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Having limited access to childcare options is inhibiting predominantly women from returning to the workplace and their absence is a loss to the economy. The one thing they need for return to the workplace is simply not available to them. Childcare needs vary from family to family … Government needs to be dynamic and urgently support the delivery of more childcare options, especially in areas like my own constituency of Dublin Fingal West, which is one of the youngest areas in the country and is rapidly growing. Supporting the childcare sector to plan and project numbers

number of issues where, primarily, women are impacted by Government policy. I will start almost where the Minister started, that is, on affordable childcare. No matter how many times the Government says childcare costs have been cut by 50%, it does not make it true. A survey last … year put monthly childcare in various counties at over €600, €800 and €1,100. In the context of the fee assessment for those receiving core funding, we know the majority of those which look to raise their fees will be allowed to do so. This will mean additional

issues that came up during the local and general elections, as I am sure was the case for every TD here, was childcare. Families are struggling not just to afford childcare but to access it. We hear stories of women having to place their children on waiting lists … just the way it is. Aside from this, many women continue to perform disproportionate duties, particularly when it comes to their family and childcare responsibilities. I hear time and time again of situations where there are two working parents but the woman is often carrying an extra mental

Government statements on childcare bear little resemblance to reality. Despite claims that costs have been reduced by upwards of 50%, survey data last year illustrated that parents in some counties are still paying upwards of €1,100 per month. Despite Fine Gael having campaigned on introducing a public … model of childcare, in the programme for Government it is silent. Allusions to reducing childcare costs to €200 per month by some unstated and unknown date are without any meaning or worth. For many families, childcare remains akin to a second mortgage at a time when many

school environment and, of course, on family life. Women and mothers, in the main, bear the brunt of the lack of childcare that we have in our country. I am glad to see the Minister is in the Department of children now but we have a huge amount … survey we conducted last year and the year before, 40% of parents were waiting 18 months plus to try to get a childcare place. What impact does that have on women's working lives, on families' lives and on their ability to earn and pay their bills

driver of our economic success, yet the one thing many women need to return to the workplace is simply not available to them. Childcare is not a luxury, a perk or about letting women return to the workplace. It is much more important to the Irish economy than … that. Childcare is essential infrastructure that is the key to unlocking Ireland's best resource, namely, our educated women and men. Balancing motherhood and a professional career is one of the greatest challenges women face. Like so many mothers, I was one of the women whose careers suffered

thank Deputy Boland for raising this matter. The Government is fully committed to delivering high quality, affordable and accessible childcare for all families. It is interesting to point out that investment in early learning and care in school-age childcare has quadrupled in the past decade, increasing from … right up to 2023 and 2024. In 2025, the Government will allocate approximately €1.37 billion for early learning and care and school-aged childcare. That is a €261 million, or 24%, increase on last year's funding. This will support the universal ECCE programme, benefiting more than

would like to ask about a slightly different matter, namely, childcare provision. There are huge difficulties in the area, as the Taoiseach knows, and services are struggling with staff attrition, burn-out, compliance and regulations, while dealing with the impact of the many pay freezes and the introduction … childcare programme that may reduce their capacity to serve children in the long run. Services are at risk of losing their reputations. They are cutting costs and staff and I often find when I deal with childcare services that they are afraid it is to the detriment

know the cost of childcare is still very high for many, but I also meet many people who acknowledge the reduction that has happened in childcare fees under the last Government, a reduction that we want to continue to deliver in the time ahead. However

social democracy. It is a country that we speak about very regularly in the context of things like the Swedish model of childcare and how women can go out to work because of the childcare model. It has an advanced social security system that looks after all sections

been achieved through a number of comprehensive measures, led by Government, including improving leave entitlements for parents, as well as investing in affordable childcare. Collectively, these measures have ensured that the Irish workplace is becoming a fairer environment for women, allowing them the opportunity to pursue the kinds … children under 12 years of age. A right to request flexible working arrangements has been introduced and significant reforms are ongoing to improve childcare affordability for parents. These supports are essential for women with children, especially those whose children have additional needs. I will be furthering this work

found that women make up about 61% of unpaid carers and 90% of those caring full time at home. This extends beyond childcare to include elderly care, supporting disabled family members and emotional labour. Many women struggle to balance work and medical appointments with the lack of home … help and public transport creating further barriers to accessing care. Achieving true gender equality requires valuing and redistributing care work by improving childcare, expanding paid family leave and encouraging men to take on caring roles. I am acutely aware that I speak as a male politician

homes have now been passed and can avail of the high-quality connectivity offered by this plan; — free schoolbooks Scheme; and — early years childcare cost assistance to our families; — all five budgets under the previous Government term successfully balanced the dual challenge of remaining responsive to economic … national broadband plan such that over 330,000 homes have now been passed by fibre; the free schoolbook scheme; and the early years childcare cost assistance to our families. There are also many more areas where there have been interventions, investment and support, and improvement in public services

fleeced every day. Banks are posting €5 billion profits from squeezing homeowners and short-changing savers. We have double-digit rent increases, crippling childcare costs and four consecutive months of petrol and diesel increases. Next Tuesday, eight different providers will raise their charges. Insurance and energy bills

entitled to that pension are caused real and significant financial problems, whether that be with regard to housing costs, the cost of childcare, or even a parent having to give up their job. I urge the Government to examine the possibility of some sort of mechanism

