Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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162. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childcare places available for children in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35083/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Supply of, and demand for, early learning and care and school-age childcare places is currently monitored annually through the Early Years Sector Profile report. This survey is conducted by Pobal on behalf of the Department.

Owing to the impact of COVID-19 on services, capacity figures are not available for 2019/2020. However, figures from previous years would suggest, overall, that supply meets demand, while acknowledging that some pockets of undersupply exist. Capacity is calculated as enrolment plus vacant places. Overall capacity in Kildare increased from 8,349 to 9,731 places between 2017/2018 and 2018/2019, a rise of 17%. The number of vacant places in Kildare rose from 304 in 2017/2019 to 516 in 2018/2019, an increase of 70%. The vacancy rate in Kildare was 6% in 2018/2019, up 2% from 2017/2018. The national average vacancy rate is 6% (see Table 1 below)

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 strategy for babies, young children and their families commits to 'maintain and extend the supply of high-quality publicly subsidised early learning and childcare 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 the development of a strategic capital investment plan to deliver large-scale capital investment under Project 2040, and the development of a new funding model for ELC and SAC.

Also identified among the actions in First 5 is a commitment to strengthen capacity to accurately forecast supply and demand for ELC and SAC by undertaking a regular national needs assessment. In addition, officials in my Department are planning research on the ELC/SAC needs of parents who work atypical hours or live in rural communities.

Table 1: Capacity in Kildare