Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Gannon for raising this important issue and offering me the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister. Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and care and school-age childcare is a key priority for the Government. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. An annual sector profile demonstrates an 8% increase in enrolments between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 years. Within the Dublin city local authority area, enrolments grew by 2,235. Core funding application data shows that, between year 1 and year 2 of the scheme, the annual place hours increased by almost 8%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net increase in the numbers of registered early learning and childcare services in 2024.

However, it appears that demand for early learning and care and school-age childcare remains higher than available supply, particularly for younger children and in certain parts of the country. Demand for early learning and childcare beyond sessional preschool provision is highly elastic and shaped substantially by families' individual composition, circumstances and preferences; employment patterns and income; and the price and availability of services. A forward planning model is in development, which will be central to the Minister’s plans to achieve the policy goals set out in the programme for Government to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity. The Government continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of core funding, which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core funding funds services based on the number of places available regardless of whether they are filled. This provides stability to services and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service. For the current programme year, the allocation for core funding allows for a 6% increase in capacity. Additional funding was secured in budget 2025 to facilitate a further 3.5% increase from September 2025, in the fourth programme year.

The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. Capital funding has been allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised national development plan. This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare. The building blocks capital grant schemes are operating over 2024 and 2025. The primary focus of these schemes is to increase capacity in the one- to three-year-old, pre-ECCE, age range for full day care.

The building blocks expansion grant scheme was operated by the Department last year. Twenty-three services were awarded capital grants of between €25,000 and €100,000 for projects to undertake renovation of or upgrades to existing space to cater for more children. This funding has delivered almost 300 affordable new places for one- to three-year olds, with approximately 100 of those places in Dublin.

The building blocks extension grant scheme was launched on 4 November 2024. Applications for this scheme have now closed and an appraisal process is under way. The primary focus of the extension grant scheme is to increase capacity in places for one- to three-year olds, with early childhood education range for full day care. Some €25 million will be made available this year to deliver additional capacity under the scheme, and the Minister expects to announce the outcome of the application process in the coming weeks.

The Department funds 30 city and county childcare committees, which provide support and assist families and early learning and childcare providers. Parents experiencing difficulty with early learning and childcare needs should contact their local city and county childcare committee for assistance.

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