Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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30. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the level of capital grant-aid that will be made available to assist in the provision of additional childcare places through community providers and private providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43431/24]

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.

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. Some €89 million has been allocated to my Department between 2023 and 2026.

The Building Blocks Capacity Grant schemes are operating over 2024 and 2025. The Building Blocks Capacity Grant has two strands, an Expansion scheme and an Extension scheme to support existing services to increase capacity. 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.

The Building Blocks Expansion Grant scheme is operating this year and is currently funding a number of projects to expand the number of places on offer.

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

The Scheme will be split into four strands.

Private providers may apply for grants of between €50,000 and €250,000 to physically extend their premises, with a match funding requirement.

Community providers may apply for grants of between €100,000 and €500,000 to physically extend their premises. Match funding will not be required of community providers .

In addition, community providers may also apply for funding to purchase an Early Learning Childcare facility or a premises that could be easily adapted for this purpose, or towards the cost of constructing a new premises or installation of a modular building. Match funding will not be a requirement of either of these two strands. Community services may submit applications under each of the three strands.

Appraisal of applications for this scheme considers the supply and demand in the area around the proposed projects and seeks to prioritise funding for areas with the biggest supply/demand mismatch.

I hope to announce full details of the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme shortly.