Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I said earlier, 178,000 children have claimed under the national childcare scheme this year. This is a 14% increase on last year. Year on year, we are seeing an increase in children availing of the national childcare scheme. We are also seeing an increase in availability. For the first time, childminders are now eligible to apply for the scheme. That is a further expansion of the scheme.

The sustainability and management aspects of the scheme are hugely important. I acknowledge that the Deputy referred to the significant funding that has gone into it up to this point. A total of 92% of eligible services have signed up to core funding. This is more than 4,400 services availing of core funding. The Deputy is correct about the programme for Government initiative on the €200 cost. We have given that commitment that it will be over the lifetime of the Government, so it will be done over the next five years. There will be engagement across all areas of the sector. Those working on the ground and parents are hugely important to determine how we will proceed.

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