James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Department supports the provision of early childhood care and education by providing in the region of €260 million annually to provide for three child care support programmes that make child care services more affordable and ensure that more than 100,000 children have access to quality child care. This high level of support has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary situation that prevailed in recent years.

I point out to the Deputy that while the annual spend by my Department on child care related programmes has been in the region of 0.2% of GDP in recent years, there is expenditure by other Departments relating to child care provision as well. The largest element of this is the expenditure by the Department of Education and Skills on junior and senior infants in primary schools and on the Early Start programme in disadvantaged schools. When the full expenditure on preschool provision is taken into account, Ireland spends approximately 0.4% of GDP on child care provision. It is still not up to the international average and, like Deputy Healy, I am certainly keen to see it reach the international average.

It is clear that accessibility, affordability and high-quality child care can play a critical role in achieving several Government priorities, including the improvement of educational outcomes for children, reducing poverty and increasing parents' participation in the labour market. I would like to be in a position to increase our investment in child care related programmes to be in line with the OECD average, as resources allow. This will take time as the benefits of growth generate the required resources. I am determined that all such spending, whether existing or additional, will be based on good evidence and co-ordinated strategically in order that we achieve the best possible benefits for children. To this end I have established the interdepartmental group to examine the provision throughout the zero to six years age group and consider the after-school needs of older school-going children.

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