1575. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the recently launched, State-led early learning and childcare services capital funding model; the way she will ensure that projects will be highlighted and places delivered promptly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19758/26]
Topics / Early Childhood Care and Education
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsEarly 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
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 2 |
| February 2025 | 20 |
| March 2025 | 23 |
| April 2025 | 21 |
| May 2025 | 24 |
| June 2025 | 7 |
| July 2025 | 37 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 32 |
| October 2025 | 27 |
| November 2025 | 46 |
| December 2025 | 26 |
| January 2026 | 37 |
| February 2026 | 52 |
| March 2026 | 27 |
| April 2026 | 60 |
| May 2026 | 26 |
| June 2026 | 23 |
| July 2026 | 11 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 12 |
| October 2026 | 8 |
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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57
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33
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28
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22
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20
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19
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17
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15
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
1576. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on an expression of interest from Cork City Childcare for a service in Glanmire under the state-led early learning and childcare services capital fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19759/26]
1606. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current number of registered early learning and care places available in Galway City (details supplied), by age category, zero to one year, one to two years, and two to five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20246/26]
1607. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department holds data on the number of children currently on waiting lists for early learning and childcare services in Galway City (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20247/26]
1608. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific measures her Department is taking to address the shortage of early learning and care places for children under two years of age in Galway City (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20248/26]
1609. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Galway City is being considered as a priority location for the development of the planned State led early learning and childcare services announced by her Department (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20249/26]
1610. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeline families in Galway city can reasonably expect regarding the expansion of childcare capacity in the area, particularly for children under two years of age (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20250/26]
212. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether early learning and care providers delivering the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme exclusively from their own private property are exempt from liability for commercial rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16946/26]
242. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether guidance has issued to the Valuation Office and to local authorities to ensure a consistent national approach to the rateability of early childhood care and education providers operating from private property; if so, to provide details of such guidance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16947/26]
530. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the case of a child whose application for placement (details supplied) was refused solely on jurisdictional grounds despite the absence of any equivalent specialised preschool provision in their own catchment area; whether CHO boundary rules override clinical recommendations in such circumstances; the mechanism which exist to permit cross-bou…
226. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will support an increase in the ECCE rates for childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17442/26]
232. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality which early education centres are receiving funding in the State; and the total number of children attending at that level; and how many of these centres are providing the service in full Irish and what number of children are involved and can the issue be discussed. [17748/26]
754. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether providers delivering the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme only, are liable for commercial rates; to indicate if any assessment has been undertaken regarding the financial sustainability of ECCE-only services in light of commercial rates and other overhead costs; to clarify whether services who are permitt…
757. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the capital funding supports currently available to early years providers and crèches seeking to expand their premises in order to accommodate additional childcare places; and whether any funding streams exist to assist with the purchase or provision of temporary accommodation while permanent structures are being planned or constructe…
766. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has considered the views of ‘An Independent Review of the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme in Ireland’ in relation to the impact of the rigid age eligibility for the ECCE programme; if her attention has been drawn to the review’s suggestion for a degree of flexibility, especially for children who are just missing ou…
768. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm the membership of the committee responsible for the adjudication of sites for the State-led provision of childcare and early years education services; the number of times it has met since its inception; the number of applications it has adjudicated on and the location of same. [17161/26]
769. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress of the implementation of a single agency for early years and school age care. [17162/26]
436. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether he has issued any policy direction, guidance, or formal interdepartmental coordination framework since 1 January 2025 concerning safeguarding disclosure or re-vetting arrangements in the early years sector; whether such coordination has been formalised through memorandum, circular, or agreed protocol at Government level; and if…
438. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 833 of 4 February 2026, if he will publish the report of the Garda Vetting Review Group. [16078/26]
439. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the timetable for the introduction of proposed changes to the Garda vetting process; the nature of those changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16079/26]
902. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average percentage increase in pay for the lowest paid early years staff that is, those earning within the first quintile of the pay distribution between 2022 (pre-ERO) and 2025 (the most recent ERO), for each staff grade; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14984/26]
908. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the cost of increasing the estimated first-year, full-year and annual cost of increasing the current minimum rate of pay for early years educators by €0.50, €1, and €1.50; and the first-year, full-year and annual estimated cost to increase all other grades covered by the early years employment regulation order by the same amounts. [15…
91. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is concerned at reports of early years services and childminders receiving bills for commercial rates; if she will act to ensure rates are not applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13520/26]
107. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how the new €135 million programme of State-led early learning and childcare services will support increased capacity and improved access for families in Kildare North, particularly in areas experiencing sustained demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13255/26]
114. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will prioritise Irish-medium services in the development of State-led early years facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12771/26]