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costs. Many are earning too much to qualify for targeted supports and they are finding it increasingly difficult to meet the costs of childcare and housing, and also to meet everyday expenses. At the same time, wage increases intended to keep pace with inflation are pushing more workers … prioritise middle-income families through adjustments to the standard rate tax band and tax credits, together with targeted supports to help with childcare and housing costs. Will he set out the principles that will guide decisions to ensure work continues to pay and that middle-income families receive

cost may put these opportunities completely out of reach. I raised this last week as a Topical Issue but the response focused on childcare and the national childcare scheme, NCS. With respect, that missed the point I was trying to make. Summer camps are effectively

issue with the Minister for children and disability. We are anxious to fulfil the Government programme in terms of reducing the costs of childcare very significantly, and we are going to take action in the forthcoming budget to further reduce the cost of childcare for families. The Deputy

simple as the Deputy thinks but I thank her for the question. It is an important question. The provision of community childcare is very important. The Deputy and I probably share a view on the issue. As she will know, this does not necessarily fall under the remit … provide some supports to community organisations and social enterprises, the programme is not designed for the direct delivery of services such as childcare

good to see the Department is aware of the issue. The NCS is a good scheme but it is generally for childcare, and I am asking more specifically about summer camps. I am not sure if the NCS is usable in summer camps, though I am open … correction on that. We are looking for targeted supports. Like the NCS, we support school meals, childcare and school transport because we recognise the barriers families face. Why should summer activities be any different? I am not suggesting every family should receive a subsidy. I am asking

There is much to be welcomed, although I would quibble with many aspects. There is no reference to the need to restructure our childcare and early years system to make sure that childcare is affordable for families. The motion leans extremely heavily on charges associated with fossil fuels

Government announced a €135 million investment in State-led early learning and childcare. It is an initiative that promises to deliver thousands of publicly owned places by 2030. The principle is sound and significant but it has to deliver. I want, tonight, to insist that this promise must … delivered in County Meath. The Department's own analysis confirms that demand for childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country. Nowhere is this more acute than in County Meath. Dunshaughlin is a case in point. The Willows estate in Dunshaughlin now has more

Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the review of the 2001 planning guidelines for local authorities on early learning and childcare settings in order to increase childcare supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48705/26

will publish a roadmap on how we create the childcare system I think everybody in this House wants. We had a good meeting of the Cabinet committee on this in recent weeks. Fees are one element, and we have a commitment to get to €200 per child … month in the lifetime of the Government. However, fees without access will only frustrate parents. We have increased the childcare budget to the largest ever, at €1.5 billion, which is up by 12% on last year. That is the highest ever level of State investment. I take

make sure we give every child the best possible chance in disadvantaged areas and across the education system. In parallel, the early childcare scheme has been hugely funded. The funding that has gone into it in the past quarter of a century to bring it up to standard … been quite amazing. There are two pieces. One is the early childcare scheme to make sure we are giving two years - it is not long ago that it was just one year - and to make sure children are as prepared as possible to go into primary school

assessment is not way off the mark. I have sat down with early childcare providers and they are telling me this. They are the people who are on the ground. They know the crisis that is there. This is no longer a crisis but an implosion that … promise, not another consultation and not another excuse. If the Government does not act urgently, the damage being done to children, families and childcare providers will be felt for years to come

Affordable, accessible childcare provision is vital for the proper functioning of our society and our economy. What plans does the Minister have to publish a detailed timeframe, including milestones and key performance indicators, for the provision of €200-per-month childcare, as set out in the commitments

measures to achieve key programme for Government commitments on the affordability, quality and accessibility of early learning and care and school-age childcare. The action plan adopts a phased approach that enables action to be taken in 2026 while allowing adequate time for a broad public consultation … partner services can charge. In addition, from autumn 2026, we will reduce out-of-pocket costs for lower income families through the national childcare scheme

full day service that the vast majority of parents are availing of - is €198 per week. That is when the national childcare subsidy is included. That will now be reduced to €183 per week. We are seeing progress. I already mentioned something that has been fought very hard … from €26,000 to €34,000 and from €60,000 to €68,000 in order to maximise people's access to the national childcare subsidy. Some progress has been made. There is more progress to be made, and we will continue that through phase 2 of the action

specific projects, but I look forward to sharing the details of the projects as they are agreed. Local city and county childcare committees are supporting the development of projects. In that context, community early learning and childcare operators, local authorities, developers and others who might have suitable premises

coming in September and will cap those fees at €183.70. That is a real tangible step for families to achieving really affordable childcare. Families that are facing those highest fees will see the money back in their pockets. Where are those services that will benefit the most from … that. Is the Minister confident that in the next budget there will be more of a positive and significant change that will make childcare more affordable

want to acknowledge Deputy Dempsey's personal engagement with me specifically on the areas of early years and childcare and in particular the costs. She can be absolutely assured that we are going into this budget seeking the maximum funding we can to advance the ambition … caps. That is very significant. These are the cohort of people who are paying the most fees. Once they have the national childcare subsidies included, it will reduce from €198 per week to €183.70 per week. Other elements we have already referenced are the thresholds for the income

