Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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608. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the budget allocation for early childhood education will be increased by a minimum of €250 million each year over the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42675/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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My Department continues to invest significant resources in the early years sector. In Budget 2017 I secured a 35% increase in childcare funding, which was additional to a similar 35% increase in Budget 2016. These increases reflect the emphasis being placed on developing a quality service with appropriately supported staff.

Although my Department has been successful in securing additional funding for this sector over the past two budgets, as outlined above, I do acknowledge that much more must be done if we are truly to have affordable, accessible, quality childcare and continue to improve both the affordability and quality of childcare. To this end I am currently engaged with my Government colleagues with a view to securing additional investment for the childcare sector in Budget 2018.

Although it is my intention to continue to pursue further increases in investment in the childcare sector going forward, it would be premature at this juncture to speculate as to what fiscal space might be available in the budgetary years 2019-2022 to secure this.