Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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477. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount of funding given to each county as part of the equal start scheme in each of the years 2014 to 2024, and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40512/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Since the roll-out of Equal Start in September 2024, my Department has allocated €9,947,998.96 to Equal Start designated services.

The breakdown of funding per county can be found in the table below.

• The roll-out of the Traveller Parenting Support Programme in 17 Tusla areas, with responsibilities on Family Link Workers to engage with Traveller parents of young children, supporting them to attend and participate in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare.
• The appointment of Traveller and Roma Advisory Specialists to work in Better Start to promote inclusive Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare.
• The roll-out of Early Talk Boost – an intervention for language delay - to settings with a priority designation.
• The development of guidance and supports to support services to participate in inter-agency cooperation such as Meitheal.
• The design of a preschool Nutrition Programme under Equal Start, with roll-out due to commence in October 2025.