Search the record

campaign of Deputy Catherine Connolly, who did get the required signatures. I have spoken to many parents in Kildare about a lack of childcare facilities. I have a question. In many new housing developments in Kildare, we are seeing empty-shell units of childcare facilities … feasible private enterprise, how is the Government going to intervene to roll out its programme for Government commitments regarding a public model of childcare

thank the Deputy for raising the issue of childcare facilities in Kildare. If a premises is left vacant for a lengthy period, it is, in the first instance, an issue for the local authority in Kildare to assess what can be done. The Government has invested a considerable … amount of money to fund childcare. I am conscious that one of the issues is trying to identify appropriate properties for the provision of childcare facilities. I will certainly speak to the relevant Minister, Deputy Foley, in respect of it and on whether anything is available for Kildare

Minister for an update on the review of the 2001 planning guidelines for childcare facilities whereby for 75 new homes, there should be the provision of 20 childcare places. The link between supply of new homes and childcare places has not been working effectively. I welcome

welcome and acknowledge the fact childminders can now provide supports of the national childcare scheme and that will perhaps encourage or allow parents the choice rather than choosing a formal childcare setting. This is particularly so in rural areas where childminders would be used a lot, especially where … they can provide flexibility that perhaps the formal childcare setting cannot. I have met representatives of Childminding Ireland and there are significant concerns and issues in regard to the regulations. Childminding Ireland's ask has been that, 18 months into the regulations, which is coming up shortly, there

have seen the enormous demand for childcare throughout the country, particularly in my own constituency of Kildare North. However, a lot of the focus has been on preschool and not on after-school childcare. It is extremely difficult for parents to find after-school care and also … back to work. What measures are being implemented to ensure this shortage of after-school childcare places does not act as a barrier to parents returning to the workforce

thank Deputy Currie very much for raising this issue and for the focus she rightly keeps on early learning and childcare. I thank her for her work in that regard. Certainly, we will discuss this with the Minister, Deputy Foley. The Government will be publishing an action plan … childcare, which endeavours to knit together the 21 programme for Government commitments on childcare. I expect that to happen in the coming weeks, either just before or, perhaps more likely, just after the budget. I wish to make one broad point that is slightly linked. While I fully

moved to another Department but I am going to try and wedge it in here anyway. It concerns community childcare. When we are talking about community centres, we need to be looking at harnessing those buildings. We had a discussion on Storm Éowyn and the way in which … that there is a lens on it and people are looking at that vital infrastructure, the Minister might consider and have community childcare and crèches as part of community centre redevelopment where it is happening. They are located, as Deputy McGreehan has pointed out, at the centre

Community childcare not-for-profit operations led by the community for the community stand out in a sector dominated by private provision as an alternative, often part of a wider network of early intervention and family support services. Availability varies wildly across the country, from over … Leitrim to just 6% of less in my own county of Fingal. It is 13% in Wicklow. In Dublin 15, two community childcare services in two years have take the really difficult decision to shut their doors. It is nothing to do with demand in the area

want to raise the issue of childcare places, including after-school care, with the Taoiseach. I particularly want to raise the issues of childcare and after-school care in Kilcullen, a town of 4,000 people in my own constituency of Kildare South. I am currently dealing with … there is a fit-for-purpose building lying idle. It is developed and ready to go. When will we see a State-led childcare and after-school service? Will the Minister, Deputy Foley, work with me in Kilcullen for those purposes

Planning regulations stipulate that new housing developments of up to 75 units must provide a childcare facility with up to 20 places. We are in a childcare crisis and this is simply not working in small, medium and large towns. In my own town of Westport, we recently … separate developments of 50, 48 and 20 units, a total of 118 units, but no new childcare facility. There is a new housing plan coming. Are there any plans to change this stipulation in respect of housing developments

