Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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217. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if child care facilities will expand to meet the growing need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3661/16]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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A number of childcare programmes are implemented by my Department which support parents with the cost of childcare. The most significant programme in terms of State investment is the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme which currently provides free pre-school care and education for children who have reached the age of 3 years and 2 months by 1 September of the relevant year. From September 2016, I am expanding this Programme to allow children enrol in free pre-school from the time they are 3 years of age and to remain there until they start primary school.

As a result of the Budget extension, the number of children benefitting from the Programme is expected to rise from around 67,000 to 127,000 in a given programme year. For the 2016/17 programme year, it is estimated that 89,500 children will be eligible to enrol in the Programme from September 2016, an additional 22,000 from January 2017 and a further 15,500 from April 2017.

I decided to introduce this new measure from September 2016 in order to provide the early years sector with the time to build capacity to meet the increased demand. As the increased demand for the Programme is not expected to peak until April 2017, this timeframe should allow pre-school providers to make any necessary infrastructural or service changes and to put in place extra staff resources to accommodate the additional demand.

I am satisfied that there is already some additional capacity in the early years sector to cope with some of the increased demand. The Annual Survey of Early Years Services, which was conducted in December 2014, estimates that there are more than 24,000 vacancies in early years services across the country with almost 13,000 of these vacancies in sessional services.

I am also aware that every year a significant number of new pre-school providers apply to participate in this Programme. This increased demand for, and additional investment in, free pre-school provision should encourage a greater numbers of applicants.

It is clear that more capacity will be required to cater for the expanded free pre-school year programme. Officials in my Department are working closely with the City and County Childcare Committees and the Voluntary Childcare Organisations to identify measures to help increase capacity.