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wish to talk to the Minister of State about the absence of childcare provision in Dublin Central. I use the example of Dublin Central because it is the area I am proud to represent, but I could be talking about any community to be found the length … breadth of Ireland. Childcare provision and access to childcare, where it exists, is simply too difficult. The Government made a commitment before the election, promising to progressively reduce childcare costs to €200 monthly under the national childcare scheme. In reality, parents in Dublin Central are still facing

opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister. Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and care and school-age childcare is a key priority for the Government. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. An annual sector profile demonstrates an 8% increase in enrolments between … place hours increased by almost 8%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net increase in the numbers of registered early learning and childcare services in 2024. However, it appears that demand for early learning and care and school-age childcare remains higher than available supply, particularly

Thanks very much, Deputy. I am aware the childcare search on the Hive website does not currently contain fees listed for services for the programme year 2021 to 2022. The portal was originally designed to contain information for the current programme year only. In addition to service … week and the number of weeks operating per year; whether the service offers the early childhood care and education programme or the national childcare scheme; and whether it is taking part in the core funding scheme. The portal was recently upgraded to provide fee lists for the previous

Deputy is correct. The Government has made a significant commitment to improve accessibility, availability, affordability and the quality of early learning and childcare provision. Investment in early learning and childcare is now at an unprecedented level with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025, clearly demonstrating the Government … this area. The programme for Government provides the impetus to go much further and to deliver much more high-quality early learning and childcare places at a cost that is affordable to families. I am committed to establishing a €200 per child per month cap on early learning

Investment in early learning and childcare is now at an unprecedented level, with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025 clearly demonstrating the Government’s commitment in this area. As well as addressing affordability, this investment has served to improve accessibility, availability and the quality of provision … programme for Government provides the impetus to go further and to deliver more high-quality early learning and childcare places at a cost that is affordable to families. It will build on the considerable work done to date, including the early childhood care and education programme, which provides

week per child have clearly not been sustainable. I do not doubt the level of money that is being pumped into the childcare sector, but the outcomes are still the same. We have a crisis, and a crisis requires innovation in terms of how we respond. The páistecare … sites available is something we need if we are to make sure there is proper capital investment and identify locations in which childcare facilities can emerge where there were none previously. We must make childcare core infrastructure as part of every new development. There are 600-unit developments

Does the Minister envisage investing more in the national childcare scheme to bring down the costs directly for parents? This is what Sinn Féin had proposed with our €10 per day plan, which is around €200 per month. This is using what is there with the current mechanism … quickest way to bring down the costs of childcare. While the Government repeatedly tells us that the costs of childcare have halved there are families still paying well over €1,000 a month for childcare. Parents are really struggling to cover the costs. Accessibility was mentioned. Of course

While I welcome the Pobal scheme, 78 applications is not a lot and 78 additional childcare facilities, or not even childcare facilities, is not sufficient for the demand we have in Ireland and it will certainly not do anything to meet the demands of the people in Dublin … Fingal West. Will the Minister look seriously for more funding to support childcare providers in areas of high demand? As I said, I cannot understate the demand in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk. It is one of the youngest constituencies in Ireland - Balbriggan is the youngest large town

Government put on paper its commitment to progressively reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per month through the national childcare scheme. As the Tánaiste knows, young families are desperately struggling to get a place, and if they do they face crippling costs. Our childcare and early years … parity with their colleagues in education for early years workers. The Tánaiste is on the record as saying that the model of childcare and early childhood education in Ireland need to be in the public space. Given that public commitment to the sector, the crucial importance

