John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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2381. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions she will take to reduce increasing insurance costs for childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42124/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Aged Childcare (SAC) services are required to have insurance as part of their registration with Tulsa, the independent regulator of the sector.

Insurance reform is a priority for this Government. The Action Plan for Insurance Reform, which was launched on 8 December 2020, has already resulted in reductions in car and house insurance costs.

With regard to insurance costs for childcare providers, I understand average premia are €60 per child per annum for full-time childcare, with premia keeping pace with the general rate of inflation.

While ELC and SAC providers are private businesses, my Department does provide funding to providers under a number of programmes to provide fully or partly subsidised childcare services to families. The Core Funding base rate factors in some key conditions to ensure services’ viability including non-pay costs such as utilities needed to run the service. Services have flexibility in how they spend their grant, provided it aligns with the approved areas of expenditure outlined in the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement (the Core Funding Contract).

Core Funding has seen consistent increased State investment to the sector year on year, and is set in year 4 to be worth over €390 million contingent on the establishment of new minimum rates of pay in the sector through updated Employment Regulation Orders. This is an increase of over 50% since the scheme began in September 2022 with an allocation of €259 million.