788. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total cost of the national childcare scheme universal subsidy, by year from 2020 to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51732/25]
Topics / Childcare Services
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsChildcare Services
1,438 questions from 125 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
1,438
questions
1,397 written, 41 oral
125
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
8
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 11 |
| February 2025 | 62 |
| March 2025 | 43 |
| April 2025 | 71 |
| May 2025 | 35 |
| June 2025 | 70 |
| July 2025 | 93 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 87 |
| October 2025 | 41 |
| November 2025 | 155 |
| December 2025 | 74 |
| January 2026 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 76 |
| March 2026 | 55 |
| April 2026 | 78 |
| May 2026 | 107 |
| June 2026 | 144 |
| July 2026 | 64 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 38 |
| October 2026 | 63 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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130
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88
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70
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69
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47
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40
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36
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33
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
789. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated cost of granting every recipient the maximum rate of subsidy available under the national childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51733/25]
793. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the core funding levels of support per hour to childcare providers; the payments for specific additional elements delivered, which will apply for the coming school year; the level of increase in each case compared to last year; and the estimated number of providers and children served by those who have continued operating under the sc…
794. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the maximum level of hourly support paid under the NCS in different age categories for those on lowest incomes, allowing the highest rate of payment; the rate for those at the highest level of income who still qualify for some premium over the universal rate; and the way in which the intermediate rate payable to a particular family is…
797. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has received an update on the assessment of the administrative burden for providers of childcare services in complying with eligibility and record keeping under core funding and the national childcare scheme; the simplification proposals which she has implemented and those up for further consideration; and if she will make a st…
803. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to restructuring the core funding model for childcare services with a view to providing additional funding to the scheme, to increase the cap on funding of €750,000 for larger childcare providers, to encourage them to remain in the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51957/25]
804. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to restructuring the core funding model for childcare services with a view to removing the cap on funding for childcare providers, which has been reduced from €500,000 to €450,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51958/25]
156. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the options available to parents whose creche or preschool provider does not allow for part time attendance, and so charge parents for full time attendance; the way in which this operates in terms of the national childcare scheme; if parents who have no alternative options can qualify for coverage of the full 45 hours; and if she will make…
158. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a child with a disability who attends a childcare setting under the NCS is being penalised by a reduction in NCS subsidies due to regular attendance at medical appointments and essential therapies; the reason allowances cannot be made for attendance at essential therapies/appointments without loss of NCS hours; if she will …
3. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on key commitments made in the programme for Government on early years and, specifically, the commitment to undertake a broad consultation and publish a detailed action plan to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system with State-led facilities adding capacity, as well as a rev…
6. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to reduce the cost of childcare; the steps being taken to prevent the closure of early years and crèche services; if there is a timeframe in place to cap childcare costs as per the programme for Government commitment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50181/25]
9. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of issues childminders are experiencing with the new regulations; if she is concerned that childminders are leaving the role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49910/25]
15. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of parents with children attending a childcare centre (details supplied); the actions she will take to engage with management of this childcare centre on these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49128/25]
23. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the action plan for childcare, as per the Programme for Government. [50180/25]
25. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department holds any statistics on the average cost of childcare in each of the past ten years; and the steps her Department is taking to reduce the cost of childcare. [49649/25]
28. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the action her Department is taking to address the lack of childcare places in County Louth. [50190/25]
30. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps that will be taken in Budget 2026 to advance a public model of childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50106/25]
32. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions planned to ensure childcare providers participate in the core funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50193/25]
33. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the measures currently being taken in her Department to reduce the costs of childcare for families; the supports for providers to ensure they can maintain both quality and sustainability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50207/25]
39. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to progressively reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child. [50127/25]
43. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the gradual reduction of childcare costs, as committed to in the Programme for Government; the steps she has taken to progress this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49129/25]
46. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to expand on the number of community based childcare providers for County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50194/25]
47. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the action she is taking to alleviate childcare costs for parents forced to rely on childcare services that have withdrawn from the core funding scheme due to a lack of alternative options in their area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50115/25]
48. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will outline her plans for the development of a childcare action plan to address the current childcare crisis in the country. [50026/25]
56. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps being taken by her Department to address significant childcare waiting lists, including the almost 2,400 children currently awaiting a place in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50172/25]