Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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735. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on actions already taken or commenced to improve the critical accessibility issue as set out in the programme for Government (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37546/25]

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, particularly for younger children and in certain parts of the country.

The Programme for Government commits to resourcing and transforming the Supply Management Unit into a Forward Planning and Delivery Unit within the Department to identify areas of need, forecast demand and deliver public supply within the childcare sector where required.

The Forward Planning and Delivery Unit within my Department has been allocated additional resources and staff and is pursuing an ambitious programme of work. A forward planning model, under the remit of this unit, 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.

This unit also supports 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.

I was delighted to announce in 50 applications which 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 across the country. I look forward to seeing how these projects progress over the coming months.

The Programme for Government also commits to providing capital investment to build or purchase state-owned 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 to influence the nature and volume of provision available and to ensure better alignment with estimated demand.

Early scoping work has been carried out to explore options to introduce a segment of state-led provision. Detailed policy development and design is ongoing in order to progress to implementation stage, having regard to the wider emerging policy context as set out in the Programme for Government, including in relation to affordability commitments.

Allocation of capital investment to build or purchase state-owned early learning and childcare facilities is being considered within the context of the revision to the National Development Plan which is ongoing.

In relation to the commitment to plan the development of State-led facilities in tandem with the school building programme, including Irish medium naíonraí, officials have met a number of times with officials from the Department of Education’s Planning and Building Unit with a view to sharing expertise and information between the Departments and identify opportunities for future developments. In addition to specific meetings, the relevant officials have also engaged a number of times on related matters, particularly through the Early Learning and Childcare Planning Matters Working Group and in relation to existing services' use of school buildings.

The potential for development of State-led facilities in tandem with the school building programme will be considered as part of the wider capital plans to develop State-led services.

This work also relates to the Programme for Government commitment to working with schools to host before and after-school care, and examine start-up supports for groups involved in after-school activities. Last year, the Department of Education published Procedures on the use of school property and school sports facilities outside of school hours. This document provides encouragement and guidance to schools to make available facilities for early learning and childcare and other community purposes when not required by the school.

Finally, the Programme for Government commits to reviewing the 2001 Childcare Facilities Guidelines for Planning Authorities to ensure childcare spaces are provided and put into use.

The Department is currently engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to examine and review the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings with a view to updating them. A Working Group is in place between these Departments, as well as the Department of Education and Youth, to progress this project.

An important step in preparation for revising the guidelines is to engage with Local Authorities with experience of applying the guidelines to understand their impact and issues arising. The findings of this process will inform the scale and content of revisions to the guidelines.

An inception meeting took place earlier last month involving members of the Working Group and officials from different local authorities who were nominated by the CCMA Planning and Land Use Committee. Further information about the application of the guidelines will now be sought to progress this work.