Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister indicate the number of children with disabilities who are currently enrolled in the ECCE scheme? Has the Department projected what the demand will be in this regard into the future? Given there was an underspend in disability funding, will the Minister red-circle that allocation to ensure it is spent? I wish her the best of luck in getting more coppers for her portfolio in the budgetary negotiations.

Early intervention programmes are very important and support children by encouraging interaction with peers, securing the provision of speech therapy or whatever intervention is required, and so on. However, the waiting time for accessing the programmes seems to be seven or eight months. Will the Minister indicate whether that is reducing and if there are plans to put more such programmes into action?