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recognise that progress has been made in the last 12 months in relation to the cost of childcare, with the expansion of the national childcare scheme subsidies, improvements to core funding and a lowering of the maximum cap on fees. This has brought weekly costs for childcare … rates. Many of my constituents in Meath West have told me that there has been good progress in the downward trajectory of their childcare bills. About 15% more families availed of subsidies in Meath last year, so the changes are working but we still have a significant

announcement by the Government of the new childcare scheme is welcome. The idea is that the Government will buy or build childcare facilities, particularly in areas where there are shortages. It is a small start. Similar to a lot of Members of the House, I would like … over a five-year period and eight buildings will be bought or acquired in the first year. There is a desperate shortage of childcare and early years learning places in Laois. The 84 registered places in the county are full. Parents contact me to say that they cannot

terms used in the Bill. Section 3 provides for the repeal of section 7 of the 1991 Act that provided from childcare advisory committees, which are no longer in operation, and the repeal of section 8, which is replaced by new reporting arrangements introduced in the Child … amendments to section 25 of the 1991 Act which concerns the powers of the court to join a child as the party to childcare proceedings. The amendment lowers the threshold from one of necessity in the interest of the child to consideration of whether

going to happen locally in addition to the national numbers. We have very much kicked off some of our key commitments on childcare. We will be reducing childcare costs for 47,000 low-income families by providing them with additional subsidies under the national childcare scheme this year … capital investment plan announced yesterday as well. The issue of core funding will, of course, be examined as part of the childcare plan, as it must be. However, I will ask the relevant Minister, Deputy Foley, to engage directly with the Deputy, particularly if there is local concern

been engaging for nearly two years now and it has done a huge amount. These are very serious people. The Minister mentioned the childcare facilities that I have raised with him. There are three childcare facilities that are community run. The Minister has been talking about State … childcare facilities and all the rest but the three community childcare facilities in question – in Letterkenny, Raphoe and Ardara – are in buildings that are falling down. The one in Raphoe is already gone because the children are not safe in the building. With regard to the other

many years to come. These are practical measures. The Minister for children will update the Government this month on an action plan on childcare. This week, as Deputy Doherty will be glad to know because he is very worried about this, as he should be because … issue, the Minister announced a capital plan that will see a very significant level of funding for State-led childcare facilities. I am sure the Deputy welcomes this. It is a welcome development. We will commit, with Deputy Doherty and everyone in this House, to delivering during

market. I meet people in my constituency and around the country, often young professional people, who they want to open a childcare facility. They are well up for it, ready and qualified but they gave to face upfront costs, startup costs, rents and capital costs. I will … Minister, Deputy Foley, to specifically consider the Deputy's comments in the context of the new action plan on childcare that will be published early next year. Today, the Minister has, or is about to, announce our capital funding plan for childcare, which will see very significant funding

current expenditure for early learning and childcare will rise to €1.48 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 9% or €125 million. This additional funding will deliver real and meaningful change to the lives of thousands of children and their families in 2026 as well … early years educators, school-age childcare practitioners and providers. Some 105,250 children will be supported to access free pre-school education under the ECCE programme next year. Furthermore, 286,000 children will benefit from their statutory entitlement to the national childcare scheme subsidies to offset the cost

slight amount of time to get everything uploaded. It is so important for parents to be able to see what is available for childcare in their areas. We all realise that there is a lack of places, but where there are places, it is important for parents … able to look at prices. Previously, the Minister mentioned childcare committees. It was my understanding that the childcare committees had access to and were sharing the ECCE model, but I take it from the Minister's answer that we are now up and running. Parents will be able

time last year we could not open the newspapers without seeing the Government make promise after promise to families desperately in need of childcare. They were told the Government could do something quickly about the cost of childcare in the early part of Government and we now know … original grant will not cover the cost of works. This is a deadly serious situation. Thousands of families are on waiting lists for childcare. Some 33,000 children under the age of three were on a waiting list last year and 10,000 children are waiting

