Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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1076. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to address the lack of provision of childcare services for babies aged six to 12 months of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14482/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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A key policy objective of my Department is to improve affordability, accessibility and quality of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). A 141% increase in investment over the last number of years has led to a doubling in the number of children receiving free or subsidised early learning and care and school-age childcare. It has also supported the sector to increase the number of places available.

First 5, the ten-year whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families pledges to build on this progress. Among key strategic actions in First 5 is a commitment to 'maintain and extend the supply of high-quality publicly subsidised ELC and SAC to best serve the developmental needs of babies and young children, ensuring that it also reflects the needs and preferences of parents and families'.

To deliver on this strategic action, a range of actions are under way, including an update of the National Planning Guidelines for the development of early learning and care and school-age childcare settings, the extension of regulation to all paid, non-relative childminders on a phased basis and the development of a strategic capital investment plan to deliver large-scale capital investment under Project 2040. The development of a new funding model for ELC and SAC also seeks to address issues of accessibility.

Each year Pobal conducts research on behalf of my Department to examine a number of factors related to childcare services in Ireland, including the monitoring of capacity. The most recently available Early Years Sector Profile report, which was published in November 2019 indicates that existing childcare provision, in general, meets current needs nationwide in terms of capacity, whilst recognising that small pockets of under supply may exist within this. My Department also funds 30 City and County Childcare Committees across the country. Part of their role is to advise my Department on capacity issues.

My Department actively monitors supply and demand, and will continue to build on the progress achieved over the past decade in order to ensure that ELC services are accessible, affordable and high-quality.