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Parents should not have to choose between collecting their children early and keeping their childcare subsidies, yet parents contacting me have described that dilemma, paying for a childcare place then facing higher bills because they can spend more time with their children. The national childcare scheme is essential … welcome the improvements in affordability in budget 2027 but the rules must reflect family life. Parents often have to sign up to fixed childcare hours. Many will pay until 6 p.m. because that is what the service offers or because their working arrangements require that flexibility. Collecting children

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I want to begin by welcoming the announcement of the first State-led early learning and childcare capital projects, including the proposed new facility in Raphoe Community Playgroup in my constituency of Donegal. It is an area I campaigned on for quite … presence of defective concrete blocks back in June 2024. What this does is demonstrate that the State recognises that, where a community childcare facility cannot have a sustainable future in its existing building, there needs to be a pathway for a new facility. That goes to the core

Issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley. At the outset, I welcome the Deputy's welcome in regard to the community childcare facilities. I congratulate his constituents in Raphoe Community Playgroup. I hope this marks progress for them. In relation to Ardara Community Childcare, I understand … access to early years and early childhood care and education, ECCE, all the way to afterschool benefit from this community service. Ultimately, community childcare services are vital supports for children and families, particularly in rural areas where childcare options can be limited. They provide not only early learning

Government think people who cannot afford to pay their energy bills are not working hard? Does it think that parents struggling with childcare costs, grocery bills, rent, mortgages and transport costs are not working hard? These are the people who needed to see real change in this budget … another budget and another opportunity missed. In the lead-up to the budget we heard big promises from the Government, particularly about childcare. The Tánaiste told us childcare was a priority for him in this budget, but what was announced yesterday falls far short of the huge change

from chief executives of local authorities and county councillors but no answer to this issue was provided in yesterday's budget. Affordable childcare means very little if parents cannot find a place for their child. Across the country, families are struggling to access childcare, as providers themselves face … staff leaving the sector and services closing their doors. Yet, this budget fails to provide a clear pathway to recruit and retain the childcare professionals on whom the entire sector depends. The Government continues to talk about reducing costs for parents but affordability and availability have

manage expectations and give cover for providing an increase of only €10. Help is on the way, just not now. For reduced childcare costs, people will have to wait almost another year. None of this is the hallmark of a Government that has a coherent plan. The only … groundbreaking? A payment that meets just 3% of the additional costs of having a disability. This is not just grossly inadequate, but insulting. Childcare is not only a huge cost for families, but also a huge stress. There is the stress of trying to find a place

those foster carers, and we know how important they are and the care they give right throughout the country at the moment. Childcare, as the Minister knows, is a huge issue for many families in our area. Places like Newbridge and Kilcullen have become childcare deserts because … lack of available spaces. County Kildare has the lowest level of community childcare provision in the State, with just eight providers. This is why I continue to call for the towns of Newbridge and Kilcullen to be prioritised as part of the new childcare pilot scheme that

these people need is €5 per week. I will remind the Tánaiste who we are talking about in this regard. It is the childcare workers, special needs assistants, people working in the retail sector and those who do Trojan work for us in the health, education and public … what happened to all of the election promises of both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. All their talk about cutting the cost of childcare and third level fees as well as supporting people through an energy crisis has disappeared like snow off a ditch and been replaced with

wife and I recently went through the rigmarole of trying to secure a childcare place for our youngest son. It was an absolute nightmare. Thankfully, we are sorted now, 18 months later. Putting myself in the shoes of a parent with a child in a childcare facility that … been able to get a place, I would have been seething listening to yesterday’s budget announcements. The €200 reduction in childcare fees will no doubt be welcomed by parents whose children are in facilities that are in core funding, but those whose children are not have been

creche, knowing their child is inside and wanting to collect their child but wondering if they can afford to do so. National childcare scheme subsidies should reflect the childcare parents have to pay for. When parents can spend more time with their children, the system should support that … enforce them, explain them to parents and deal with the consequences when the subsidies are reduced. They are trying to run a childcare service, support families and retain staff while navigating a complex system of administration and compliance. Under the NCS, providers must monitor and record attendance, manage

does an awful lot of work in this area. I apologise the Minister is not here to reply to her directly. The national childcare scheme provides financial support to help families with their early learning and childcare costs. The families of almost 247,000 children availed … subsidies in 2025 to help offset the costs of early learning and childcare. Up to 277,000 children are expected to avail of the scheme this year. The NCS is designed to be flexible, recognising early learning and childcare needs are different for each family. Under the scheme

sure the Deputy is aware, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality does not directly operate or manage early learning and care or childcare services. The Deputy knows from the owner that this service is operated privately. I understand that it is located on school grounds … that Department published procedures on the use of school property and school sports facilities outside of school hours. Notwithstanding the above, Mayo county childcare committee has made contact with the provider - it is good to hear that the Deputy is in contact with Mayo county childcare committee

