Written answers
Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Departmental Projects
Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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723. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the infrastructure projects being built or commissioned by her Department that are currently late in their delivery; and the infrastructure projects currently over budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34085/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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725. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the baby bundle project that was trialled in 2023; the amount of families that benefited; the net cost of the scheme to date, in tabular form; if it is intended to proceed with a pilot expansion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34120/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In 2023, my Department piloted the Little Baby Bundle. Almost 500 expectant families who were attending the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin and University Hospital Waterford received the Baby Bundle, and provided feedback to the Department on their experiences as part of a commissioned evaluation of the pilot.
My Department commissioned an independent evaluation of the pilot in order to gather feedback from participants and key stakeholders, to identify lessons learned, and assess whether the scheme was suitable for an annualised, nationwide rollout. This included the commissioning of a subsequent fact-finding report in order to identify an appropriate model of delivery for nationwide implementation.
The total cost of the Baby Bundle pilot is presented in the following table.
| Expenditure | Cost (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Contract for managing agent to design pilot bundle, procure contents, and distribute | €200,000 |
| Contract for independent evaluation | €87,163.80 |
| Contract for post-pilot fact-finding report | €20,000 |
| Total | €307,163.80 |
The Programme for Government 2025 commits to expanding the provision for newborns and their parents of a Baby Bundle, comprising essential items to support them from day one, within the lifetime of this Government.
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