cancer diagnosis turns people's lives upside down. Their daily routines change completely. They cannot work and they still have bills, childcare and mortgages to pay. The least we can do in this State is ensure that anyone diagnosed with cancer receives a medical card. On behalf

largest secondary schools in County Waterford has been closed on several occasions because of water outages. These outages are also impacting childcare facilities. A delegation from Lismore has requested meetings with Uisce Éireann. Is the Minister willing to meet with a delegation of townspeople from Lismore to discuss

ends meet. People face extortionate bills and prices right across the board and for many, it is never-ending. It is runaway rents, childcare fees that equate to the cost of a second mortgage, the cost of the weekly shop and insurance costs, but perhaps where households have

workplace inequality. Women in Ireland still earn less than men on average, with a gender pay gap of approximately 12%. Childcare costs and work-life balance make it more difficult for women to return to work. Of course, women take a disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic

breakdown. If we crosscheck that with Accord research, the primary reasons are responsibility for household tasks and the division of that, responsibility for childcare and financial reasons. For all of those reasons, and how they are apportioned out, we should all be feminists. If we do that

progression in the workplace, including through legislation to support flexible working arrangements. The Government has also made a substantial investment in subsidised childcare and will work over the coming years to further reduce the cost for working families. Members will be aware of the Government's commitment

Supporting working families is essential. The cost of living is putting people under pressure and we must ease that burden, whether through lower childcare costs, better healthcare access or tax relief for those who work hard. Safer communities must be a priority. Crime and anti-social behaviour

Government is putting it in is that it is not opening the other schools that should be opened. We are talking about 66 childcare places going nowhere else. That is going to cost the State a fortune down the line to try to find alternatives. We need

what we have is a system where we pay our taxes and, in return, receive quality public services such as housing, healthcare, education, childcare and disability services, all of which create a floor in society below which we cannot fall. It provides confidence in the public that their

brón orm, I will have to revert. I ask the Government to please consider introducing even basic Gaeilge to the proposed State-funded childcare facilities. Táim ag caint faoi fhocail shimplí cosúil le "Tóg amach do bhosca lóin", "bróga" nó "Seo é cathaoir" because I think it would

Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she is aware of a case (details supplied) in which a family have had their subsidised childcare hours slashed from 45 to 31 due to underattendance caused by frequent illness of the child; and if she will instruct her Department … look into this issue and ensure the family has appropriate childcare. [14328/25

Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if flexibility can be applied to parents claiming the national childcare scheme but wish to pick children up early from childcare on a regular basis and are suffering a loss due to this

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage of community childcare services as a proportion of the total number of childcare services in each local authority area, in tabular form. [13452/25

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the percentage of full day care community childcare services as a proportion of the total number of full day care childcare services in each local authority area, in tabular form. [13453/25

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports available to childcare providers looking to open new childcare premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13060/25

Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide details of how she will progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month through the national childcare scheme (NCS), as promised in the Programme for Government, and also provide a timeframe; provide core

Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the intended withdrawal of a childcare facility from the core funding agreement (details supplied); the actions being taken by the Department to ensure this can be avoided given the number … children and families relying on the service and given the commitments to lessen the financial burden of childcare on parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11557/25

Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures that will be taken to progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child through the national childcare scheme and explore options to cap costs for larger families, as per the Programme

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that should be taken by a parent in Dublin south west when no childcare places are available for children under two years-of-age; how she intends to increase the number of affordable childcare places in the constituency

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current uptake on the ECCE scheme; the number of childcare providers involved in the scheme; to provide a breakdown of these by location; what plans she has to reform or amend the scheme

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports available to children with additional needs in childcare settings where the child is too young to enrol in ECCE and cannot access AIM support; and if she will make a statement

Broin asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of an issue presenting for a primary school and an early learning and childcare facility (details supplied); if her Department has engaged with the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14067/25

burden the regulatory notice for school age services, issued on the 7 February 2025, places on service providers, especially school based school-aged childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13396/25

attend at all without an early learning and care registration and a 1:8 ratio; if she will consider dropping the school-aged childcare (SAC services) ratio to 1:8 for children under 6 years-of-age, permitting children who have completed their ECCE programme to move

asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will permit the extension of a sponsored claim through the national childcare scheme for two children (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13526/25

Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice if he will introduce a payment for loss of earnings, childcare and others costs for those undertaking jury service, due to the impact on jurors of the failure to cover the costs incurred by jury service, given the highlighted impacts

Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration has been given to exempting community facilities, childcare facilities and social enterprise facilities from paying rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13236/25

Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the efforts being undertaken to progressively reduce childcare costs, including plans to review core funding to establish a forward planning and delivery unit within her Department; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her plans to encourage more childcare providers to engage with CORE funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13062/25

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childcare providers that removed themselves from CORE funding in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13063/25

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her plans to improve access to childcare in Dublin Fingal west; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13086/25

Boland asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made to develop a public model of childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13087/25

albeit with no timescale, represents a departure from existing policy and does envisage the implementation of a policy that would extend the national childcare scheme to childminders working in the family home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10571/25

James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps she is taking to address issues with the national childcare scheme, as raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10829/25

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to expedite community-based childcare in the Lucan and Adamstown and Clonburris areas, to supplement existing businesses, given the significant shortage of places; and if she will make a statement