Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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142. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and care facilities built as part of large developments that are not utilised for that purpose in Dublin city; if this is information which her Department holds, whether she intends that the new forward planning and delivery unit will gather this information given its vital nature in determining area-based childcare demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29051/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The data on the number of early learning and care facilities built as part of large developments in a given area is maintained by local authorities, including Dublin City Council in this case.

I understand, further to engagement by officials in the Department with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and officials in planning departments across a number of local authorities, that this data is not easily searchable to give answers to the type of question you ask, given the nature of the way planning applications, permissions and conditions operate. Officials have been advised that a full audit of facilities granted planning permission would be highly resource intensive for planning authorities to undertake, at a time when there are substantial other demands on these resources.

The Forward Planning and Delivery Unit does have a remit to undertake analysis of the existing level of early learning and childcare supply, whether delivered through buildings developed on foot of 2001 planning guidelines or otherwise. This has been mapped on a national basis at geocode level along with data on child population by age based on child benefit data.

This mapping work allows for modelling of travel patterns from children's home locations to early learning and childcare services and for population projections to be undertaken to estimate future demand based on a number of assumptions, including in relation to future child population patterns.

The Programme for Government also commits to reviewing the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Childcare Facilities. While the Guidelines have contributed to the creation of supply in residential developments, the Department is aware of various challenges in implementing the guidelines and that there are instances where the building provided has not been put to use for its intended purpose, and in some instances remains vacant.

The 2024 Planning and Development Act, the new National Planning Framework and the ongoing work in the Department on Shaping the Future, the Phase 2 Action Plan for the development of the early learning and childcare sector all provide important context for considering what any future policy should reflect in this respect.

I can also advise that the Department of Children, Equality and Disability has been notified by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage that it is to be included as a prescribed body in relation to planning applications which may be expected to generate significant additional demand for early learning and childcare.