Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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118. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in Louth benefiting from the national childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7726/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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So far this year, 4,180 children in Louth are benefiting from a subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme. This represents an increase of 14% or 517 children in Louth benefitting from this Scheme, when compared to the same period last year.

This growth in National Childcare Scheme beneficiaries is mirrored nationwide, with the numbers of children benefitting from the Scheme up more than 70% since 2022 with record numbers – 178,000 children – benefitting already this year.

Among this cohort are the children in the childminding settings that have come forward for registration, following changes to the childminder Tusla registration requirements last September.

Other recent enhancements to the Scheme include the extension of the upper age eligibility for the universal subsidy from 3 years of age to 15 years of age in August 2022 and the increases to the minimum hourly subsidy rate in January 2022 and September 2023.

With 98% of all providers in Louth participating in Core Funding and adhering to fee management conditions of that funding, including a fee freeze, the benefit of the National Childcare Scheme subsidies to parents in Louth is being fully maximised.

The increases in the National Childcare Scheme subsidy rates, along with fee controls and other reforms to the scheme, are delivering much greater affordability for parents. But out-of-pocket costs for some families remain too high.

The new Programme for Government commits to progressively reduce the cost of early learning and childcare to €200 per child. My officials are examining this ambitious commitment and exploring approaches to most effectively achieve this objective over the lifetime of this Government.