What impact does the Minister foresee if her Department is prevented from passing on the pay increase to childcare staff? I know the money is ring-fenced but if the Minister is not in a position to do it, what impact would that have? More importantly, would … have on future budgets? To ensure every child has the best possible start in life, we must guarantee the availability of affordable, accessible childcare to all families. I hear this week in, week out. I welcome the Minister's earlier comment that the ambition is to have

also ensuring full participation in the labour market for men and women, that they do not have to worry about the cost of childcare. One of the hallmarks of how core funding has been improved in the previous four years - which has been very positive … between the Department, parents and providers and that parents who have rightly seen the great progress being made in reducing the cost of childcare are not necessarily left with a provider that will exit the core funding scheme. It is not necessarily that the provider would close

very proud TD for Dublin Fingal West, one of the youngest constituencies in the country, I cannot understate the demand for childcare. As a mum of eight-year-old twins who has never been able to access childcare, the delivery of additional childcare places is an absolutely priority … this Government. The Minister might give us an update as to the uptake of the Pobal building blocks scheme to deliver more childcare places

take up the €25 million, I ask the Minister to urgently reopen the scheme. Seven weeks was not a very long window for childcare providers to make applications to the scheme, so I would very much like her to look at reopening it if the money … additional funding. We really need to prioritise areas like mine - Skerries, Balbriggan, Rush and Lusk - and do everything we can to provide more childcare facilities in these areas. We are not just doing families, women and parents a disservice; it is also a loss to the Irish economy

Early learning and childcare is an area that has seen rapid and significant developments and has had a substantial increase in investment in recent years. In particular, we have made good progress in affordability for parents, pay for staff and the inclusion of children with disabilities. However … further in the coming years. We need to support parents and educators and make provision right across the early learning and childcare sector, with a focus always on ensuring there is a positive experience for children. The national childcare scheme has increased subsidy rates paid to families, which

frequently asked her and the previous Minister about this in parliamentary questions and parents have been told to go to their local childcare committees for historic fees, go to the national childcare website or contact the NCS directly for the fees. Parents have already gone down those three … term would be gratefully appreciated. There is no opportunity for somebody who had a child in preschool in 2021 to understand whether that childcare facility is now charging more or charging less. There is nothing to base

three in a constituency that has one of the fastest growing communities in the country, childcare and the services that underpin our childcare system are crucial to many of the working families. My question for the Minister is regarding the planned review of core funding, the timeframe … process that will underpin it and give certainty to a number of providers who at this stage are starting to leave the childcare system because of the financial pressure they are under

proposal on the €200 per month, we looked at using the national childcare scheme and expanding it to childminders. That would really assist in building capacity in the sector because for many parents, the choice is no longer there. If they want to get the subsidy and need … help in affording childcare, they have to look to the formal setting whereas in rural areas in particular, a local childminder might actually suit people, especially those doing shift work. We should look to expand the NCS to childminders. It would give greater choice to parents and would

assure the Deputy that childcare and early learning is an absolute priority of this Government. The building blocks extension grant scheme is an important part of that. I appreciate that €25 million is €25 million, but the 78 applications were just the applications. There was no impediment … place that are empty and were designated when they were being built to support housing developments and are not being used as childcare facilities. There is an issue with that. It is working beautifully in some parts of the country but I am well aware where

heard earlier that 30% of childcare managers are struggling to find new staff. Would she consider adding childcare to the critical skills list, which would make it easier for that sector to attract skilled and qualified personnel, especially, of course, from countries outside the European Economic Area such … Government is not an employer, it is the policymaker in this area. Would we consider a long-term sustainable career path for childcare staff with market-rate pay as a policy, some sort of a pay scale and ongoing training and career development in particular? That is quite

election period is that while all parties had different areas of focus, they all said that something significant needs to happen on childcare. I take the point, and while it is not for me to tell committees how to do their work, but as they are established … focus on how we can advance a proper fit-for-purpose childcare system is crucial. I am proud of the some of the work we have done on reducing the cost of childcare. I know it can still be too high but not being able

housing first culture in terms of how we implement the national planning framework and how we deal with issues such as childcare. During questions to the Minister for children last night, a number of Deputies discussed the need to ensure that where provision is being made in developments … provision of childcare facilities, that these facilities are actually delivered. We know there is a patchy record in that regard across the country. This also applies in the context of matters such as Garda stations and Garda numbers. I encourage the Department and the local authorities to engage

Wall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the national childcare website does not list fees for childcare providers for the year 2021; if her Department will rectify this as matter of urgency

