Childcare Services

85. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there will be a further roll-out of early learning and childcare facilities; and if she will ensure that a facility is located in County Laois, due to the rapid expansion of the population in the county. [76713/26]

On plans for the further roll-out of early learning and childcare facilities, will one be located in County Laois? I understand seven have been announced. The Minister of State might give an update on the seven that have been announced. What plans are there for another round?

Improving access to high-quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a priority for the Government. Overall, early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the annual early years sector profile in 2025 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by 25% over the previous three years. In Laois specifically, there was a 21% increase in enrolments in that period. Earlier this year, the Minister, Deputy Foley, announced €135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible, State-led early learning and childcare up to 2030. This is a groundbreaking initiative for the Government, which begins this year. Capital funding will be used to acquire or fit out the buildings, depending on requirements. On 30 September, the Minister announced the proposed locations for the first tranche of the new early learning and childcare facilities to be delivered under the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme. The Department has received project proposals from a number of sources since the programme was launched. These projects are in very different stages of development. Some relate to existing buildings that are ready to be occupied or fitted out, while others are longer term prospects for future years. Not all proposals align with the programme objectives. Some projects are proposed by an existing early learning and childcare service provider, while others relate to a building or property only and a separate process to identify an operator would be required. The Department has a long list of projects under consideration, which includes project proposals received through preliminary appraisal forms from city and county childcare committees. I am advised that no project has yet been brought forward from County Laois via the submission of a preliminary appraisal form. The Department is aware that while it does have a long list, it is not an exhaustive list of all projects that could form part of this programme of investment. That is why we continue to invite proposals for projects and seek potential projects for consideration.

I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge there has been some expansion of childcare facilities in the county but there has also been rapid population expansion from under 60,000 to almost 100,000. This is in the context of Department of local government plans for a further 33% increase in population over the next seven years, with an additional 11,200-plus new households. There is a critical shortage of childcare facilities in all parts of the county, including Portarlington, Graiguecullen, Rathdowney, Mountrath, Mountmellick and Portlaoise. I am regularly contacted by parents in those areas seeking to get their children into childcare. It is putting huge pressure, particularly, on single parents and couples who are balancing work and parenting and trying to pay mortgages and absolutely sky-high rents, which have gone up 12% in the last year. The provision of childcare is essential in the county. I welcome the Minister of State's reference to "State-led". She might outline what that means. Who will run that childcare centre? If the Government acquires the building, how is that going to be done?

The Government absolutely agrees that childcare is a priority. That is why we are investing to reduce the cost of childcare and to ensure the expansion of existing providers across the country. For example, on the expansions, we have the building blocks grant scheme, which will support expansion of capacity by existing providers. Under the 2024 strand of the scheme, one service from Laois was funded and is delivering 13 quality, affordable childcare places on top of what it was already doing. Under the current strand of the scheme, a separate construction project will be delivered in Laois. When complete, it will deliver 64 quality, affordable places. Those are examples of where we are investing in existing providers. The State-led scheme is a brand new scheme where we are looking at new community-led initiatives. Local city and county childcare committees are supporting the development of those projects. If the Deputy is aware of such a project in Laois, I highly recommend he encourage whoever he is working with to get in touch with the Laois childcare committee, which can help them with that form.

I thank the Minister of State. I take it that the local partnerships, for example, could be the body that would kick-start it at local level. In terms of infrastructure, the Government has to look at acquiring premises in the areas of most rapid population growth. I have mentioned some of the towns where there has been massive development in recent years with further development planned. People are moving into the area, buying affordable or private homes or moving into social housing or whatever. It is as critical for them to get their children into childcare as into primary school if there are two parents in the household and both of them are working, trying to pay the rent or mortgage. Is another round of funding due? Initially, there are seven, which I warmly welcome, but is another round of funding due? Could Laois be considered and looked at, given the rapid expansion of the population in the area?

The answer is “Yes”. The process for approving projects is ongoing. Much work has been carried out already but we are continuing with that work. This will be a rolling programme. We are continuing to look at applications and those pre-appraisal forms that come through the local childcare committee. That is the first point of contact. I will outline the process so that the Deputy and the partners with which he is working are aware of it. In the first instance, all projects below 300 sq. m are eliminated. The reason for that is the State-led capital programme aims to deliver services that will, on average, provide 100 early learning and childcare places. Therefore, they have to be over 300 sq. m. That is the first thing to bear in mind. Second, given the importance of delivery at the early stage of the project, we are looking at prioritising projects that can be developed rapidly. To that end, the unit selected projects where funding could be released this year to deliver some or all of the project, either through acquisition or fit-out costs, or both. First, it needs to be big enough. Second, it needs to be fast enough. The third element is the need for local demand, effectively, which the Deputy outlined is the case in Laois.