Written Answers Nos. 320-335
320. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the first and full-year cost, in terms of additional core funding required, to deliver on the €295 per week maximum fee cap for childcare that was introduced by Government; and if a separate funding stream that is not core funding is being employed to specify same. [56110/25]
View answer324. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the first and full-year cost, in terms of additional core funding required, to deliver on the €295 per week maximum fee cap for childcare that was introduced by Government; and if a separate funding stream that is not core funding is being employed, to specify same. [56135/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 320 and 324 together.
The introduction of Core Funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding.
An allocation of €405.21 million for the Scheme was secured in Budget 2026. This is an increase of €51.97. million on the 2025 allocation of €353.23 million – representing a 15% year-on-year increase and a 56% increase over the 2022 allocation of €259 million.
A service’s Core Funding grant is designed to support the costs of:
• Staff pay and conditions, including contact and non-contact time, holiday pay, sick pay and other employer costs
• Administrative staff/time
• Non-staff overhead costs
Adherence to the Core Funding fee management system is a primary condition of receiving the significant State funding that is available through the Scheme. The fee management system requires compliance with a fee freeze and the maximum fee caps.
Fee caps were first introduced on First Time Partner Services, meaning new entrants to the Scheme, beginning in September 2024. As part of the announcement of these limited fee caps, it was clearly indicated that fee caps would apply to all Partner Services from September 2025. This was also called out in the 2024/2025 Partner Service Funding Agreement.
These new maximum fee cap on all Partner Services places a limit on the maximum fees that can be charged across all types of provision. Under these new maximum fee caps, the highest possible fees will be no more than €295 per week for a full day place of between 40-50 hours per week (the most common full day care operating hours) and a maximum fee of €354 per week for more than 50 hours of care.
It is important to note that these fees for parents are then reduced by State subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme and the free, universal two-year Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) preschool programme.
A parent being charged the maximum permissible fee of €295 per week (for the most common full day care option) would be entitled to receive the universal National Childcare Scheme subsidy of €96.30, meaning their own co-payment would be no more than €198.70 per week. Higher subsidies are available for many parents, depending on their level of income and the age and number of children in their family.
A maximum fee value applies to all six Fee Bands of the Common Fee Structure as of 1 September 2025. This will reduce the highest fees across the country in each Fee Band. This is an important step towards the reduction of childcare fees to €200 per month over the lifetime of this Government. Maximum fee caps represent a mechanism for addressing outlier fees, bringing the highest fees in the country closer to the average weekly fee for full day care of €197 and ameliorating disparity in the market.
When the maximum fees were set in the summer, 460 Partner Services (10%) were identified as having at least one fee option above the corresponding maximum fee. These services were required to reduce any affected fees from 1 September 2025 in order to continue to receive payments under Core Funding. As the fee caps were introduced to place limits on excessively high fees charged by services; while receiving State investment through Core Funding, no separate funding stream was set aside to support their implementation in year 4.
90% of Partner Services already charge far less than the maximum fee caps and are therefore unaffected. The majority of these services remain bound by the fee freeze, wherein they cannot increase their fees beyond the levels charged in September 2021, the increased investment in Core Funding is designed to offset any increases to costs services may experience.
The Department oversees a system of case management through which local City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) assist Core Funding Partner Services. Supports can include help with cashflow, fee setting and completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.
321. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount of funding allocated to her Department in Budget 2026 for the purpose of reducing the maximum fee cap from its current level of €295 per week. [56111/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to progressively reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child, and to ensuring that providers’ fees are open, transparent and equitable and readily available to parents, and to maintaining the fee cap.
One of the main vehicles for delivering these commitments is the Core Funding scheme. Core Funding is a supply-side payment to early learning and childcare services to support them with their operating costs, and is designed to support affordability, quality and sustainability in the sector.
A key feature of Core Funding is the introduction of a system of fee management, to ensure that affordability measures and increased investment are passed on to parents/guardians. This began with an effective fee freeze from September 2022. In return for significant funding through the scheme, Partner Services agree not to raise their fees above what was charged to parents as on 30 September 2021.
Core Funding has seen consistent increased State investment to the sector year on year. An allocation of €405.21 million was secured in Budget 2026 for Core Funding. This is an increase of €51.97 million on the 2025 allocation of €353.23 million – representing a 15% year-on-year increase. The 2026 Core Funding allocation represents a 56% increase over the initial Core Funding allocation of €259 million secured in 2022.
