Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2025
639. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of creches that have signed up to the core funding scheme in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35392/25]
View answerParticipation in Core Funding is optional but it remains open to all registered providers subject to their agreement to the terms and conditions of the funding.
According to recent data provided by Pobal, in their role as scheme administrator, a total of 4,437 services contracted (as of 23 June), to Core Funding, to date, with applications still open.
Please see table below, which gives the total number of unique service reference numbers (SRN), who activated a Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement for each programme year of Core Funding.
This is broken down by the calendar year in which the funding agreement was activated. All of these services will have received Core Funding payments in the relevant programme year.
Services that underwent a change of circumstance (COC), (i.e. a change of address, legal structure or owner) will have received a new service reference number after the change. Provided they re-joined Core Funding under the new reference number, these services are only included once in the count.
Contract Start & End Dates:
• Core Funding Year 2 (04-09-2023 to 01-09-2024)
• Core Funding Year 3 (02-09-2024 to 31-08-2025)
|
Programme Year |
Contracted & Approved Allocations 2023 (removed COCs) |
Contracted & Approved Allocations 2024 (removed COCs) |
Contracted & Approved Allocations 2025 (removed COCs) |
Total Programme Year |
|
Core Funding 2023-24 |
4,345 |
74 |
4,419 |
|
|
Core Funding 2024-25 |
4,387 |
81 |
4,468 |
Programme Year 2023/2024 Programme Year 2024/2025
|
County Division |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Cork City |
163 |
2 |
165 |
163 |
3 |
166 |
|
County Carlow |
47 |
1 |
48 |
51 |
51 |
|
|
County Cavan |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
||
|
County Clare |
141 |
1 |
142 |
147 |
3 |
150 |
|
County Cork |
342 |
11 |
353 |
362 |
10 |
372 |
|
County Donegal |
157 |
2 |
159 |
167 |
3 |
170 |
|
County Galway |
285 |
9 |
294 |
283 |
6 |
289 |
|
County Kerry |
145 |
4 |
149 |
147 |
2 |
149 |
|
County Kildare |
170 |
6 |
176 |
178 |
3 |
181 |
|
County Kilkenny |
94 |
2 |
96 |
95 |
2 |
97 |
|
County Laois |
88 |
1 |
89 |
91 |
91 |
|
|
County Leitrim |
38 |
1 |
39 |
40 |
40 |
|
|
County Limerick |
196 |
4 |
200 |
211 |
6 |
217 |
|
County Longford |
36 |
36 |
34 |
1 |
35 |
|
|
County Louth |
106 |
2 |
108 |
106 |
1 |
107 |
|
County Mayo |
128 |
1 |
129 |
124 |
5 |
129 |
|
County Meath |
186 |
1 |
187 |
182 |
8 |
190 |
|
County Monaghan |
64 |
1 |
65 |
66 |
1 |
67 |
|
County Offaly |
67 |
67 |
70 |
1 |
71 |
|
|
County Roscommon |
62 |
62 |
67 |
67 |
||
|
County Sligo |
80 |
80 |
74 |
2 |
76 |
|
|
County Tipperary |
177 |
6 |
183 |
181 |
4 |
185 |
|
County Waterford |
91 |
91 |
93 |
93 |
||
|
County Westmeath |
83 |
83 |
84 |
2 |
86 |
|
|
County Wexford |
136 |
2 |
138 |
138 |
7 |
145 |
|
County Wicklow |
156 |
2 |
158 |
153 |
1 |
154 |
|
Dublin City |
394 |
5 |
399 |
385 |
1 |
386 |
|
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown |
163 |
1 |
164 |
155 |
3 |
158 |
|
Fingal |
272 |
3 |
275 |
262 |
2 |
264 |
|
South Dublin |
203 |
6 |
209 |
203 |
4 |
207 |
|
Total |
4345 |
74 |
4419 |
4387 |
81 |
4468 |
* Please Note: Each programme year covers two calendar years, therefore the practical way to report data is by programme year and not calendar year, however, both breakdowns are included in the table above.
This year the scheme has continued to support increases to capacity and accessibility for parents whilst also ensuring improved quality and sustainability of Partner Services.