Deputy is completely ignoring what is after happening over the last number of years. Childcare investment has quadrupled from €260 million in 2015 to €1.37 billion in 2025. This is significant State investment in childcare, along with the affordability supports that underpin it. The Minister, Deputy Foley … ambitious to continue to do more to support parents with the affordability of childcare. It is unfair to dismiss many small and medium enterprises that provide a really important service in the communities we represent in west Dublin or elsewhere

cost-of-living crisis. People are struggling to put or keep a roof over their heads. People are struggling with the cost of childcare. The Government promised that, within its first 100 days, it would provide a roadmap for delivering €10-a-day childcare, which is another promise … groceries at the end of the week. Does the Minister not listen to the families who are crippled with a second mortgage in childcare costs or are screwed over by petrol and diesel prices and the carbon taxes that increase every year and which the Government plans

mentioned sufficient places. That has to be the dual threat that comes with this. Can we put in place a policy to ensure childcare facilities are not closing down? A service in the Presbyterian church on York Road in Dún Laoghaire closed without explanation recently, which has caused … involved. I live in Honeypark in Dún Laoghaire, an area with a lot of young families. I note a site earmarked for a childcare facility has now been advertised for sale in the commercial property pages of The Irish Times. Are we ensuring there will be sufficient places

would look like. Issues have been raised about the commitment in the planning guidelines to have places available for populations of 75 houses. Childcare facilities have been built which are not being used as childcare facilities. I am working with the Minister for housing to ensure there will … facility is built it needs to be used for the purpose for which it was built, in this instance for the provision of childcare. Significant work has been done to support smaller providers. Previously the lower base of funding they had was a guaranteed €8,500. The base

Dáil. Regarding the important issue that has been raised by Deputy Currie, I appreciate its importance. Without the increase in the supply of childcare places, the efforts we have made as regards affordability have not had the effect we want. There is little point in making something more … building blocks extension grant scheme - under which she has announced a further €25 million to deliver an additional 1,500 early learning and childcare places for one-to-three-year-olds across our country. I understand that 49 community and privately operated services have been now shortlisted

That is being done in two different ways at the moment. At local authority level, the guidelines for planning authorities in respect of childcare facilities aim to make clear the minimum number of childcare places that should be provided for a certain number of dwellings that … what should be built. From a core funding point of view, what we are aiming to do now is to work with the childcare sector to put in place the funding to try to help with the hiring and retention of staff. I understand that

here today to say that there are opportunities to combine those and come up with a big vision for the delivery of childcare in our communities. At the moment, there are exemptions to the rule on providing 20 childcare places for every 75 new dwellings. For example … comprise more than 75 dwellings. When the facilities are built, they are only shell and core and so may not be affordable for childcare providers. We need to do what we said we would do in the programme for Government and pull on every lever to actually make

Looking at the past number of years and the overall support given in terms of childcare affordability, we have made significant strides which have helped many families throughout communities. We also need to work with many of the SMEs and childcare providers, many of which … there are other objectives in the national development plan, which I share. The broad outworking of this work will strengthen the provision of childcare

that, but the reality is we still have huge waiting lists, significant capacity issues and parents are still paying far too much for childcare. Many families are really struggling. I welcome the building blocks capital programme, which provides a great opportunity for an awful lot of communities … raised the matter of Ballinasloe Community Childcare Group in my constituency with the Minister. Demand there far exceeds capacity. It looked to that capital programme but because it does not own the land, it cannot access the funding. I appreciate that it is taxpayers' money but this

advance of the general election, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil were content to trumpet commitments in their manifestos to deliver childcare at a cost of €200 per month to parents. The programme for Government will have disappointed those parents, as will the Minister and her inaction over … businesses are impacted by the Government's poor administration. A survey earlier this year found that nine out of 10 businesses reported the childcare crisis had impacted their ability to recruit staff. I commend my party colleague and Sinn Féin's spokesperson on children, Deputy Kerrane, for tabling

want educators to be paid fairly. We want enough capacity to ensure children get places in their local community. We want to see childcare fees that are affordable for families. To do all that, we need the State to take the lead and not just leave … have seen a lot of new homes being built, which are mostly filled by young families. There is then a scramble to secure childcare places with local providers. Some providers in my area are charging parents €800 as a deposit for putting their children's names

