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thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion. I am always happy to speak to childcare because, particularly as someone who raised my daughter alone, I know how important childcare is for gender equality and for families across this country who are just gasping for it at this … stage. The other issue that stands out from my own experience is that having paid for childcare in the early 2000s for my daughter, who was a millennial baby and is an adult woman now, I see that the crisis has not improved and has, in fact, only

petrol pump, at the grocery till, in the utility bills and beyond. For working families, one of the most expensive monthly outlays is childcare fees. Families in Limerick with both parents working full time who are not fortunate enough to have additional family support are paying … cost-of-living crisis that has stripped families of available income. These are, of course, families who have been fortunate enough to secure childcare places in the first place. Up to 50,000 children across the State remain on waiting lists for childcare places that do not exist

work on this. The programme for Government sets out a number of priorities for Government on access to early learning and childcare services, including a commitment to review the 2001 childcare facilities guidelines for planning authorities to ensure childcare spaces are provided and put to use. Further … Planning and Development Act 2000. The timing of the issuing of national planning statements is based on Government priorities. The current childcare facilities guidelines for planning authorities, which remain in place until revoked or replaced by a new national planning statement, set out the methodology for calculating

terms of childcare more generally, there has been very significant progress made in childcare in the last number of years. Again, Deputy Cairns will not acknowledge that, but it is the reality in terms of both reduction of costs and, indeed, the increase in the numbers of children … availing of the various programmes we have. In terms of the national childcare scheme, about 277,000 children will be supported this year. That is an increase of 27,000 children in just one year. Income thresholds are rising from September of this year, from

came time for my daughter to return to work after her maternity leave, that joy turned to stress as she tried to finalise childcare. The end result is that myself and the other granny have been minding our grandchild for well over a year now. This … want to stay at home with my baby until she is one but I cannot afford to because I cannot find affordable childcare that will make it worth my while to go back to work. It is soul-destroying while still being pregnant to focus so much

opportunity to provide an update on the matter. I am pleased to confirm that historical fee data is now available on the national childcare service search for fees from the 2021-22 programme year to the present programme year. I acknowledge that this was very important … parents, in line with commitments in the programme for Government. Therefore, this welcome development ensures improved transparency in relation to early learning and childcare fees across the country. I would also like to highlight that in addition to service fees lists, historical and current, the following information

experience. It is inspiring for others who may follow in her footsteps that the Deputy has done so. The challenge of providing accessible childcare is very much real. The Deputy outlined the issues many of her constituents face. Many of my constituents, and some of my friends … same boat, having to put down the names of children who are not yet born or named for childcare places. This is not ideal and the Government is committed to addressing it. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. That is a fact. Data from the annual early

following census 2022, embarked on a comprehensive project to better understand Kildare. This research was published in 2024. It includes some statistics about childcare and early years education. Childcare fees in County Kildare are above the State average. Kildare has the lowest rate of community-based childcare facilitates … live and raise a family in Kildare require luck or patience to avail of them. Today, however, we are here to discuss childcare and early years services in Kildare. I again thank the Minister of State for being here to listen. I am here to advocate on behalf

support the Sinn Féin motion on childcare. There is a serious crisis of childcare in this country that has been ongoing for years, yet the Government continuously failed to address it. Parents not only struggle to afford childcare, but also to access it. Accessing childcare is an enormous … survey by Early Childhood Ireland has revealed shocking figures. In Donegal alone, there are 1,345 children under the age of four on childcare waiting lists for only 89 places. That leaves 1,200 children in Donegal who do not have a crèche place. That includes 362 children

wish to raise serious concerns about childcare in my area. There is no doubt that childcare has become like a second mortgage for families. It is crippling many young families. While there are significant issues throughout the country, I will raise an issue in my area of Mayo … Claremorris is a town with fewer than 4,000 people. Such is the lack of childcare places that one childcare provider alone has more than 100 children on its waiting list. These are families where parents have obtained job offers and, in many cases, where mothers want

problem that is experienced throughout the country. A multifaceted approach is needed. I salute Cahir Bears, Ardfinnan Community Playschool and the childcare service in Ballyporeen. They are wonderful institutions. They got funding from Pobal but they had some difficulty in drawing down the money and getting it. They … Twenty-five years ag fás – fiche bliain is fiche. I want to impress on the Government that we must look at childcare. It is not the case that one size fits all. We must support parents who are in the home and allow them to be there

