Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising the issue. The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. Early learning and childcare capacity is monitored by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on an ongoing basis, with a particular focus on responding to the unmet early learning and childcare needs of families. The annual data captured by Pobal on behalf of the Department through the early years sector profile survey are an important data source that allow us to monitor supply and demand. In addition to the survey data, the Department relies on data from the register of services held by Tusla, as well as data provided by services as part of their application for core funding, and has conducted several surveys with parents. Since 2020, five parent surveys have been undertaken by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of the Department. Data from the most recent early years sector profile indicated that the vacancy rates among services in Dublin West was 13%, which is lower than the average vacancy rates nationally. These data do not take account of increases in capacity since the introduction of core funding.

A series of steps is being undertaken to address issues of undersupply. The network of 30 city and county childcare committees across the country is in a position to match children and families with services operating with vacant places. Moreover, these committees engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion among services, particularly where there is unmet need. Under the national action plan for childminding and following the extension of regulations to childminders, there is a commitment to open access to the national childcare scheme to parents who use childminders. Some €70 million has been allocated to the Department through the revised national development plan, with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places.

The Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, is in the process of updating the 2001 planning guidelines for local authorities on early learning and childcare settings. As part of this work, the Department has been included in the updated list of prescribed bodies that need to be notified on certain planning matters, including the formulation of county development plans and local area plans. In addition, core funding introduced in September 2022 has already proven to be effective in expanding capacity, particularly in areas of undersupply, with initial analysis showing that there has been a significant growth in capacity, including for cohorts such as babies and toddlers, and in areas where there has been significant pressure on places, including Dublin West. Additional funding secured in budget 2023 for year 2 of core funding provides further opportunity to invest in capacity growth.Parents experiencing difficulty with early learning and childcare needs should contact their local city and county childcare committee for assistance. Contact details can be found on myccc.ie.