hear every day from women in my constituency in particular that they cannot find childcare. I hear mostly from women about being forced to give up their careers, to defer returning to education and to delay starting and expanding their families. We have moved from the marriage … past to what can only be described as a modern-day family bar where the costs and unavailability of childcare are dictating deeply personal life choices. Some €1.37 billion could be far better used to begin nationalising the wages in the sector and starting the transition

agree with the Deputy's description of what needs to happen. The word "partnership" is really important. We have such good examples of childcare providers across the country. We also have significant gaps in provision. I meet people who are frustrated when they hear we have reduced … cost of childcare. They say, "That is great but I cannot get a place". Cost and access, along, of course, with quality, really do matter. There are 21 commitments in the programme for Government in regard to childcare. The Minister, Deputy Foley, is looking

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

Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children, by county, who benefited from supports under the national childcare scheme in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme projects that are proposed for Fingal; the location of each proposed project; the current status of each project; and if she will make a statement

Disability and Equality whether any sites in Fingal have been identified, approved in principle or progressed under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; if she will provide details of each site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54367/26

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether services delivered under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme will be operated exclusively by not-for-profit providers; and whether any private for-profit providers will be eligible to operate State-owned

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which operators for State-led early learning and childcare services will be selected; whether there will be an open competitive process; the governance, financial, quality and operational criteria that will apply

Children, Disability and Equality the number of operators to date, that have been selected or approved under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the name of each operator and the associated project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54370/26

Children, Disability and Equality the criteria used by her Department to select sites for investment under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the weighting given to unmet demand, deprivation, rurality, accessibility, value-for-money and project readiness; and if she will make a statement

Children, Disability and Equality the number of projects that have been approved in principle nationally under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the number of persons that remain under assessment, by county and project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54372/26

publish the Forward Planning Model, appraisal methodology and scoring framework used to identify and prioritise projects under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54373/26

Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether expressions of interest have been sought from prospective operators for any State-led childcare projects in Fingal; if so, the number of expressions of interest that were received; the number of these that were assessed

Equality the measures in place to ensure transparency in the selection of both sites and operators under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; whether the scoring and evaluation of applications will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54375/26

Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures that will be implemented to increase childcare capacity in areas such as Cavan town where parents are experiencing difficulty in children getting placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54689/26

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early years educators and childcare workers employed in Cork city and county in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of vacancies notified or estimated

asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken to address recruitment and retention challenges in the early learning and childcare workforce, including pay, conditions and career progression; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53766/26

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the impact of recent fee caps and affordability measures on childcare costs for parents; the estimated average saving per family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53767/26

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare providers in Cork city and county that have increased fees, reduced services or changed opening hours in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children with additional needs accessing early learning and childcare services in Cork city and county; the supports available under the access and inclusion model; the number of applications approved in each

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare services in Cork city and county currently operating at full capacity; the number with waiting lists; the number with vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53771/26

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the projected demand for childcare places in Cork city and county over the next five years; the planned increase in supply to meet that demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53772/26

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the disparity whereby childcare providers operating on school grounds may be exempt from commercial rates, while providers delivering the same ECCE, NCS and afterschool services from independent premises are liable

Equality if she has engaged with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage or Tailte Éireann regarding the treatment of private childcare providers under the commercial rates system; and if she will outline the cross-departmental work underway to ensure equitable treatment of providers. [54243/26

Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider supporting legislative or regulatory changes to ensure that private childcare providers delivering ECCE, NCS and afterschool services are not disproportionately burdened by commercial rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54244/26

profit delivery of essential services through the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, particularly for the delivery of community childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53636/26

Deputy Daniel Ennis asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of any early learning and childcare providers leaving core funding since the most recent price cap reduction from €198 per week to €183.70 per week; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the key measures taken to improve childcare and early learning services since January 2025; her priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51935/26