2872. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm both in percentage and in clear monetary terms the value of the ‘levy’ on her Department's expenditure, that was required to be communicated to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on or before the deadline of 17 July 2026, (details supplied) and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60669/26]

A levy of €42 million was applied to the Children's VOTE Group, which includes both this Department (VOTE 40) and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (VOTE 25), by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. €42 million equates to 0.6% of the €6.92 billion gross 2026 Current Expenditure allocations as set out in the published "Revised Estimates for Public Services 2026 (ref: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/40d6f3cb/REV_2026_BOOK_06.03.26.pdf).

The levy placed on each individual Vote Group was included on the Oireachtas website on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 in response to Question No. 426 raised by Deputy Cian O’Callaghan to The Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (ref: www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2026-05-27/71/#pq_71).

The Department has been engaging constructively with DPER in relation to savings, efficiencies and reforms required to deliver the levy in a manner that avoids the need for any cuts to services and supports. This engagement is part of the ongoing negotiations with DPER and related deliberations as part of the 2027 Budget Estimates process.