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

roadmap, an Teachta Kerrane has showed it how it can be done in terms of delivering for parents and children. Access to affordable childcare allowed me to finish college, to work part-time and then to move on to full-time employment. Affordable childcare was a game-changer … family. The best way to deliver affordable childcare, and the Minister knows this, is by delivering it on a not-for-profit basis yet in my constituency of Dublin Fingal West we see the Government attitude to community childcare laid bare. I represent the youngest constituency in this

thank Sinn Féin and Deputy Kerrane for bringing forward this motion on childcare, which I will be supporting. Ireland is in the grip of a serious childcare crisis which has been allowed to continue for far too long. Parents are not only struggling to afford childcare but they … children are left without a place. The latest figures from Pobal show there were over 2,000 children on a waiting list for childcare places in Donegal, with childcare costing, on average, €180 per week. It is unacceptable that families are competing for just a handful of places

thank Deputy Kerrane for bringing forward this motion. I will raise two discrete issues that have been raised by childcare providers with me in my constituency of Dublin West. The first is the concern about the time it is taking for Garda vetting of applications from childcare professionals … address, it is an extra 20 days for an application. This is really problematic because, as the Minister of State knows, many childcare providers are operating close to ratio. If they go below ratio, they may well have to shut a room, which creates great disruption for parents

families. It is about whether taking on extra hours or returning to work actually pays and whether the balance between wages, taxation, childcare costs and commuting costs works in their favour. That is particularly true in fast-growing commuter areas like Fingal. In towns such as Skerries, Balbriggan … young children, are working part time, not by choice but because it is the only viable option available to them. That is where childcare becomes central. While we have seen an increase in investments in childcare and more families benefiting from supports, availability remains a real issue

chun déileáil leis an gceist seo. In the election in 2024 his party and mine made a commitment to reduce the cost of childcare. This is an important tenet and in the Dún Laoghaire constituency childcare was one of the major issues people were talking to me about … They were essentially paying a second mortgage to put their children into childcare. It is an enormous cost and an enormous burden on households. The proposed reduction we promised in the election was therefore welcome. It was proportionate and also doable. I recognise the work that has gone

city development plan proposals, further residential zoning is earmarked. Recently, the Minister, Deputy Foley, announced €135 million for State-led early learning and childcare services. It is a very welcome scheme and, in time, will prove to be a landmark announcement if we build upon it. I stand … decade, it has seen significant growth and, with recent zoning, the population is forecast to double in the next ten years, yet its childcare infrastructure has not kept pace. In Glanmire, I can count at least four premises that were designated for childcare services that were never delivered

assist the Minister with that meeting, I would say it is time our planning authorities were required to scale up their competency in childcare. At present, assessment of childcare needs occupies a low level of priority when it comes to assessing planning applications in large-scale residential developments … That needs to change. There should be mandatory technical guidelines for childcare facilities so that units are suitable and usable as childcare facilities in size, design, regulatory compliance and location. They should not be built at the back of estates, essentially as housing units, for numbers of children

people who live in it. The future of that economy is the children who are raised in it, and they are being failed. Childcare is an essential service, not just for families but also for the economy. Almost half of one-parent households with children live in deprivation … Access to affordable, quality childcare is one of the key factors to take children out of poverty. Parents in this State pay among the highest costs for childcare in the OECD. These high childcare costs are forcing families into poverty. They are forcing women out of the workforce