services and the expansion of practical assistance such as vehicle adaptation and a significant expansion in special education. The simulating welfare, income tax, childcare and health policies, SWITCH, analysis of social protection changes confirms that they will reduce the numbers at risk of poverty and contribute … biggest costs faced by working families in particular. This year, more than 277,000 children are benefiting from the national childcare scheme because of our sustained commitment to developing the sector and reducing costs for families. Next year, we will again cut the cost of childcare. It will

success. That success must be measured differently - in the homes that are built, in hospital waiting lists that are reduced, in childcare places created, in infrastructure delivered and, ultimately, in whether people at home can see and feel a difference in their daily lives. That is the true … reduce child poverty is a key priority for the Government. This budget takes decisive steps to move us farther along that path. Reducing childcare costs is a meaningful way of making progress. It will make it more affordable for families to raise their children and support people

acknowledged that this is a deeply stressful time for the parents, children, the staff affected and the local community. South Dublin Childcare Committee is collaborating with the private provider to review alternative premises and to secure a new location for the service. The childcare committee has continued … provide support to the provider with information on the options available. However, the Department does not directly operate or manage early learning and childcare or school age childcare services. Decisions about the day-to-day running of services, including their chosen business model or base of operations, ultimately

regret that section 17 makes no provision whatsoever for the people I represent in Dún Laoghaire. It is unfortunate and a missed opportunity. Childcare is important and I welcome that we are introducing the cap of €550. I welcome the progress that has been made in that respect … have a problem in Dún Laoghaire and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown generally where there are more and more centres - some 25% of childcare providers - that are outside the scheme. We need to support all families, not just families who happen to live near a childcare facility that is within

community in Raphoe. I think the Minister of State appreciates that. In one way, this is kind of simple. This is a community childcare facility. The building is going to fall down. We have all accepted that. We know that with defective blocks. It has been tested … fall down. It is going to become unsafe. There are 100 kids and 20 staff in it. There are no other services for childcare in the vicinity. There is now a scheme for State-led childcare facilities. Raphoe has benefited from that, which is brilliant because Raphoe

thank the Deputy. He has been very specific in his ask. He asked that the State-led community childcare scheme be extended and that is the intention of Government. He has also asked that Ardara be considered in the next round. I cannot pre-empt what the decision … applications but what I can say is that those applications come from county and city childcare committees. The fact that Donegal county childcare committee is in touch and doing such collaborative work with the childcare organisation in Ardara is a really encouraging sign. I would certainly encourage

keep more of what they earn, with the higher-rate threshold moving to €46,500 and the main tax credits increasing by €125. Childcare supports families who work and women returning to the workplace and driving our economy forward. According to the Department of children, the vast majority … families use 45 hours or fewer of childcare. The Government is bringing their maximum monthly cost down from €735 to €550 through a mix of core funding caps and an increase in universal national childcare subsidies for children up to senior infants. This amounts to a saving

ongoing development of existing and new services in the sector through its range of funding schemes and support infrastructure, including city and county childcare committees. In particular, core funding offers supply side funding to services. Core funding is a grant to providers designed to support quality, sustainability … current programme year. This will ensure the Department can continue to support the service’s sustainability. Following engagement with Dublin City Childcare Committee and Pobal in July, the Department approved a sustainability funding request from Pobal on 7 September totalling €22,342. Funding will be provided

cost of childcare for families with young children has often been described as carrying the burden of a second mortgage. While the budget provided some welcome relief for some families, parents are still feeling the pinch of childcare costs. Notably, parents are concerned that the childcare … enough. Parents who are not in the core funding scheme or are not using full-time care need more help to bring down childcare costs. Will the Minister advise on whether further action can be taken by the Government in this regard

trying to place a continuing focus on childcare because I, like many others in the House representing their constituents, know well the cost of childcare. The core funding scheme is the mechanism in place at the moment. It is an effort to try to bring as many crèches … childcare facilities into a State-based scheme as possible. However, I recognise that there are people outside it. There was an effort to try to increase childminding in the home by extending the tax-free threshold and the number of children who can be cared for in that

both Ministers in respect of that. The idea is a good one and should be advanced. Deputy McGuinness raised the issue of childcare in Waterford in particular. There are three fundamental pillars to childcare: places, affordability and the pay and conditions of those who work in childcare … would be fair to say that we would not start off from where we are today if we were building a new childcare service. We have made a lot of advances over the last two decades, especially in the last five years, and Deputy O'Gorman

everyone, regardless of circumstance, can get ahead and provide for themselves and their families, a place where we build homes, schools, healthcare facilities, childcare places and transport and energy capacity - the infrastructure that a growing country needs. It brings us to a place where businesses can prosper, create … changes we have made to PRSI as well. We are also increasing the tax credit for renters. We are reducing the cost of childcare. We are bringing down the cost of buying first homes through allowing people to get more of their own money back through the help

increases on State exams and school transport. Children get just one chance at childhood, but the Government is squandering it. Its childcare fee caps are much higher than the €200 limit it nabbed from our election manifesto and our promise of a universal public childcare scheme, and those … caps will not even come into force until next September. There is nothing there for families struggling even to find a childcare place, and nothing for foster care amid a serious crisis in the care of children. In reality, the Government has no coherent plan in this budget

Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated percentage and number of parents currently availing of early learning and childcare services who will not benefit from the recently announced €550 monthly childcare fee cap, particularly families whose existing fees exceed this amount due to accessing … more than 40 hours of childcare per week and those required to pay for 52 weeks of childcare annually rather than 48 weeks; and whether an assessment has been undertaken of the impact of these arrangements on the affordability of childcare for working families. [73437/26

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration is being given to extending the revised childcare fee cap, or introducing alternative cost-reduction measures, for families using childcare services operating within Band F (50+ hours per week); if she is aware … concerns that many childcare providers in areas such as Lucan operate exclusively within Band F and that families continue to face high costs and difficulty securing childcare places. [74686/26

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will clarify whether the €550 monthly childcare fee cap announced in Budget 2027 applies solely to childcare services operating within Band E (40-49.9 hours per week) under the core funding scheme … will provide details of the number of childcare providers operating within Bands E and F, respectively. [74685/26

Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the precise participation rate of early learning and childcare services for the 2026-2027 Core Funding programme year; the number of early learning and childcare services that withdrew from Core Funding ahead of the current programme year … number of early learning and childcare services that joined Core Funding for the current programme year. [73838/26

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the policy measures in place to ensure that childcare capacity is maintained within communities where an existing early learning and childcare facility is affected by defective concrete; and the supports available to prevent the permanent loss … childcare places in such areas. [69739/26

number of households in which no adult is in employment that are availing of more than 20-hours-per-week of publicly subsidised childcare under the national childcare scheme or any other State-supported childcare programme; and the corresponding figure in each year from 2020 to date. [70429/26

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any steps are being considered to prevent childcare providers from primarily offering the more expensive band F places under the national childcare scheme. [74560/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of families who will actually pay €550 per month as part of the cap on childcare fees from 2027; and the percentage of families currently using full-time childcare this would represent. [74855/26

Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare providers that have withdrawn from core funding in each county, in each month of this year; if the reasons for withdrawal, as supplied to the local county/city childcare committee, are collated and published

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of childcare providers eligible for core funding; and the estimated number of childcare providers operating outside of core funding. [73797/26

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the proposed funding model for childcare services established under the State-led capital programme; whether the State will fund the full capital costs of acquisition, construction and fit-out; the ways ongoing operational costs, including staffing, maintenance … utilities, will be financed; and whether operators will receive additional financial support beyond existing schemes such as core funding and the national childcare scheme. [73801/26

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department will take to protect families whose childcare providers do not participate in core funding; whether alternative affordability measures or incentives could be introduced to encourage providers to rejoin the core funding scheme … Department has considered ways in which parents can be protected from substantial fee differences when they have limited practical alternatives for childcare. [73972/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason her Department announced under budget 2027 that there would be a €550 cap on childcare for families when it is only applicable to families who fall under band E or below and not for band F families with 50+ hours … childcare. [74137/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently waiting for a place in a crèche or early learning and childcare service in Cork City and Cork County, respectively; the steps being taken to address the shortage of childcare places; and if she will make

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the €550 cap on childcare fees as announced in Budget 2027; and if it will apply to all childcare bands, including Band F. [72468/26

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the assessments undertaken by her Department to plan for future childcare demand in the Kildare north constituency; and the metrics used to assess childcare demand and capacity in an area. [70110/26

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to improve the affordability of childcare for families in the Kildare north constituency; and the level of Government support available to childcare providers and parents in the constituency. [70111/26

Equality if her attention has been drawn to concerns related to the lack of flexibility under Section 8.2/8.3.2 of the national childcare scheme, specifically for children that are neurodiverse and benefit particularly from afterschool activities; and her views the current scheme acts as a disincentive for families

Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will permit the extension of a sponsored claim through the national childcare scheme to August 2027, which is due to expire on the 13 December 2026 for a child (details supplied). [75148/26

Disability and Equality the assessments that were undertaken to deduce that the €550 a month band would have the greatest impact overall on childcare costs for families. [74863/26

Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeline for the implementation of €200 a month childcare costs that were promised as part of the Programme for Government. [74859/26

will be put in place for parents who have no choice but to pay for longer contracted hours than the €550 a month childcare cap. [74856/26

strengthen accountability where there is repeated non-compliance with such orders and the measures in place to support working parents who experience childcare difficulties arising from the unexpected cancellation of agreed parenting arrangements. [74246/26

Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which she intends to deliver €200 per month childcare via core funding when this excludes parents whose provider are not in core funding; and if Government commitment to €200 per month is only

Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of parents who will benefit from the reduction of childcare fees from €735 to €550 per month. [73228/26