Minister aware the national childcare website does not list fees for childcare providers for the year 2021, the key year against which fees are benchmarked for core funding? Will the Department rectify this as a matter of urgency? The Labour Party has submitted at least four parliamentary questions

made available to him. That is the situation as it stands. Enormous money has gone into the whole issue of childcare. Of that, there is no doubt. Just short of €1 billion has gone into core funding and there has been significant improvement. It is important that parents … have access to information on what the fees were in 2021 to 2022. As I said, that will be available through the childcare committee

because it is a brand new website and, as the Minister said, it has been designed for the current 2023-24 price for childcare. Do we have the figures for the childcare facilities of 2021? Once the website is fixed, will the figures be available

Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her Department has assessed the current availability and capacity of childcare services in the East Wall and Sheriff Street areas of Dublin, in light of the imminent completion of approximately 600 new residential units; whether … there are plans to establish new childcare facilities or expand existing ones to accommodate the expected increase in demand; the measures being implemented to ensure that affordable and accessible childcare options are available to families in these communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her plans to deal with the critical shortage of affordable childcare services in Carlow and Kilkenny which is placing a huge financial pressure on working families; her further plans to develop a publicly-funded, community … based early years education and childcare model; the number of childcare places available in both counties; the number on waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18278/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her plans to deal the lack of childcare spaces in Dublin Bay north; to provide the number of childcare facilities in Dublin Bay north; the projected need for childcare spaces from

Wall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the national childcare website does not list fees for childcare providers for the year 2021; if her Department will rectify this as matter of urgency

Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update regarding the way in which she has initiated the lowering of the cost of childcare in the State since she took office as Minister; and the steps she has taken for broader reform of the childcare model. [21093/25

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she is aware of the shortage of childcare services in the wider Glanmire area; her plans to help increase capacity in same, to ensure that families have access to affordable childcare

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current capacity of childcare services in Kildare north; her plans to increase the number of childcare facilities in Kildare north; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20976/25

Youth for an update on progress to date on the provision of capital investment for the construction or purchase of State-owned childcare facilities; whether strategic investment in childcare facilities will be sufficiently expanded under the revised National Development Plan; and if she will make a statement

Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline the steps being taken to entice childcare providers who have exited core funding back into core funding, thereby ensuring the fee cap is maintained for the benefit of all parents … will provide a forum for engagement with childcare providers who have exited core funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20999/25

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the expected timeline for reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child through the national childcare scheme, as outlined in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in the context of plans to lower the cost of childcare to €200 per month over the lifetime of the Government, if she will outline what supports are available in the short term to childcare

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if her Department will examine issues related to the lack of flexibility in the national childcare scheme, particularly in cases where parents such as teachers are charged additional fees for childcare services they do not use or require

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the Programme for Government commitment 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. [21197/25

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her plans to progress the Programme for Government commitment 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. [17997/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Finance his views on the operation of the accelerated capital allowance for childcare services; if he will provide a breakdown of the total number of claims made under the scheme for each year 2017-2024; if there are any plans … review the scheme to ensure it is achieving the aim of assisting employers in providing childcare services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16253/25

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Finance his views on the operation of the accelerated capital allowance for childcare services; if this is achieving the aim of assisting employers in providing childcare services; if not, if other steps could be taken by his Department

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the schedule of fees for all childcare providers operating ten or more childcare facilities and availing of Core Funding in the years 2021 to 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth regarding a childcare centre (details supplied), the reason only six days’ notice was given to notify the service of the decision to remove food provision at this facility; if the core funding … adjusted to facilitate food services; what supports are available to childcare facilities facing financial difficulty under the core funding model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15432/25

action that has been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to 'progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child through the National Childcare Scheme'; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15788/25

been undertaken in furtherance of the stated commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce an ‘earn and learn’ apprenticeship model enabling childcare staff to gain qualifications and advance their careers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21337/25

Youth her views on the €45 million allocated under budget 2025 to support further increases to the minimum rates of pay in the childcare sector. [20553/25

Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeframe in which she intends to reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21004/25

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the number of access and inclusion model childcare places provided since 2020, by county, in tabular form; the actions she is taking to increase places; and if she will make a statement

Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps being taken to develop a career path in the childcare sector in view of the staff turnover rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20433/25

Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures being taken to ensure childcare facilities delivered through housing developments made operational and accessible to providers at viable rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20771/25