Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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545. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the progress being made in relation to reviewing the 2001 planning guidelines for childcare facilities; if an audit of facilities granted planning permission to date would provide important insights into their effectiveness as part of this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53866/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings were issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

The Guidelines are intended to ensure a consistent approach to the treatment of planning applications in respect to the land use planning aspects of early learning and childcare provision.

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

The 2024 Planning and Development Act and the publication of the National Planning Framework now provide a strong basis from which to pursue this work.

An Early Learning and Childcare Planning Matters Working Group, with officials from this Department; the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage; and the Department of Education and Youth, was established in 2024 and has met on a number of occasions in 2024 and 2025.

Meetings have been held since summer 2025 with members of the working group with officials from different local authorities who were nominated by the City and County Managers Association Planning and Land Use Committee. My officials have been advised that a full audit of facilities granted planning permission would be highly resource intensive at a time when there are substantial other demands on these resources. Other routes to build out the picture of how the 2001 guidelines have been implemented are now being pursued.

The engagement with planners has been effective in identifying a number of important considerations for the review and is now informing a wider engagement with a wider group of planners. These issues include ensuring that buildings developed on foot of the guidelines meet the needs of the local population and are fit for purpose; and balancing the need to ensure sufficient provision for children and families, regardless of the size or housing type of the development, with ensuring that buildings are effectively operated as intended.

In parallel, planning is underway to capture the views of other stakeholders who will have an interest in the revised guidelines.

I have engaged with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to discuss how best to support and inform the drafting of revised guidelines under the new Planning and Development Act.

The approach more widely to ensuring appropriate levels of early learning and childcare supply is core to the work of my Department and will be further articulated in the context of the Action Plan to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare system that Government has committed to publishing.