Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

111. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action she intends to take to ensure that parents have access to State-provided early years education facilities where there is a lack of provision; her plans to reduce the cost of child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8541/25]

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

What actions will the Minister take to ensure parents can have access to State-provided early years education facilities where there is currently a lack of such facilities? I also ask what actions she will take to reduce the cost of childcare.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. Investment in the early learning and childcare sector is now at an unprecedented level with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025. We have never had as much money being expended. This clearly demonstrates the Government’s commitment to this area. As well as addressing affordability, this investment has served to improve accessibility, availability and the quality of provision. The new programme for Government provides the impetus now to go much further however, and to deliver more high-quality early learning and childcare places at a cost that is affordable to families. Under this Government, the recently established supply management unit in the Department will be resourced and transformed into a forward planning and delivery unit to identify areas of need and better forecast demand. That is important. The Government is also making a commitment that this unit will introduce an element of public provision with State-led facilities to add capacity in conjunction with capacity provided by private operators. As a key first step, the unit will work to identify the type and number of local places across the country, and how this compares to the number of children in the corresponding age groups. A poll is also being undertaken of parents to better understand their preferences for early learning and childcare. That is important too. Taking a more strategic approach to forward planning and the option of public delivery offers much greater scope to influence the type and number of places available and to better align them with families’ needs. Record numbers are now benefiting from the national childcare scheme. Some 220,000 children benefited from a subsidy under the scheme in 2024. Fee controls are in place in almost 93% of services as a result of the core funding scheme and this ensures the investment is not unnecessarily absorbed by fee increases.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. Early Childhood Ireland outlined in January that statistics from Pobal state that 6,663 children under the age of one are on a crèche waiting list where there are only 223 places available. It also goes on to say that 12,208 children aged between one and two are on a waiting list where there are only 675 places available. The Minister mentioned that in the programme from Government, the Government has committed to building or purchasing State-owned childcare facilities and to creating additional capacity. In her reply, the Minister spoke about a poll of parents. Will she let us know in the House when, where and how that poll will be conducted? It is important that we address those anomalies. In Cork, at the moment, there are 534 children under the age of one vying for 17 places. This is what is happening throughout the country in many areas in the State. In Kildare, in my own area, many parents are seeking childcare accommodation and they want to hear from the Government and from the Minister as to what is going to happen for them and the when, where and how that poll might be conducted.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Again, I thank the Deputy. He is 100% correct. There is an issue around capacity and the Government recognises that. It is for that reason that the Government has committed to doing a root-and-branch discovery around the country to determine where there are areas of maximum need and where is under-provided for. The new forward planning and delivery unit will be very important in that respect. Early and initial scoping exercises have taken place. This is an absolutely new departure. It has never been done before that the State will intervene and build or purchase State-owned early learning childcare facilities. It is important to gather the views of parents. Regarding the poll, it is my understanding that the poll was conducted in February. It is presently being analysed and we should have the results by the end of March or early April. Again, it will inform the trajectory of the journey.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. The other area I wish to ask about is childcare costs. I recently met a young family in Newbridge, County Kildare, who are paying €1,400 per month. The Minister will know, as it is often referenced in this House, that this is a second mortgage. However, it is obviously not just in Newbridge that those are the costs of childcare; it is throughout the State. Linked to those costs are the turnover in staff where the average turnover is 25% of those working in the sector. Many of them quote the low pay they are receiving at present. There is a huge cost for them. Associated with that is the issue of the many regional childcare providers that have delays with payments from the Department, which are causing them headaches and issues about staying open. Obviously, there are then the increased overhead costs that many of these childcare providers, particularly in rural areas, have faced. Will the Government address any of that to try to reduce childcare costs for parents while also ensuring providers will stay open?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. To confirm in terms of the core funding model, an unprecedented level of funding has gone into that for the first time. In year 1, €259 million was expended directly on core funding and €210.8 million was brand-new funding. That increased to €287 million in year 2 and presently in year 3, it has increased to €331 million.

Again, a very significant uplift is being provided by the Government to providers. It has a core funding fee management element to it as well in terms of affordability for parents. The Government has been very conscious of the cost for parents and families so it has committed to establishing a €200 per month cap on childcare costs in the lifetime of this Government. Significant progress has already been made in this regard through the establishment of the Together for Better funding model. This funding allows for greater control of the cost of early learning and childcare for parents, with adjustments that can be made on the supply and demand sides. On the demand side, it is important to say that the national childcare scheme allows for the flexible allocation of subsidies to families, where the highest subsidies are provided to the families that need them the most. System support for the national childcare scheme also supports rapid changes to eligibility parameters and subsidy parameters where directed by the Government. On the supply side, the core funding fee management measure ensures that fees do not grow significantly and absorb subsidies provided to parents.