Written answers
Tuesday, 4 July 2023
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Childcare Services
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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76. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he monitors the extent to which local authorities are applying the criteria of need for childcare places in the issuing of conditions surrounding new developments. [32475/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority and my Department takes a number of steps to monitor supply and demand.
The annual data captured by Pobal on behalf of my Department - through the Early Years Sector Profile Survey - is one important data source that allows us to monitor supply and demand. In addition to this survey data, my Department also relies on data from the register of services held by Tusla and data provided by services as part of their application for Core Funding.
My Department also regularly conducts surveys with parents. Indeed, since 2020, five parent surveys have been undertaken by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of my Department.
In addition, the City/County Childcare Committees proactively engage with early learning and childcare services to identify unused capacity and to explore the potential for services in increase capacity where there is evidence of unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.
Heretofore, data from Local Authorities on the application of the 2001 National Planning Guidelines for the development of early learning and childcare settings has not been routinely gathered by my Department. However, as part of work currently underway in my Department to update these guidelines, which is being undertaken with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has committed to issuing a survey to Local Authorities that will seek to capture the type of data referred to by the Deputy.
Moreover, arising from our engagement with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on updating the guidelines, my Department has recently 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. This welcome development will greatly strengthen the role my Department plays in ensuring the supply of early learning and childcare meets demand.
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