Dr. Anne-Marie Brooks:

I will address the investment question first and ask my colleague Ms Fleming to come in on the financial reporting.

Regarding calls for greater investment, we have seen unprecedented levels of investment over the last number of years. In my opening statement I referred to the meeting of the First 5 investment target set for 2028 being five years ahead of time. Next year, investment in early learning and childcare will exceed €1.1 billion, so it is rising very substantially over time. Within the allocation, core funding is in place. In its first year, there was a €259 million allocation of core funding for this new scheme. The allocation increased by 11% in year 2 to €287 million and the Minister secured funding in budget 2024, which will allow for a 15% increase again on the core funding allocation for year 3 to €331 million. There is a very substantial allocation through core funding for the third year running. This will help achieve a range of objectives, including improved pay and conditions and address issues of affordability and sustainability of provision and stability for providers. The funding is increasing over time.

Next week the Minister will publish the First 5 implementation report for the next three years, running to 2025. In it there will be a new investment target for early learning and childcare. The Minister has signalled that he has ambitions to continue to grow core funding allocation and also to grow the provision across the other streams, Together for Better, the national childcare scheme, NCS, the ECCE programme and the new equal participation model which will be rolled out from next year.