Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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1486. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will address the inconsistent staffing ratio requirements for childcare facilities that are subject to the time of day. [58196/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In setting regulatory requirements for early learning and care and school-age childcare services, the primary consideration must be children’s health, safety and well-being.

The minimum adult-to-child ratios for pre-school services are set out in Schedule 6 of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. The ratios set the maximum number of children allowed per staff member working directly with the children, and services can choose to have fewer children per staff member if they wish.

The minimum required ratios of adults to children in pre-school services for full-day care or part-time provision are: 1:3 for children under 1 year old; 1:5 for children aged between 1 and 2 years old; 1:6 for 2 year olds; and 1:8 for pre-school children aged between 3 and 6.

For children in sessional (less than 3.5 hours) pre-school provision who are aged between 2 years 6 months and 6 years old, there is a minimum adult-child ratio of 1:11. This sessional minimum ratio of 1:11 applies to children participating in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, for which the eligible age group is children between 2 year 8 months and 5 year 6 months.

The difference in the minimum ratios for sessional and full-day care reflects the greater care needs for full-day provision for this age-group, including time for rest and meals.

The minimum adult-child ratios in Ireland are broadly similarly to minimum ratios in other European countries according to the most recent (2025) edition of the Eurydice / European Commission report on 'Key Data on Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe'.

There are no plans at present to revise the minimum adult-to-child ratios for pre-school services.