Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am committed to tackling disadvantage through high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible. The early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme, which enjoys uptake rates in excess of 95%, has removed barriers to accessing preschool education. Data from the Growing Up in Ireland survey show that more than 60% of low income families would not have been able to send their child to preschool without this programme.

In addition, the national childcare scheme, NCS, through a combination of universal and targeted subsidies as well as sponsorship arrangements for vulnerable children, is substantially reducing the out-of-pocket early learning and childcare costs for families. The highest levels of subsidies are available to families on the lowest incomes. Record numbers of children of more than 93,000 are currently benefiting from the NCS. Some 38,000 more children are benefiting now than this time last year. Moreover, the number of providers offering the NCS has increased by more than 10% as a result of the contractual conditions underpinning the new core funding scheme.

Evidence attests to the effectiveness of the NCS. Recent OECD data show that Ireland's performance in supporting families and particularly lone-parent families with the cost of early learning and childcare is markedly improving, with the country having the greatest reduction in early learning and childcare costs to families across the EU over the period 2019-21. In 2021, net childcare costs as a share of the households net income for lone parents on low income fell below the EU average. The data do not take account of significant enhancements I introduced to the NCS under budget 2023 that kicked in from 1 November last, nor do they include the impacts of core funding and the freeze.

In line with a commitment in First 5, officials in my Department are progressing the development of a new strand of funding, tackling disadvantage, whereby services will be provided with a proportionate mix of universal and targeted supports to support children and families accessing their services. Officials will soon engage with stakeholders on this work and pilot the provision of a hot meals programme in early learning and childcare as one potential support.

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