Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1856.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will commit to improving and expanding access to childcare in Shannon town, County Clare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32582/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Ensuring access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government.

The level of capacity has risen substantially year-on-year between 2022 and 2023 as evidenced by survey data collected by Pobal, by administrative data from Core Funding and the National Childcare Scheme and registration data collected by Tusla. However, there is also evidence that demand for places is increasing and, for certain cohorts, outstripping supply. This is partly driven by the significant improvements in affordability that have been achieved in recent years.

The range of funding schemes delivered by the Department support the delivery of capacity by the sector, through the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, the National Childcare Scheme, the Access and Inclusion Model and Core Funding, as well as Equal Start which was recently launched.

A new Supply Management Unit was established in January 2024 to lead on the implementation of the recommendations in the report of the Expert Group in Partnership for the Public Good. A key part of the Supply Management Unit’s remit is to develop a planning function, for monitoring, analysing and forecasting of the supply and demand for early learning and childcare in a nuanced and specific way at local area level.

The Supply Management Unit is leading on a number of actions to ensure the supply of early learning and childcare is aligned with demand, including through the updating of planning guidelines for early learning and childcare, in partnership with the Department of Housing. Capital funding has been set aside for early learning and childcare capital projects over the period 2024 - 2026 under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare.

Between 2024-2026, the Department is delivering capital investment through the Building Blocks Capacity Grant Scheme. The scheme will operate over two strands, an Expansion scheme and an Extension scheme to support existing services to increase capacity.

• The Expansion Grant Scheme, which is now closed, provides funding for projects valued at between €50,000 and €100,000 for the internal renovation or reconfiguration of existing services to deliver additional capacity.
• The Extension Grant Scheme will offer funding for larger scale extension projects, valued at between €100,000 and €650,000, to enable existing services to increase their capacity. On 3rd July 2024, Minister O'Gorman announced details of the Extension Scheme with €25 million in capital funding being made available to deliver thousands of additional early learning and childcare places. This scheme will also fund community-based not-for-profit services who wish to purchase or build new premises, and will include the purchase and installation of modular buildings.

Individual parents who are experiencing difficulty in finding an appropriate early learning and childcare place may wish to engage with their local City and County Childcare Committee who may be able to assist.