and childcare for families; — better align the supply of State-subsidised early learning and childcare with demand; and — increase the pay and improve the working conditions of early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners, as well as develop career pathways and promote careers …

I will send a text to make sure it is coming.

I apologise to the House. I am told the copies are on their way but I cannot categorically say they are all photocopied at this time. I apologise. It was remiss of us.

I apologise again to the House. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Ceann Comhairle as ucht an ama agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I would like to express my personal gratitude to the Ceann Comhairle, members of the Opposition and all Members for the manner in which I have been facilitated today. I thank them all. The Farrelly commission is a statutory commission of investigation established in 2017 to investigate the care and protection of "Grace" and others in a former foster home in the south east. The commission is enti…

The commission of investigation into certain matters relative to a disability service in the south east and related matters, or the Farrelly commission, is an independent statutory commission of investigation established in 2017 to investigate the care and protection of Grace, which, as we are all aware, is a pseudonym, and others in a former foster home in the south east, which has been the subject of abuse allegations. It is important to note that at the heart of the report is the story of Grace, the pseudonym ch…

I thank the Deputy. She is 100% right. There must be learnings from this. We are conscious this is the story of Grace and others. It is important to point out that since Grace's case first arose, there have been a number of steps forward in safeguarding. There was the development of the Ombudsman for Children's Office, the establishment of HIQA, the establishment of Tusla - Child and Family Agency, and the commencement of the Children First Act. It is important we do not stop there but remain constantly in the spac…

Safeguarding is everybody's responsibility and should be everybody's business. I am committed to working with the HSE and Tusla to ensure there is a focus on continually enhancing the approach to safeguarding across all services. We are conscious of the obligations on us as individuals, whether working in the field of education, sport or whatever. When we deal with young people, we are all mandated persons and there is a process that needs to be followed. There is a body of work under way on adult safeguarding, whi…

Thanks very much, Deputy. I am aware the childcare search on the Hive website does not currently contain fees listed for services for the programme year 2021 to 2022. The portal was originally designed to contain information for the current programme year only. In addition to service fee lists, the following information is available on the portal: contact details for services; whether services are private, community or childminding services; a services calendar, which provides details of services' operating hours p…

I acknowledge the manner in which the Deputy and his party leader have followed this through. What I can say is that the portal was recently upgraded and it now includes fee lists for the previous programme year of 2023 to 2024. There is an issue at present - there is no point in saying there is not - in terms of the capacity of the Hive website to go further back. To ameliorate that or make recompense, the officials are currently working to ensure that the 2021-22 fees list will be available. I am told it will be …

The officials are working on the solution and the 2021-22 fees list will be made available through the county and city childcare committees. Also published will be the list of services that have been approved to increase their fees through the fee increase assessment process. It is the Department's best estimate currently that this will be available in the coming weeks. I am happy to engage with the Deputy. I know this is important information for parents. I know there is an absolute acknowledgement that considerab…

The Deputy is correct. The Government has made a significant commitment to improve accessibility, availability, affordability and the quality of early learning and childcare provision. Investment in early learning and childcare is now at an unprecedented level with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025, clearly demonstrating the Government’s commitment to this area. The programme for Government provides the impetus to go much further and to deliver much more high-quality early learning and childcare places…

I agree with much of what the Deputy said. It is much of Government policy insofar as the key elements of that policy are, in the first instance, to manage and reduce costs for parents, which is a key anchor, and, second, to ensure sustainability of the service is being provided and that providers are sustainable in moving forward. A further element is to increase provision of places and to ensure we have a workforce that is properly recompensed for the work it does in this area. On affordability for parents, and I…

I will be clear. I am very happy to engage with the Deputy on this. I engage on an ongoing basis with stakeholders on whatever body of work needs to be done. He is right. We are unanimous in our acknowledgement across every sector within this Chamber that a job of work needs to be done and must continue to be done in this sector. However, while significant progress has been made, more progress needs to be made. Specifically, for example, and the Deputy referenced this, we must ensure workers in this area are approp…