Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on plans to establish Childcare Ireland; what form the agency will take; the progress to date on changes to the operating model for childcare in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19138/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Significant progress has been made in advancing plans for a dedicated state agency for early learning care and school age childcare (ELC/SAC). It is envisaged that this dedicated agency will undertake the functions currently carried out by Pobal Early Years (including Better Start), the 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), as well as operational functions currently undertaken by my Department.

A Programme Oversight Board has been established for the agency and is tasked with overseeing the analysis and design phase of the programme. The Programme Oversight Board will ensure that proposals for a new agency are based on offering the best possible service to children and their families, practitioners and service providers while ensuring value for money.

My Department is currently engaging with independent consultants who have been contracted to carry out a phase of research, analysis and robust stakeholder engagement to inform the design of the agency. This work, which is expected to take 18-24 months, will culminate in a costed agency design, including the remit, organisational structure and service delivery model, which will be presented to Government for approval.

My Department is committed to ongoing consultation with all stakeholders throughout the design process. In that regard a series of stakeholder consultation sessions have already been held with key stakeholders and valuable input has been received as part of a collaborative co-design process to develop a vision, mission and values for the agency. A report has been compiled from these initial consultations and the report has been circulated to the participating stakeholders. A further series of stakeholder consultations are scheduled for May 2024 and consultations will continue throughout the lifetime of this programme.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The final report of the ECCE Review is now complete.

The aim of the review was to independently assess the implementation of the ECCE Programme and its impact.

The Review was informed by comprehensive stakeholder engagement with parents, ECCE providers and staff and representatives from disadvantaged groups.

My Department is considering the findings of the review and possible enhancements to the programme.

I expect to publish the report in the comings weeks.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As announced as part of Budget 2024, from September 2024 the universal subsidy provided through the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) will be increased from €1.40 to €2.14 per child per hour.

This change follows on from a previous increase to the NCS universal subsidy from €0.50 to €1.40. The upcoming increase to €2.14 will reduce out of pocket childcare costs by 50% overall when compared to 2022 levels. It should be noted that this reduction is a result of cumulative changes and is based on calculations made during Budget time.

The fee freeze in place in 94% of services participating in the Core Funding Scheme which has been in operation since 2022 ensures that these enhancements to the NCS subsidies will not absorbed by fee increases.