Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures his Department is taking to increase the number of facilities that will take children under two years and eight months into childcare to assist parents returning to work; if he acknowledges the problem this is causing in having professionals return to key roles in employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43397/24]

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

This year, I established a Supply Management Unit within the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Division of my Department. A key part of the Supply Management Unit’s remit is to develop capacity for monitoring, analysing and forecasting of supply and demand in the sector.

In addition to developing this forward planning model, the Supply Management Unit oversees the administration of capital investment under the revised NDP. Some €89 million has been allocated to my Department between 2023 and 2026.

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 care. Under the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme, some €25 million will be available in 2025 to deliver additional capacity. I hope to announce further details of the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme in the coming weeks.

The overall funding model is designed to support quality provision across the full age range for ELC. Core Funding was intentionally designed to address some of the pre-existing disparities in funding levels across ECCE and non-ECCE provision. Higher levels of funding are available for capacity for younger children, to support the higher operating costs for these children arising from the higher staff ratio requirements. In addition, Core Funding includes a graduate premium to support employment of graduates with a relevant degree at level 7 or above into leadership roles. This aspect of Core Funding encourages employment of graduates as Lead Educators across all ELC.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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20. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the proposals there are to provide additional childcare places in Cavan and Monaghan, taking in to account difficulties incurred by parents in obtaining placements for children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43432/24]

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

My Department employs a range of approaches to identify and address shortages of early learning and childcare places in certain areas, bearing in mind the wide range of types of early learning and childcare provision offered by services and required by families.

This year, I established a Supply Management Unit within the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Division of my Department. A key part of the Supply Management Unit’s remit is to develop capacity for monitoring, analysing and forecasting the supply and demand of childcare.

Capital funding has been allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare. 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 care.

Under the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme, some €25 million will be available in 2025 to deliver additional capacity.

Along with these measures, Core Funding, which is in its third programme year, funds services based on the number of places available, whether or not they are filled.

This provides stability to services, and reduces the risks associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service. For the current programme year, I ensured that the allocation for Core Funding would be able to capture almost a 6% increase in capacity. I secured additional funding in Budget 2025 to facilitate a further 3.5% increase from September 2025, in the fourth programme year.