Topics / Early Childhood Care and Education

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Early Childhood Care and Education

521 questions from 96 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.

521
questions
506 written, 15 oral
96
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
9
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
MonthQuestions
January 20252
February 202520
March 202523
April 202521
May 202524
June 20257
July 202537
August 20250
September 202532
October 202527
November 202546
December 202526
January 202637
February 202652
March 202627
April 202660
May 202626
June 202623
July 202611
August 20260
September 202612
October 20268

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.

  • 100% RDR1 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Aontú1 from 1 TD · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil88 from 24 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael92 from 18 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party33 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent31 from 7 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland19 from 1 TD · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party58 from 9 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity6 from 3 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin147 from 22 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 57
  2. 33
  3. 28
  4. 22
  5. 20
  6. 19
  7. 17
  8. 15

The questions

Joanna Byrne Written 28 Jan 2026 · to Children
170. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare providers in County Louth which have sought supports through the existing case management process, where her Departments City/County Childcare Committees and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to services experiencing difficulties in 2025. [6683/26]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 28 Jan 2026 · to Children
171. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new early learning and childcare providers that have opened and closed since 2020 to-date in 2026, by county, by year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6731/26]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 28 Jan 2026 · to Children
172. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare places available for children between the ages of one and three, from 2020 to-date in 2026, in Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6732/26]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 28 Jan 2026 · to Children
173. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of early learning and childcare providers that have pulled out of the core funding scheme since its introduction in 2021 to-date in 2026, by county, by year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6733/26]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 28 Jan 2026 · to Children
174. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the locations of the community childcare facilities in County Wicklow; the capacity and age groups of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6734/26]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 28 Jan 2026 · to Children
175. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of community childcare facilities nationwide; the capacity and age group of each, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6735/26]
Conor D McGuinness Written 27 Jan 2026 · to Housing
639. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason a preschool (details supplied) operating under the ECCE scheme has received a commercial rates bill; whether this is now the standard for all ECCE preschools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5885/26]
Shane Moynihan Written 27 Jan 2026 · to Children
864. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the development of the new forward planning model within her Department for early learning and childcare; whether any outputs or findings from the models' mapping of supply and demand are available at this stage; if such information can be shared by county or local area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…
Shane Moynihan Written 27 Jan 2026 · to Children
865. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether, once areas of high unmet demand for early learning and childcare have been identified through her Department's forward planning work, if her Department will engage locally to identify suitable vacant or under-utilised childcare premises for potential State acquisition or use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5…
Shane Moynihan Written 27 Jan 2026 · to Children
866. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to progress with State-led acquisition of childcare facilities; whether areas of high unmet demand will first be identified through forward planning and suitable premises identified thereafter, or whether identification of demand and buildings will proceed concurrently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5918/2…
Shane Moynihan Written 27 Jan 2026 · to Children
867. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the number of approved but vacant childcare facilities in an area will be taken into account in decision-making on forward planning and State-led acquisition of childcare infrastructure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5919/26]
Emer Currie Written 27 Jan 2026 · to Children
906. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on a matter relating to ECCE (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6477/26]
Emer Currie Written 22 Jan 2026 · to Housing
203. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for 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. [4871/26]
Roderic O'Gorman Written 22 Jan 2026 · to Children
494. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when the review of the ECCE programme will be completed; when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5220/26]
Roderic O'Gorman Written 22 Jan 2026 · to Children
495. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider greater flexibility for entry dates for the ECCE programme, particularly if a child has only missed an entry date by a short period of time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5221/26]
Emer Currie Written 22 Jan 2026 · to Children
496. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the changes in eligibility and points of entry since the ECCE commenced and the Programme for Government commitment to evaluate options to amend the ECCE eligibility criteria.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5257/26]
Willie O'Dea Written 21 Jan 2026 · to Children
238. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that some ECCE providers have received commercial rates bills (details supplied), despite believing that ECCE-only services were exempt; the way in which she plans to assist these ECCE only providers with their commercial rates bill and arrears, as many of them may be forced to close at a time when there is a gross lack …
Aisling Dempsey Written 21 Jan 2026 · to Children
258. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if new providers entered core funding in 2025; and details of same. [4776/26]
Aisling Dempsey Written 21 Jan 2026 · to Children
259. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if any providers returned to core funding, having previously left, in 2025; and the details of same. [4777/26]
Ann Graves Written 20 Jan 2026 · to Children
823. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if it can be ensured that a person (details supplied) receives appropriate AIM staffing or support so the child can safely access preschool education. [4269/26]
Conor D McGuinness Written 20 Jan 2026 · to Children
845. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a pre-school (details supplied) operating under the ECCE scheme has received a commercial rates bill; whether this is now the standard for all ECCE pre-schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3854/26]
Conor D McGuinness Written 20 Jan 2026 · to Children
846. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a pre-school (details supplied) operating under the ECCE scheme has received a commercial rates bill; whether this is now the standard for all ECCE pre-schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3855/26]
Conor D McGuinness Written 20 Jan 2026 · to Children
847. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason as to why a pre-school (details supplied) operating under the ECCE scheme has received a commercial rates bill; whether this is now the standard for all ECCE pre-schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3856/26]
Conor D McGuinness Written 20 Jan 2026 · to Children
848. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason a pre-school (details supplied) operating under the ECCE scheme has received a commercial rates bill; whether this is now the standard for all ECCE pre-schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3857/26]
Mark Wall Written 15 Jan 2026 · to Children
497. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a childcare provider can terminate an ECCE placement if a parent reduces their child’s childcare hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3089/26]