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

I am pleased to be here to outline the key elements of the budget 2024 allocation for my Department. Two years ago I set out an ambition to deliver a meaningful reduction in childcare costs for families all over our country. I am pleased that today we have have been able to deliver that, with an average 25% reduction in the cost of childcare in budget 2024. This change will be effective from September of next year and will mean we have halved childcare costs in the space of two years. Across a full year, for parents using full-time care, the new savings announced yesterday will be up to €1,700 per child. I and the Green Party have always been very clear about the ambition to make childcare more affordable for parents across Ireland. I am delighted to have been able to deliver on that ambition by halving childcare costs as part of this budget.

I am aware many parents rely on childminders and the fantastic work childminders do and that is why the budget will provide funding to allow the extension of regulation and supports to childminders and to enable parents who use childminders to benefit from those subsidies via the national childcare scheme, NCS, which will again be from September 2024. With an initial cohort of 500 childminders expected to come forward for registration in 2024, some 2,000 children who use childminders are estimated to benefit from the NCS in 2014. This is absolutely crucial in expanding the range and choice of childcare available to parents.

We are making childcare more affordable, but we are also making it more accessible. We have increased funding to support children with disabilities to access childcare, with an increase in the hours available under the access and inclusion model. Importantly, we have also allocated €4.5 million to create the equal participation model, which is a new model of childcare inspired by the DEIS model to ensure the most disadvantaged children have access to high-quality early learning and care.

While we are reducing the costs for parents and improving access for children, I am also conscious of the needs of those working and the providers across the sector. I am pleased to announce a 15% increase in core funding up to €303 million next year. This means that since I first introduced core funding three years ago its quantity has increased by 46% across that period. In all, in terms of childcare, when I first came to office the State was spending €638 million per annum and in 2024 the figure will be €1.1 billion, which is a 70% across four years. That is testament to the focus this Government has placed on the early years sector.

This budget also delivers on child well-being. Budget 2024 sees the largest-ever increase for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Next year, my Department will provide more than €1 billion in funding for the agency, which is an increase of €90 million. Importantly, we will increase the foster care allowance next year. That will be the first increase this allowance has seen since 2009. It will be done in two stages, providing an additional €75 per week for children aged under 12 years and €73 per week for children aged over 12 years by November of next year. The first €25 of this increase will apply from 1 January, with the remaining €50 applying in November.

There is €78 million allocated to youth services in budget 2024. That is an increase of €5 million on the 2023 budget. Of that, €1 million is being provided to mainstream the youth employability scheme to provide dedicated support to young people who are not in education or work. The aim is to promote the employability of disadvantaged young people.

As Members will be aware, this is the first year in which responsibility for disability has been with this Department. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and I are pleased to have secured €2.8 billion for specialist community-based disability services next year. I particularly acknowledge the hard work done by the Minister of State to ensure key priorities in disability came to the forefront. This allocation will support the roll-out of the action plan for disability services, including more residential and respite services, 1,400 places for school-leavers needing support and increased personal assistance hours.

Alongside these areas, €1.9 billion has been set aside to support the delivery of accommodation for those who have fled here seeking our protection, namely, international protection applicants and those fleeing the war in Ukraine. Overall, I am proud to have significantly increased our allocation by more than €330 million in core spending. This is a progressive budget with social justice at its very heart. Across the Department, we are entrusted with responsibility for some of the most vulnerable people in our country, including children, refugees, people with disabilities and children in care. In each of these areas we are delivering. We are driving down costs for all parents and we are expanding access to childcare for children with disabilities and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. We see the largest-ever State investment in Tusla and increased investment in our youth services. I acknowledge the commitment by the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, in recognising these priorities while also seeking to deliver on an ambitious and balanced overall expenditure package. The €7.3 billion allocated to my Department for 2024 gives me and the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and O'Brien, the resources to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable people in our society.

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