Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 October 2024
202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans in hand to increase the number of childcare places throughout County Kildare over the next three years; the work in hand for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39446/24]
View answerImproving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government.Data available to shows that the level of capacity in the sector has risen substantially in recent years.
Sector profile data shows an increase in enrolments nationally of 8% between 2022 and 2023 with a similar increase in enrolments in Kildare for the same period.
However, I am aware that some parents are having difficulty in finding the type of affordable early learning and care provision that they would like for their children, particularly younger children.
The Building Blocks Capital Schemes, which are operating over 2024 and 2025, are supporting services to increase capacity through two strands, the Expansion Scheme, with applications now closed, and the Extension Scheme due to open for applications later this year. The Extension Scheme will provide €25 million in capital funding next year to deliver thousands of new affordable early learning and childcare places. It will offer funding for large scale projects to enable existing community and private services to build new capacity onto their current premises by means of physical extension. It will also allow community services to apply to purchase or construct new premises. Appraisal of applications under the Building Blocks Scheme will consider the supply and demand in the area around the proposed projects and seeks to prioritise funding for areas with the biggest supply/demand mismatch.
The network of City and County Childcare Committees will provide supports to services that are applying for funding under the Scheme. My Department will continue to progress a range of actions, such as the development of the Core Funding scheme and support for the regulation of childminders, to ensure the supply of early learning and childcare meets demand.
Officials in my Department are also working with colleagues on wider matters to do with the supply of early learning and childcare places. I have established an interdepartmental working group on early learning and childcare planning matters that will support this work.
