Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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89. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total grant aid available for the provision of additional childcare places and the upgrading of existing accommodation in 2021; the level of funding for such developments in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36663/22]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Brendan Smith. This question is on the available provision of additional childcare places, the upgrading of existing accommodation in 2021 and the level of funding for each development in 2022.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority. To ensure that the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places, as well as the upgrading of services through an annual capital programme. With the onset of Covid-19 in 2020, the annual capital programme prioritised funding for early learning and childcare providers to enable them to reopen safety following mandated closures and to improve outdoor play areas so as to reduce the potential spread of infection.

In 2021, €10.5 million was allocated across two different capital funding programmes: one to improve fire safety standards and another to improve outdoor play areas in services. During 2021, my Department also successfully secured €70 million in the revised NDP allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during the period 2023 to 2025 across three pillars: modernisation, new capacity and first 5 initiatives. Capital funding in 2022 totals €1.3 million, including €750,000 of unspent 2021 capital funding which has been carried into 2022. This will be targeted capital funding commencing with not-for-profit services that have been informed they must resolve fire safety compliance issues to complete their re-registration with Tusla. Eligibility for this funding will be dependent on a financial assessment of need. City and county childcare committees are engaging with these services on this. Applications for the pillar 1 of the NDP money, the modernisation grant, will also open in the coming months.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is encouraging to hear. As Deputy Bríd Smith said earlier as well, the Minister must be commended for the work he is doing, especially on childcare services. There are still issues and choke points, particularly in urban areas, as well as capacity issues. I am the father of three children. I am facing my first bill for childcare in September. Childcare is still quite expensive and difficult to get in some places, particularly in urban areas. Our population is growing and more and more people are going back to work, which is great, but also increasing is the pressure on existing childcare capacity. Obviously, this is an issue that affects women in particular and we need to do all we can to ensure that many women across the country do not face the difficult decision of choosing between going back to work or staying at home and, inevitably, minding children. We must do all we can in continuing to provide the supports the Minister has outlined to ensure that women do not face that decision.

I understand that a significant announcement might be due in the budget. I know the Minister cannot speak to it today, but judging from comments made by him, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach in recent weeks, that development will greatly help the childcare service. I ask the Minister to address issues regarding capacity in urban areas and how we are going to deal with that.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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We have had an extensive and valuable discussion in the House today on the issue of childcare. It is worth mentioning childminders in recognition that centre-based childcare is not the only method of childcare provision. Thousands of families across the country rely on childminders. We brought in the childminding action plan to provide an appropriate degree of regulation of that sector, recognising the important work being done, and to allow childminders use of the national childcare scheme, NCS, as well. Thus, parents using a childminder would be able to benefit from those State subventions to make the cost cheaper for them. That is an element that would help to increase capacity because having more diverse availability of childcare will help with the issue of capacity. In my final minute, I will talk in more detail about wider measures to improve capacity in centre-based services.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I commend the Minister on the work being done and raise one other issue, about which I have spoken to him privately relating to the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme. I am aware that those service providers were protesting outside Leinster House recently. ECCE-only providers seem to be under more pressure than those who provide a more diverse childcare service. From what we have heard on the ground, they are looking for an increase in capitation. I am aware that fees have been frozen, which can be passed on to parents, but I am concerned specifically about the ECCE-only providers. Will the Minister look at the resilience fund, of which only €500,000 was drawn down out of a €20 million pot, and disburse the funds among the ECCE-only providers who are facing a difficult period ahead?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Deputy has raised the issue of ECCE-only service providers with me on a number of occasions. We continue to examine the concerns raised by some of these service providers. I made the point before that only a small number, amounting to 1%, will see no change in their funding allocation. The vast majority of ECCE service providers will see additional money coming into them as a result of core funding. I reiterate that we are dealing with year 1 of core funding now. The money we invest in education and childcare will have to increase. The reason childcare is so expensive in this country is that we invest much less than other European countries. The Government has an objective to invest at least €1 billion by 2028 and I believe that will be achieved, although probably not by this Government. We are moving quickly towards achieving that. More investment means more money for all services across the sector and less costs for parents.