Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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170. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to consider Dublin 15 in the first round of projects under the State-led childcare programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29075/26]

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.

€135 million of capital investment will be available over the coming five years for State-led services to provide high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare. The process will begin in 2026 with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative.

The Department is now assessing project options in order to identify which are best placed to deliver on the goals of the programme. Up to eight capital projects will be selected under the programme in 2026. No final decisions have yet been made on the specific projects but I look forward to sharing details of projects as they are agreed.

A forward planning model has been developed by officials in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to better understand the nature of supply/demand misalignment and to inform decision making about capital investment. Analysis is ongoing of the data in this model in order to identify areas of greatest undersupply.

The forward planning model maps publicly-subsidised provision by service type and age group of children against the numbers of children in the corresponding age bracket in the local area and allows for granular and specific analysis to be undertaken.

As well as the forward planning model, a suite of appraisal criteria and tools have been developed in order to assess the potential alignment of projects with Departmental goals of promoting quality, inclusion, accessibility and affordability.

Local City and County Childcare Committees will be supporting the development of projects in the State-led early learning and childcare programme, so in the first instance, community early learning and childcare operators, local authorities, developers, or others who might have a suitable premises or project, including in Dublin 15, should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee. Contact details for City/County Childcare Committees can be found here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees/

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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171. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the procedures in place within her Department that ensures that significant population growth in an area is matched with additional childcare capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27969/26]

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to expand affordable childcare places in rural communities in Mayo where demand exceeds supply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29060/26]

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.

A forward planning model has been developed by officials in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to better understand the interaction of early learning and childcare supply and demand at local area level and to inform decision making about capital investment.

Work is continuing on the next stages of development of the forward planning model, which will incorporate future demographic trends and new housing developments, among other features.

Estimates of current and future unmet early learning and childcare need can vary significantly depending on assumptions made regarding target or required participation levels and the population projection source and scenario applied.

Aggregated childcare demand and capacity data, including data on enrolments, vacancies and waiting lists, is available on the Pobal website. Data on population and on expected future trends in population is available from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the ESRI.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is supporting the development of early learning and childcare capacity through a range of funding schemes, including Core Funding which was introduced in 2022 and has supported the expansion of capacity in the sector by 25% over three years.

Capital funding is also supporting expansion of capacity through both the Building Blocks Extension Grant Schemes and the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme.

A new Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme has just been launched which will make available €10 million to support existing operators to expand their provision. The State-led early learning and childcare capital programme will invest €135 million in buildings in the coming five years to support the expansion of provision.

Local City and County Childcare Committees are supporting projects for the Building Blocks scheme and for the State-led early learning and childcare programme.