households would receive a €400 energy credit. Many public services that are free or heavily subsidised in other countries are exorbitantly priced here. Childcare is just one example. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil made solemn commitments to families about the cost of childcare during the election. They promised … really interested in reducing the cost of living, it would prioritise investment in public services like education, high-quality housing, healthcare and childcare. Can the Minister of State imagine how a parent feels to see his or her own child grow up in poverty while the country

some services to open and for some services to close. The year 2024 saw a five-year high in the number of childcare services opening and a five-year low in the number of early learning and childcare services closing. A total of 357 services opened, while … services closed, which resulted in a net increase of 226 childcare services opening in 2024. There have been year-on-year increases in the number of childcare services opening since registration of school-age childcare began in 2019. The register and related data are updated monthly by Tusla

thank the Deputy for raising this crucial issue. Investment in childcare has quadrupled since 2015 from €260 million to close to €1.4 billion in 2025. Last year alone, funding went up by 26%, or €261 million. Childcare costs meanwhile have dropped by more than 38% since early … increased by 19% between 2021 and 2024. That is from 197,000 to approximately 234,000. There was a net gain of 226 childcare services in 2024. That is a six year low in closures. Staff numbers are up 8%. The national childcare scheme provider participation

children for the Social Democrats, over the last couple of months I embarked on a series of engagements with stakeholders involved in childcare and early years services, as I am sure the Minister has done in her brief. I have met unions, private providers and parents. Notwithstanding … change or improve. The Minister does not need me to tell her about the position of so many who are trying to access childcare and early years services, certainly where populations are growing at very unsustainable rates on foot of housing development and growth. Deputy Wall

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 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

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the national childcare scheme attendance and under attendance provisions are currently under review; whether greater flexibility is being considered for working families whose childcare needs remain unchanged but whose children may occasionally attend fewer hours

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a formal protocol exists between her Department, Pobal and County Childcare Committees regarding the management of childcare services affected by defective concrete; and if so, to provide details of that protocol. [67388/26

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether childcare facilities affected by defective concrete are being prioritised under the State-led childcare infrastructure programme; and if not, if consideration will be given to establishing such a priority mechanism. [67389/26

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality measures in place to ensure that childcare places are not lost where a childcare facility affected by defective concrete becomes unsafe or unsuitable for occupation. [67392/26

Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in the targeted plans to reduce childcare costs for parents, whether there are plans in place to review the Core funding programme to ensure that funding reflects the increasing costs faced by childcare providers and if consideration

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to give an update on the sites to be selected for the rollout of the State-led childcare pilot; and if she has considered the inclusion of County Kildare given it has one of the lowest levels of community childcare provision. [65891/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress that has been made towards the Programme for Government's commitments to further reduce childcare costs for families; the measures implemented to date to improve affordability; the planned measures to improve affordability and availability of childcare for families. [65916/26

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she will consider reforming the administration of the national childcare scheme to ensure that parents are not financially penalised for collecting their children early where they are paying the childcare provider for the full period booked

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the criteria applied in prioritising projects for the current phase of the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the number and locations of the projects prioritised to date; whether the planning status and estimated fit-out period of the premises … proposed for a facility of up to 150 places in Glanmire, Cork, submitted by Cork City Childcare Committee, were assessed in reaching the decision not to prioritise that proposal; when the next phase of project selection will take place; and when decisions are expected to be confirmed. [65862/26

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of childcare providers operating from publicly funded school premises that do not participate in the national childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64512/26

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the childcare affordability measures currently under consideration by her Department in advance of Budget 2027; whether changes to national childcare scheme subsidy rates are being examined. [65655/26

associated creche space in a residential development (details supplied) in the context of the Programme for Government commitment to review the 2001 childcare facilities guidelines for planning authorities to ensure childcare spaces are provided and put to use. [65800/26

Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently on waiting lists for early learning and childcare places, including children under one, one to two years, two to three years, ECCE age and school-age childcare, by county and age category

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has assessed the impact of commercial rates on the financial sustainability of private childcare providers, particularly those whose income is largely derived from State-funded childcare schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54242/26