This Government and the previous one did more for childcare in the Past five years than any previous Governments. There has been progress along the way but there was very substantial progress in the Past four to five years. Deputy McDonald does not have it within
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In debates
people who would like to work but cannot do so because of structural circumstances in their lives, whether it is a lack of childcare, a lack of transport or because they are caring for an elderly parent or relative. There are people who would like to work
discuss the timeline for changes to the primary medical certificate criteria.
Deputy Conor D. McGuinness - To discuss commercial rates bills for Waterford childcare providers participating in the ECCE scheme.
Deputy Darren O'Rourke - To discuss the shortage of transport services to adult disability day services in County Meath
severe pressure. The dereliction is not just an eyesore, it actively blocks delivery of housing, large GP services, early education facilities, school-age childcare facilities and the basic infrastructure our communities urgently need.
These sites should be contributing to vibrant town centres and sustainable development, not decay
average weekly earnings are up significantly as well. Through the broader management of the economy, investment in services, infrastructure, housing, education, health and childcare are the areas we decided to prioritise in the budget, along with social protection. In the social protection framework, we said we would look
services. We make no apology for investing in special education or in disability services and we make no apology for investing in childcare or, indeed, disability and other services and particularly in infrastructure, which we need to do for the future of this society and the economy
happy new year. On Monday, 12 January, The Echo, a Cork local newspaper known to the Taoiseach and me, reported dozens of early childcare facilities closing across Cork. In fact, 130 facilities have closed in the past five years in Cork and that is echoed throughout Ireland. Providers
have the highest number of partner services and core funding at any point since the childcare scheme was launched in 2022, and the number continues to grow. A small number of providers have decided not to sign up for core funding for the current 2025-26 programme
makes clear that childminding remains central to the Government's vision for the future of early learning and care and school-age childcare. The national action plan for childminding 2021-2028 sets out a pathway for the extension of regulation and supports to childminders. Implementation of that plan
Roughly 22,000 children will need childcare in County Clare by 2027. Only five services have registered and only 26 individual childminders have done the mandatory pre-registration training so far. With less than two years before these new regulations take effect, what is being done to ensure
will say again that I absolutely acknowledge that childminders are an incredibly important and valuable resource in the whole sphere of the childcare sector and I want them to continue in the business. I have to ensure they are regulated and, as has been said
smart and avoid that last-minute surge by putting in place a planned, targeted information campaign for next year, possibly using the childcare committees. This would ensure that any misinformation about the process is countered and that anyone who might be interested hears about this well before
positive suggestions for how we can collaboratively support childminders going forward. Already the Department provides funding to each of the county and city childcare committees so that there is a specific individual who is a childminding development officer in place in each of the committees to work directly
That matters because the cost-of-living crisis did not end on budget night. Families are still struggling with food prices, energy bills, childcare, transport and rents. People are working just as hard - indeed, often harder - yet falling further behind. The budget has locked in hardship
your record on housing.
The Government's list of broken promises does not end there. You promised to deliver a roadmap to reduce childcare fees to €200 a month in your first 100 days of office. Nearly a year in, we got a half-baked plan from
Deputy Peter Roche asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether his Department has assessed the cumulative impact of rising energy, childcare and housing costs on households that do not qualify for means-tested supports; whether targeted tax credit adjustments are under consideration in future budget preparations
question is about what assessment the Department of Finance has carried out of the cumulative increase in costs in things like energy, childcare and housing, and the effect that has on hard-pressed working families. Will that assessment result in any particular policy change, for example, more targeted
that, for example, housing is much more expensive in cities. There is no recognition of the fact that if you are running a childcare facility in my constituency of Dún Laoghaire, your rent will be higher as will the rent paid by your staff. I raised with
They are; 30 schools are falling this year. And childcare
cost-of-disability payment, which was promised in a report in 2021 that has not yet been acted on. It could have reduced childcare costs as promised during the election, but that has not happened. It could have lifted 40,000 children out of poverty
Those are insane amounts of money. That is making millionaires out of CEOs at a time when people cannot afford childcare or housing. It shows how out of touch the Government is.
Last year the CSO identified that in-work poverty was 5.9%. That equates to more than
encourages the use of school buildings and school sports facilities outside of school hours for community and recreational purposes where feasible, including childcare and after school uses. Over the past number of years, we developed a project that was one of the first where schools collaborated with
Minister nearly said "childcare" there
childcare
money into capital, State-led childcare facilities for the first time. We extended the renters’ tax credit which was due to expire. We have taken real decisions and it is just the first of five budgets
In parliamentary questions
Erin McGreehan
Written
Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to ensure that childcare providers across the country have access to sustainable funding. [72978/25
Aindrias Moynihan
Written
Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to protect and assist parents whose childcare providers are leaving core funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73066/25
Claire Kerrane
Written
Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which she will urgently build childcare capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71913/25
Cathy Bennett
Written
Children, Disability and Equality the timeframe in which she intends to bring forward a plan to achieve a reduction in the cost of childcare to €10 per day. [72967/25
Pearse Doherty
Written
Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to deal with childcare facilities that have been affected by defective concrete blocks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73271/25
Noel McCarthy
Written
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the measures being taken by her Department to increase the provision of childcare places in east Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73195/25
Louise O'Reilly
Written
Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the commitments she has made to provide community childcare in multi-purpose community hubs and centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73015/25
Brendan Smith
Written
Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total expenditure in 2025 in assisting the upgrading or provision of new childcare accommodation, both for community providers and private providers; the level of funding to be provided for such developments in 2026; and if she will
Michael Murphy
Written
Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has conducted or commissioned any recent analysis of the financial sustainability of small and medium-sized childcare providers under the current core funding model; and if she will publish the findings of such analysis; and if she will make a statement
Claire Kerrane
Written
Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the action plan on childcare will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71910/25
John Connolly
Written
Disability and Equality for an update on the implementation of a programme of acquisition and fit-out of State-led early learning and childcare services, as proposed in the programme for Government and budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72982/25
Naoise Ó Muirí
Written
Equality if she will provide an update on the programme for Government commitment to provide capital investment to build or purchase State-owned childcare facilities, to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72947/25
Peter Roche
Oral
Deputy Peter Roche asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether his Department has assessed the cumulative impact of rising energy, childcare and housing costs on households that do not qualify for means-tested supports; whether targeted tax credit adjustments are under consideration in future budget preparations
Jen Cummins
Written
Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to ensure more childcare providers join and-or remain in core funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72962/25
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for a county-by-county breakdown of vacant childcare places for those aged under one, under four, and school age care. [73841/25
Naoise Ó Muirí
Written
Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when locations will be prioritised under the forthcoming childcare capital investment programme; whether towns in Kildare North will be considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72843/25
Naoise Ó Muirí
Written
Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the outputs of the childcare forward planning model will be published; the way in which local population growth projections will be incorporated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72844/25
Mairéad Farrell
Written
Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on childcare supports for children under the ECCE age range; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71780/25
Thomas Gould
Written
Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare facilities in Cork that have given notification of closure in each of the past five years. [72154/25
Thomas Gould
Written
Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare facilities that have removed themselves from the NCS scheme in each of the past five years. [72155/25
Matt Carthy
Written
Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will engage with a childcare provider (details supplied) to resolve the issues that threaten the closure of this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72159/25
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Written
Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the key measures taken to improve childcare and early learning services during 2025; her priorities for same in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72473/25
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Written
Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the key measures taken to improve employment conditions in the childcare and early learning services during 2025; her priorities for same in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72474/25
William Aird
Written
Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress achieved over the past 12 months on each childcare-related commitment in the Programme for Government, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72541/25
Emer Currie
Written
Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health the measures her Department is taking to increase access to emergency allergy treatment in schools, childcare, and public places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71355/25
Want to see how often it came up over time? Follow “childcare” month by month.