with regard to the underdelivery of the social housing targets and, indeed, what we are seeing now with regard to childcare places. This is an issue that was raised with the Department during the summer. I raised it last week, and we have seen no response, frankly, from … Department on these issues. It is deadly serious for parents. Mothers are unable to return to work because of the lack of childcare availability. Parents are having to reduce hours and, of course, there are thousands out there who want to rejoin the labour force after many years

backs of the students of Ireland. He has double-crossed them. It is another broken promise. The third one is on childcare costs. Speaking to the Irish Independent in October last year, just a month before the general election, he pledged to deliver €200 per month childcare … quickly. I believe it can be delivered in the early time of the government." Fine Gael pledged to produce an action plan on childcare costs within the first 100 days of Government. We are now on day 259. Where is the plan? Where is the urgency

Every party in this Dáil gave that commitment and we stand by that commitment. However, we have outlined a record budget for childcare of €1.5 billion. The national childcare scheme is now funded for an additional 35,000 children next year. There is a 14% increase … minimum rate of pay for educators that takes effect next Monday. That is helping to ensure we have people working in childcare facilities to mind our children and educate them. There is also funding for further pay increases for their staff next year as well and we extended

Party pushed for. It will cost more than abolishing the means test for carers, which we have also pushed for, more than capping childcare fees at €50 per week, and more than extending the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to every child in the country … will put into DEIS Plus. We want to see DEIS Plus rolled out, but we are not seeing any detail on this. Childcare has been a real damp squib. Deputy Marie Sherlock has pointed out that the Government is funding 2,300 additional places through the building blocks

existing recipients of carer's allowance with money to spare. We all heard the promise before the election of €200 a month for childcare. We know that Ireland spends the least on childcare in the whole OECD. We have the worst childcare to wage ratio in the OECD … have the most privatised childcare system in the world with 75% being provided by private companies. Yet the Government turns around and does nothing, again waiting for another four budgets. Does it know that children grow up over the course of four budgets? Workers are paying for this

Micheál. That is the reality. Above anybody else, you have been the architect of that. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael committed to cap childcare costs. Remember that one, Simon. That was the policy that you copied from Sinn Féin and you are welcome to it but we want … days came and went, 200 days came and went but still no roadmap. He said earlier this year "Reducing the cost of childcare is a priority for me and I can tell you as leader of Fine Gael we will make real progress on the cost of childcare

going to pay €500 more for third level education than they did last year. Nothing has really been allocated to help people with childcare costs. Before this budget, the mantra from nearly every party was that the cost of childcare should be €200. We are absolutely nowhere near … that. Of course, people cannot find childcare places. We need investment in a public childcare system that should, like primary and secondary education, be absolutely free. We do not need people completely ignoring the scale of the issue

budget. The Government parties ran in the most recent election on the promise of a cap of €200 a month on childcare fees. However, people are going to continue to be pay €200 a week in childcare fees. We hear that 2,300 new childcare places are promised … time when 62,000 children are on childcare waiting lists. There is nothing for renters in the budget, while the Government has legislation coming which will allow rents to be hiked faster, harder and higher. Life is going to get harder for renters. Possibly the worst and most

throughout the State, but it is particularly bad in the town of Kilcullen. Nowhere else that I know of has 110 families facing childcare difficulties in the one town. The population of Kilcullen is just over 4,000, so one can imagine the percentage of families seeking childcare … However, when there are new people coming to the town who, within six months, say they have to leave because of the childcare problem, it is an issue we all need to get involved in. I welcome the Minister of State's response. I look forward to meeting

region of €259 million has been allocated. In many constituencies, particularly in suburban areas like mine, we still face a severe lack of childcare places. One of the largest childcare providers in the country closed its doors to the scheme a couple of months ago in Carrigtwohill, east … Cork, namely Mary Geary's Childcare. That facility has 450 children. When somebody like that turns their back on the scheme, it is not that they wanted to; it is that the offering they give to parents far exceeds the minimum standards required. You might say that

this Government to ensure that we make provision for children of all ages. More specifically, the Deputy is interested in school-age childcare. We have had some very significant innovations I can point to. For example, in my time as the Minister for Education, I published procedures … opportunities would be utilised such as school buildings and sports halls, and very specifically that there would be opportunities for early learning and childcare providers to make use of school buildings or whatever, in this instance because the building would be empty after school and would

