Results 201-220 of 4,395 for speaker:Claire Kerrane

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disabilities Assessments (26 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 262. To ask the Minister for Health if she will consider changing the rules where a private assessment is not recognised by CAMHS and therefore, delays access to essential supports for children based on a parent paying privately for example in cases where ADHD is diagnosed via a private assessment and then not accepted by public services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8499/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disabilities Assessments (26 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 263. To ask the Minister for Health if she will consider changing the rules where a private assessment is not recognised by CAMHS and therefore, delays access to essential supports for children based on a parent paying privately for example in cases where ADHD is diagnosed via a private assessment and then not accepted by public services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8499/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: I make the point again that if we want a functioning early years service for parents, children and the professionals who work in it, we have to get pay right. The JLC and pay talks granted, the last time, 65 cent, which to me is insulting, to the early years educators in the sector. If we do not get that right, we will continue to have issues with recruitment and retention and capacity. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 114. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline in relation to core funding, for each programme year, the total value of core funding, the amount allocated towards improving pay, and her Department's estimate of the cost to employers of implementing the employment regulation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8181/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: I want to ask the Minister about the total value of core funding and the amount of it allocated to improving pay. That is very important because we know the issues with capacity whereby some providers have the physical space but they have to close rooms because they do not have the early years educators. We have an issue with recruitment and retention. Pay is key for staff and we must make...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister. The review into core funding in the programme for Government commitments is very important. I am concerned that the money being earmarked for pay is not being reflected in the pay deals. I spoke previously about my concern regarding the pay talks and the JLC process that is in place because of the way in which it is designed in terms of pay increases for early years...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 112. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children on waiting lists for an assessment of needs; the average waiting time; the measures she intends to take to tackle these waiting lists for children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8180/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: Before asking this question, I wish the Minister of State well in her new role because I did not have an opportunity to do so earlier. This question is to ask the Minister of State about the number of children on waiting lists for assessments of needs, the average waiting time for the children on the waiting lists and, more importantly, I suppose, the measures she intends to take to tackle...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: On the very high figure of more than 14,000 children and the demand increase, this is fine and part of it, of course, is related to population. I would not say, though, that part of it is parents exploring all options for their children, particularly if they can go through the CDNTs without an assessment of need. We must be really careful in terms of the things we say concerning this matter...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister of State for the reply. Regarding those on the waiting lists, and this is an issue I have written to the Minister of State about, I take the opportunity to flag a communication issued by the HSE to parents with a child or children on the waiting lists for assessments of needs in the last couple of weeks. It told parents that if they did not respond to say their child...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister. On the figures, I chaired the committee meeting last year in which Revised Estimates were gone through and there was an underspend of €158 million. It was listed as a saving and it was money brought back in this scheme. In fairness, it was expected a lot more would apply in the first year and that was fair enough. If there is such an underspend of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 110. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will bring forward the review into the mother and baby institutions payment scheme due to be completed next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8179/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: I ask the Minister about the mother and baby institutions payment scheme, the review due to take place by mid-2026 and the issues raised, particularly around those excluded from that scheme. Will the Minister bring forward that review?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister for that. There are a couple issues here I had raised with the Minister's predecessor in terms of the scheme. The number of applicants applying and the number of payments issued to date have been quite low. That is dependent on the number applying, so clearly more work needs to be done on that messaging and communication. I know that is being done abroad but it needs...

Disability: Statements (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: I congratulate the Minister on her appointment. As my party's spokesperson on children, I look forward to working with her. Before I begin, I take this opportunity to mention an issue I have raised a number of times regarding the recent storm and its impact on people with electric wheelchairs and those who are reliant on electric beds and certain medical devices. Unfortunately, I feel I...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 140. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will commit to a timely, thorough review of Core funding, as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7764/25]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 141. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline her plans to increase childcare places to meet growing demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7763/25]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: State Pensions (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 148. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will examine the introduction of a State pension for foster carers via the existing pension for family carers, and do so in collaboration with the Minister for Social Protection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7766/25]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 153. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what plans there are to expand the capacity and network of family resource centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7765/25]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Primary Medical Certificates (25 Feb 2025)

Claire Kerrane: 302. To ask the Minister for Finance to provide an update on the review into the primary medical certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7273/25]