Valuation Act 2001. Notwithstanding that, it is not within the gift of the Department to set commercial rates for early learning and childcare service providers. However, I want to acknowledge that there has been an absolute openness from the Minister for housing to seek a resolution here. There … seeking external advice on this. I want to be able to furnish at the earliest possible point information to the early learning and childcare sector and, indeed, this House on the update we receive from the Attorney General at his earliest convenience

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and school-age childcare facilities that have been found to be non-complainant on staffing ratios, staffing qualifications, Garda vetting, and basic needs, broken down by private or community service, service size … full day care, part-time, sessional, school-age childcare and county, in 2025 and 2026. [46906/26

tabled this question in order to find out what is going on with all of our childcare facilities and to ensure that best practice obtains right across the country. I am very happy to hear that after 3,500 inspections and in the context of the figures … will all have further questions. The reason for tabling this question was to ensure that there is some regulation of this important childcare sector. The fact that the number of issues identified is good in one sense. Without the detail behind them, however, we cannot comment any further

interim, if there are childminders who have specific questions, I ask them to engage with the city and county childcare committees. There is a designated person in each of the city and county childcare committees charged with the responsibility of supporting childminders

know the greater level of flexibility, particularly in rural areas, it provides over an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. formal childcare setting. That is really important, particularly in rural areas where there may not be that level of capacity or formal childcare settings and, therefore

been open since last Friday and will remain so until 20 July. There will be strong communication through the city and county childcare committees and we will do all that we can. To be clear, we are going to afford a number of different opportunities for engagement. This … engagement. To reiterate, we are really keen that parents who avail of childminders will ultimately have an opportunity to benefit from the national childcare scheme as well. That would be a huge help to parents. Therefore, we need to have the childminders registered. They have nothing

results of a survey of parents in Kildare have been published, the majority of whom do not have access to childcare in September. What those results mean is that a number of parents are not able to go back to work. They are having to reduce their hours … parents in Naas, Kilcock, Maynooth and Celbridge who really have no option but to give up their job because they cannot access this childcare service

highlighting an issue that is a factor in the here and now for people. We are significantly increasing our investment to childcare, core funding and the employment agreements for people working in childcare. We are fully committed to that €200 per child, per month in the lifetime

Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific measures being taken to increase childcare capacity in areas of County Cork where shortages have been identified; the timelines for any measures being taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47538/26

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the State-led childcare programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47449/26

Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress that has been made and is planned to reduce the childcare cost to €200 per month over the lifetime of the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47547/26

Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken by her Department to increase the provision of childcare services in Cork east; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47539/26

Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of significant number of childcare provider pulling out of Core Funding; the measures she is taking to support providers and improve access and affordability for families; and if she will make

Children, Disability and Equality his plans to fully implement the promise made in the Programme for Government of a €200 per month childcare and to provide a timeframe for implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47498/26

Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she will take to ensure there is a childcare place for all who need it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47543/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on her Department’s work in relation to the provision of State-run childcare. [46779/26

asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will further reduce the new cap of €734 a month per child on childcare; the timeframe for when any further reductions will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47284/26

Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress being made to develop and ‘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. [47402/26

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department is aware that private ECCE only childcare providers are now liable for commercial rates; and if she will raise this issue with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. [46908/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans for additional childcare places and staff in Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47395/26

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her proposals to address the gap in levels of funding for childcare against the increased costs borne by providers. [47502/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the work her Department is undertaking to support improved pay and sustainable wage levels within the childcare sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47465/26

Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the steps being taken to address delays in the Garda vetting process, particularly for the Early Education and Childcare Sectors, where providers report waiting up to eight weeks for vetting clearance for new employees; whether consideration has been given to introducing alternative interim

Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that childcare providers operating 57 hours per week fall within a category that is not required to reduce its fees in line with the lower fee caps being introduced; if she is aware

Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in light of reports that more than 50 childcare providers have exited the core funding scheme in the past two years, to outline the analysis her Department has undertaken into the reasons for these withdrawals; whether

Children, Disability and Equality the number of children availing of targeted access and inclusion model supports, by county and by city and county childcare committee area in the 2025/2026 programme year; and the number of early learning and care settings in each area delivering AIM supports, in tabular

William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the level of core funding that will be available to early learning and childcare providers in programme year 2026/2027; the increase in funding compared with the current programme year; and if she will make a statement

Children, Disability and Equality the details of the new maximum fee caps being introduced under the core funding programme for early learning and childcare services from September 2026; the expected impact of these changes on affordability for families; and if she will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on the proposed new childcare facility in Glanmire, County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47565/26

Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that some rural families are effectively excluded from the national childcare scheme due to the absence of participating providers in their locality; if consideration is being given to alternative supports, such as a rural access

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current capacity of registered school-age childcare (before-school and afterschool/“sherpa”) services in Ballincollig, Cork north central; whether her Department or Tusla holds data on unmet demand for such places in the area; whether

lower-paid parent in a household, is forced to reduce working hours or exit the workforce due to the unavailability of afterschool childcare; whether her Department has conducted or commissioned any analysis of this effect on workforce participation and tax revenue; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently examine an issue regarding the provision of childcare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46547/26