2026-06-23

3. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the roll-out of State-led childcare facilities; when the eight locations for this year will be chosen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47735/26]

I want to begin by wishing Deputy Ennis well. I look forward to working with him both in the House and on the committee. I congratulate him on his appointment. I want to ask the Minister about the eight locations that will be chosen this year for the State-led childcare facilities, which is something I very much welcome. I would really appreciate an update on where we are at and when we will see those locations announced, particularly as we come to the halfway point in the year.

I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this matter. She has advocated very strongly in respect of it. I can confirm that €135 million is being made available between 2026 and 2030 for the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme to facilitate the provision high-quality and accessible early learning and childcare. The process begins this year, with investment in buildings in what is a groundbreaking initiative for the Department of children. Capital funding will be used to acquire and-or fit out buildings depending on requirements. The Department will work with not-for-profit providers to design, open and operate services. These will be not-for-profit services. To assess potential sites, a forward planning model has been developed. The model seeks to identify the nature and volume of different types of early learning and childcare places across the country, and how that aligns with the number of children in the corresponding age cohorts at local level. An extensive data analysis exercise has been undertaken to map available publicly subsidised supply. As well as a forward planning model, a suite of appraisal criteria and tools is being developed in order to assess potential adjustment and alignment of projects with Department goals of promoting equality, inclusion, accessibility and affordability. The Department is assessing project options in order to identify which are best placed to deliver on the goals of the programme. Analysis of project options is advancing well. Project proposals can be brought to the attention of the Department through completion of a preliminary appraisal form, which is available from the city and county childcare committees. When a suitable project is brought to the Department, the forward planning and delivery unit develops a preliminary business case. The preliminary business case assesses the building and the location associated with the project against the programme's appraisal criteria, as well as analysing cost, value for money and the quality of the proposed building. The preliminary business case is considered by a capital steering group comprising senior Department officials and members from the Office of Public Works and the Department of Education and Youth. It can then be submitted for approval in principle. It is important to note that this is not a guarantee of funding for a project; it is, rather, another step along the way. Following approval in principle, a final business case is developed for the project which includes selection of an eligible operator, agreement of investment or purchasing a building, and detailed building design and costing work.

I welcome this, but we all know, and it is no secret to say, that eight locations will be announced this year to provide, I understand, about 800 places. We have to look at the level of need. We know there are between 40,000 and 50,000 children on waiting lists across the State. Ahead of the budget, I want to ask the Minister again about the next phase of building blocks, given the level of need and demand that exists. I met IBEC last week to discuss women in particular not being able to return to the workforce. They now see access to childcare as a major labour market issue. We have the impact, typically, on the mother but also on the family as a whole and the child. There there is the ability to work, pay tax, get out in the morning and have your child in a safe place where they are looked after and educated, in many cases for the entire day. I want to ask about building blocks and extending it to purchase existing buildings rather than just focusing on new builds, simply in view of the level of need.

I agree entirely in terms of what we are seeking to achieve in early years. It is equality of opportunity for children in the first instance. That is probably the most important element, but it is much more as well. It is also equality of opportunity for women in many respects in order to allow them, as the Deputy outlined, to go out and take up other opportunities should they choose to do so. I want to comment on where we are at currently. The final business case is considered by the capital steering group prior to being submitted for approval. Only once a final business case has been developed, which provides full details of a project, can final approval for funding be sought. To date, four projects have received approval in principle and are being developed. A further five projects are being prepared for submission for approval in principle. No final decisions have been made on the specific projects, but I look forward to sharing the details of the projects as they are agreed. Local city and county childcare committees are supporting the development of projects. In that context, community early learning and childcare operators, local authorities, developers and others who might have suitable premises or projects should contact their local committee. On building blocks, everything is being considered in the context of the budget. We will see how we go with that.

I know I am like a broken record, but it would be remiss of me not to mention Boyle in north Roscommon. The needs analysis, which was very well done, showed that the national benchmark is 20 childcare places per 75 households. In the town of Boyle and in the surrounding rural area, there are 20 childcare places per 1,043 households. There is a real need in Boyle, and that has been proven through the needs analysis I shared with the Minister and the forward planning unit, which very kindly gave us an extremely helpful briefing this morning on the model. A former childcare facility on the outskirts of Boyle has become available again. It was available and then it was not. It is now available again. The childcare committee has passed on the information in that regard. We have a unique opportunity now. It is a purpose-built facility and is ready to go. That is a project that really needs to be looked at in terms of the eight overall projects. Again, I would love to see building blocks extended. We have so many empty buildings in the State. Let us use them for childcare and for communities.

I acknowledge the Deputy's advocacy on an ongoing basis. I get that from Deputy Martin Daly, from councillors and from everybody across the system. They are very well situated to advocate. I get it from my Fine Gael colleagues as well. We are very conscious of the fact that State-led is one element while Building Blocks is another. If we can pour more into both or, indeed, other initiatives, we are happy to do so. It is a significant step forward in terms of State-led. We have never done this before and we are able to stand up eight this year. The Deputy specifically referenced buildings being made available. That is the purpose of State-led at this point, in that where buildings are readily available, we can access them quite quickly and move on to finding not-for-profit providers. Be assured that everything is in the mix for this forthcoming budget and we consider everything, including Building Blocks. We have had a scheme this year and in the previous year.