Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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30. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on his efforts to make childcare accessible and affordable; the amount he believes it is affordable for parents to contribute to the cost of their childcare needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39109/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department is progressing a range of actions to improve the accessibility and affordability of early learning and childcare.

The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is the primary measure aimed at reducing childcare costs. Through the provision of both universal and targeted subsidies, the NCS ensures the highest levels of subsidies go to families that need them most.

Since January 2023 - with the increase in the minimum NCS subsidy to €1.40 per hour – out of pocket costs to families have fallen by 25% on average. From this September, the minimum subsidy was increased again to €2.14 per hour – and the cumulative reduction in out of pocket is estimated to reach 50% on average.

The fee cap in place in 95% of early learning and childcare services as a result of Core Funding scheme ensures that the investment in NCS has resulted in real change for parents and not been absorbed by fee increases.

Record numbers of children and their families are now benefiting from the NCS. Over 200,000 children have benefited from an NCS subsidy this year so far.

From 30 September, an estimated 2,000 children in childminding settings will be added to this cohort of beneficiaries, following changes to the childminder Tusla registration requirements.

Regarding accessibility of childcare places, earlier this year I established a new Supply Management Unit.

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 of childcare places.

The Unit will also oversee the administration of capital investment under the National Development Plan, through the Building Blocks Capacity Grant. The primary focus of the Building Blocks Capacity Grant Schemes is to increase capacity in the 1-3 year old, pre-ECCE, age range for full day or part-time care.

Additionally, the Core Funding scheme has proven to be effective in expanding the capacity of the sector since it's establishment in 2022. Year 2 of the scheme provided for capacity growth of 3%, which has materialised and for Year 3 of the scheme, additional funding will be directed towards a further 5.6% increase in capacity growth.