James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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47. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has any immediate plans for sourcing a temporary location for a crèche that got flooded during Storm Babet recently (details supplied); if he will give financial supports to the crèche to help it get back on its feet as the owner was unable to obtain flood insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48223/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am conscious of the disruption caused to a number of early learning and childcare services, owing the recent floods in Cork and I am aware that the local Childcare Committee has been engaging with impacted services.

With regard to financial supports for these services, they have been made aware that any service forced to close due to the flooding may apply for the continuation of funding from my Department under force majeure as per the rules governing the early learning and childcare funding schemes.

These services have also been alerted to two Emergency Business Flooding Schemes which were recently announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, T.D.. These schemes are for small businesses, sports clubs, community, and voluntary organisations unable to secure flood insurance and affected by recent flooding.

There are other supports available from my Department where a service is experiencing financial difficulty or has concerns about their viability. These supports can be accessed through the local Childcare Committee.

With regard to premises, the safety and protection of children remains the first priority in the early learning and care sector. This is achieved through the registration and inspection of early years services by Tusla, the independent statutory regulator of the sector.

Registration of early years services can be granted only where Tusla is satisfied that the premises, operation and location of the service pose no unmanaged risk to children. I understand Tusla has already been working closely with the local Childcare Committee in areas impacted by recent floods. Tusla are happy to engage with impacted services in these area and will work with them to help them to reopen their service in a safe and suitable premises and location.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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49. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress made to date in rolling out a capital programme for childcare and putting in place a development agency for the sector. [48354/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Some €69 million has been allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars:

1. Building Blocks - Improvement Grant;
2. Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and
3. Building Blocks - Innovation Grant.

Work is currently underway on the design and delivery of Pillars 2 and 3, which have a combined allocation of €20 million in 2024 and €40 million in 2025.

The Building Blocks – Capacity Grant will fund an expansion of existing services in areas of under-supply. Funding will also be provided to support the development of new services, where most needed. The Building Blocks – Innovation Grant will pilot a range of innovative initiatives such as outdoor early learning and childcare services.

I hope to announce details of the Building Blocks – Capacity Grant later this month. Significant progress has been made in advancing plans for a dedicated state agency for early learning and childcare.

My Department has commenced a comprehensive planning and analysis phase which will include robust stakeholder consultation, an examination of all legal requirements, transition and continuity planning, risk management, and a comprehensive evidence-based cost projection for the establishment and annual running costs of the new agency. This work will culminate in a full agency design and implementation plan which will be presented to Government for approval.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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50. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on childcare services in County Meath; the number of childcare places available in the county; the length of the average waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48510/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Each year, Pobal gathers data from early learning and childcare providers which informs the Early Years Sector Profile. Based on data captured in respect of the (unpublished) 2022/23 Sector Profile Survey (which was gathered in late Spring/ early Summer 2023), there were 10,091 places across services in County Meath.

Of these place, 1,311 were unfilled – representing a vacancy rate of 13%. This is similar to vacancy rate nationally which stands at 12.3%. The Childcare Committee in County Meath is in a position to match children and families to the services operating with vacant places.

Services completing this survey were also asked to provide the number of children on a waiting list by age and service type. Based on data gathered from services - an extrapolated waiting list figure of 2,841 for County Meath was derived through this survey.

While the number of children on waiting lists is an indication of demand, it must be noted that parents often place their child/children on multiple lists. Therefore, this figure cannot be used to indicate overall demand in the county.

As indicated in my earlier reply, a series of steps are being taken by my Department to address issues of undersupply, including through investment in Core Funding, implementation of the National Action Plan for Childminding and the Building Blocks Capital Programme under the National Development Plan.

The important work by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government, to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings and the recent identification of my Department as a prescribed body that need to be notified on certain planning matters, including the formulation of County Development Plans and Local Area Plans are other important steps being taken to ensure the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand.