Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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658. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare places currently available in the constituency of east Cork [36033/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Each year, Pobal compiles data from Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers as part of the Early Years Sector Profile.

The most recent published capacity data for the 2023/24 programme year provides estimated data for enrolments by county boundaries.

Data from 2023/24 estimated that there were 17,663 children enrolled in ELC and SAC services in Cork County (note: this does not include Cork City). This data also indicated that 44% had at least one vacant place and an estimated 31% had a waiting list.

It is important to note that waiting list data should not be used as a measure of overall demand for ELC and SAC places. While waiting list data can be used to give an indication of demand for places for a given age group or service type not all services operate a waiting list. In addition, an individual child may be on multiple waiting lists in different services.

Further information can be found on the Early Learning and Childcare data website. The Capacity Section of the website provides information on the number of children enrolled, services with vacant places, and services with a waiting list.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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659. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new childcare places that have been opened in the constituency of east Cork for the years 2020 to 2025 respectively. [36034/25]

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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660. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare providers that have closed; the childcare places that have been lost as a result of these closures in the constituency of east Cork in each of the years 2020 to 2025, respectively.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36035/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 659 and 660 together.

My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy in due course.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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661. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the shortage of childcare places in the Citywest and Saggart area; and to set out what action her Department is taking to address it. [36088/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.

Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2023/24 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 19% from the 2021/22 programme year. Core Funding application data shows that between Year 1 and Year 3 of the scheme, annual place hours increased by over 15%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net increase in the numbers of registered early learning and childcare services in 2024. However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for younger children.

My Department continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of Core Funding which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core Funding, which is in its third programme year, funds services based on the number of places available. This provides stability to services, and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service.

The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme is designed to increase capacity in the 1–3-year-old, pre–Early Childhood Care and Education, age range for full day care. Core Funding partner services could apply for capital funding to physically extend their premises or to construct or purchase new premises.

50 applications will be progressing to the next stage of the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme. These 50 applications come from a mix of Community Extension (24), Private Extension (7), Community Purchasing (4) and Community Construction (15) projects, which, when completed, will deliver 1,500 additional full time childcare places for 1-3 year olds. Three service in Dublin were approved for funding under the scheme. I look forward to seeing how these projects progress over the coming months.

A forward planning model is in development which will be central to my Department's plans to achieve the policy goals set out in the Programme for Government to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity.

The forward planning model being developed draws on administrative data to map the child population and location of funded services, and GIS mapping tools to model the link between children and available services. This will enable the identification and comparison of areas of need with a consistent methodology.

The Programme for Government commits for the first time to provide capital investment to build or purchase state-owned early learning and childcare facilities, to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists. State ownership of facilities is a very substantial and significant development and offers the potential for much greater scope to influence the nature and volume of provision available and to ensure better alignment with estimated demand.

The approach to capital investment in future years is being considered within the context of the Programme for Government commitments and the revision to the National Development Plan which is ongoing.