Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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844. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if each of the developments being progressed by the Land Development Agency include the provision of childcare facilities; if the Land Development Agency has engaged with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality with regard to the delivery of childcare facilities on public land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30388/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Land Development Agency (LDA) is a statutory body under the aegis of my Department and in line with section 12(4) of the Land Development Agency Act 2021 is independent in the performance of its functions. Arrangements have been put in place by my Department to ensure that public bodies under it aegis have a dedicated email address in place to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The LDA can be contacted by emailing oireachtas@lda.ie in relation to this matter.

It may be helpful to note that the final revised National Planning Framework (NPF), as approved by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025, recognises that investment in high quality, affordable early learning and childcare is critical both as an educational support for children, and as an enabler of parental labour market participation.

Guidelines for Planning Authorities relating to Childcare Facilities were issued in 2001 in line with section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and provide a framework to guide both local authorities and developers, including the LDA. Planning Authorities and An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard to these guidelines in carrying out their functions.

The Guidelines set out the methodology for calculating adequate provision of childcare places and are intended to ensure a consistency of approach to the treatment of applications in respect of the land use planning aspects of childcare provision, for relevant planning applications, developers and childcare providers in formulating and considering development proposals.

Broadly speaking, the Guidelines for Planning Authorities relating to Childcare Facilities recommend that, in the case of new housing areas, a standard of one childcare facility providing for a minimum of 20 childcare places per approximately 75 dwellings may be appropriate, depending on the particular circumstances of each individual site.

My Department is currently engaging with the Departments of Children, Disability and Equality and of Education and Youth in relation to updating the guidelines.

In this regard, an Early Learning and Childcare Planning Matters Working Group has been established to create a clear mechanism for information sharing and discussion between the three Departments in relation to current and future policy challenges, including examining the existing 2001 Section 28 Childcare Guidelines for Planning Authorities.

It should be noted that the Planning and Development Act 2024 provides for ‘National Planning Statements’ in place of the existing Section 28 Ministerial Planning Guidelines. In this context, the current programme of review of Section 28 guidelines is being undertaken with the intention of their replacement by National Planning Statements, noting that this programme of work will be sequenced over time. The programme of review provides for public consultation in line with standard arrangements.