Time services in Ballymount, Dublin 2, Dundrum and Shankill, with six other sites remaining in the core funding. The Department, through the local childcare committee, has engaged directly with the provider in question to highlight the benefits of staying in core funding not only for their services … brings to the families accessing the services. For this coming programme year Once Upon a Time remains eligible to provide the national childcare scheme, the early childcare and education programme and the community childcare subvention plus saver programme

programme for Government commits, for the very first time, to providing capital investment to build or purchase State-owned childcare facilities to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists. I attended the launch of a childcare needs analysis in Boyle, County Roscommon, last Friday. Their analysis … concludes that, in the Boyle catchment area, there are 20 childcare places per 1,043 children. A figure of 77% of children aged zero to four years have no access to a childcare place. For me, this is the definition of "unmet need". I understand some scoping work

Having spoken to several childcare providers, the main concern for the viability of the sector is staff retention. I am not surprised, given the information I have received. I understand an SNA can be applied to a primary school having completed a 12-week certificate course, while … childcare educator must have a minimum FETAC level 5 qualification, which is a one to two year process. A childcare educator is paid an average of €4 per hour with less work, more hours and lower holiday entitlements. It is no wonder the staff in this sector feel

What is critical, along with the building of homes, is that we build the social infrastructure to go with them. That means schools, childcare and playgrounds, as well as the water and energy we often speak of in here. It is primarily around the building up of sustainable … communities. I look at Kildare North specifically. The waiting lists for childcare in Kildare are astronomical. People are number 400 or number 500 on childcare waiting lists and women cannot plan on going back to work after maternity leave because they cannot secure childcare. It is not sustainable

asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her engagement with local authorities regarding a review of the 2001 childcare facilities for planning authorities to ensure childcare spaces are provided and put into use; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the full-year cost via the national childcare scheme to reduce childcare fees to €200 per month. [31085/25

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if each of the developments being progressed by the Land Development Agency include the provision of childcare facilities; if the Land Development Agency has engaged with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality with regard to the delivery of childcare facilities

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the Government's plans to further reduce the cost of childcare for families under the national childcare scheme; the timelines in place for the implementation of any additional cost-reduction measures; and the specific steps

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for a breakdown of the number of new childcare providers who have entered the sector in each of the past five years, by county; the number of childcare providers who have left the sector in each

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the annual budget for the national childcare scheme in each year since it was introduced, in tabular form; the number of childcare providers in receipt of NCS funding in each of these years; the number of children

engagement she has had with the with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to a review of the 2001 childcare facilities for planning authorities to ensure childcare spaces are provided and put into use; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of Early Learning and Childcare and School Age Childcare closures, by county in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30383/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of community childcare facilities who have entered the sector in each of the past five years, by county; and the number of community childcare providers who have left the sector in each of the past

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Finance if in cases where buildings are provided for childcare as a condition for planning permission for residential developments, a mechanism could be found through the tax system to help lower the cost of fitting out such buildings, given that cost … proving to be a major impediment, particularly for community childcare providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28066/25

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will examine recent childcare increases of 40% in a Dublin creche (details supplied); the action she is taking to ensure childcare costs are brought down; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current capacity of childcare services in County Donegal; her plans to increase the number of childcare facilities in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25332/25

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if an audit of childcare availability in south Dublin has been conducted; if so, the actions being taken by her Department to increase the availability of local childcare places in the area, especially given the recent announced

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when meaningful progress will be made on the childcare cost commitments made by all major parties during the 2024 general election, particularly regarding the promised reduction to a cap of €50 per week … specific steps being taken to honour these commitments and provide relief to families facing high childcare costs in Dublin Bay North and across Ireland. [21967/25

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