€20.2 million in brand new funding for a full programme year has been secured to support providers in adhering to the fee management conditions including reductions in the maximum fee caps in the 2026/2027 programme year. This will guarantee that the affordability benefits of Core Funding will continue to felt by families while ensuring sustainability and stability for the sector.
In addition to funding increases, changes were made to the fee management system for the fourth year of Core Funding. A cap on fees, which was introduced for First-Time Partner Services in Year 3, has been reduced and extended to all new and existing Partner Services. Under these new fee caps, the fee for a full day place – of between 40-50 hours per week, the most common full day care operating hours – can be charged at no more than €295 per week (before State subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the ECCE programme are deducted), with a fee cap of €354 for more than 50 hours of care.
When the maximum fees for Year 4 were set earlier this year, 460 Partner Services (10% of Scheme participants) were identified as having at least one fee option above the corresponding maximum fee. These services were required to reduce any affected fees from 1 September 2025 in order to continue to receive payments under Core Funding.
90% of Partner Services already charge far less than the maximum fee caps and are therefore unaffected. The majority of these services remain bound by the fee freeze, wherein they cannot increase their fees beyond the levels charged in September 2021.
The Department continues to promote affordability for parents without compromising the viability of businesses in the sector. Fee management measures are therefore calibrated so as not adversely impact the sustainability of the sector, and appropriate safeguards will be carefully considered during planning for future developments.
Full details of Core Funding 2026/27, including new fee management measures, will be announced in the coming months.
322. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount that will go specifically towards family resource centres; the rationale for this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56127/25]
View answerI am very pleased that the Department secured additional funding of €3.2 million for the Family Resource Centre Programme as part of Budget 2026.
The funding secured as part of Budget 2026 will allow for the addition of ten new centres to the Family Resource Centre Programme. This will bring the number nationwide to 136. Budget 2026 will also allow us to continue to support the work of our existing Family Resource Centres, who do excellent work across the whole country.
323. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in Kildare on a waiting list for childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56132/25]
View answerEach year, Pobal compiles data from Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers as part of the Early Years Sector Profile. At the time of the most recent Profile survey for 2023/24, there were 184 service providers that had a contract for at least one DCEDIY (now DCDE) funded programme/scheme.
The published capacity data from the 2023/24 survey estimated that there were 11,634 children enrolled in ELC and SAC services in County Kildare. This data also indicated that 42% had at least one vacant place and an estimated 48% had a waiting list.
It is important to note that waiting list data should not be used as a measure of overall demand for ELC and SAC places. While waiting list data can be used to give an indication of demand for places for a given age group or service type not all services operate a waiting list; an individual child may be on multiple waiting lists in different services.
Further information can be found on the Early Learning and Childcare data website. The Capacity Section of the website provides information on the number of children enrolled, services with vacant places, and services with a waiting list.
325. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the amount of funding allocated to her Department in Budget 2026 for the purpose of reducing the maximum fee cap from its current level of €295 per week. [56136/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to progressively reducing the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child, and to ensuring that providers’ fees are open, transparent and equitable and readily available to parents, and to maintaining the fee cap.
One of the main vehicles for delivering these commitments is the Core Funding scheme. Core Funding is a supply-side payment to early learning and childcare services to support them with their operating costs, and is designed to support affordability, quality and sustainability in the sector.
A key feature of Core Funding is the introduction of a system of fee management, to ensure that affordability measures and increased investment are passed on to parents/guardians. This began with an effective fee freeze from September 2022. In return for significant funding through the scheme, Partner Services agree not to raise their fees above what was charged to parents as on 30 September 2021.
Core Funding has seen consistent increased State investment to the sector year on year. An allocation of €405.21 million was secured in Budget 2026 for Core Funding. This is an increase of €51.97 million on the 2025 allocation of €353.23 million – representing a 15% year-on-year increase. The 2026 Core Funding allocation represents a 56% increase over the initial Core Funding allocation of €259 million secured in 2022.
€20.2 million in brand new funding for a full programme year has been secured to support providers in adhering to the fee management conditions including reductions in the maximum fee caps in the 2026/2027 programme year. This will guarantee that Core Funding’s monetary protections will continue to be passed on to families while ensuring sustainability and stability for the sector.
In addition to funding increases, changes were made to the fee management system for the fourth year of Core Funding. A cap on fees, which was introduced for First-Time Partner Services in Year 3, has been reduced and extended to all new and existing Partner Services. Under these new fee caps, the fee for a full day place – of between 40-50 hours per week, the most common full day care operating hours – can be charged at no more than €295 per week (before State subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the ECCE programme are deducted), with a fee cap of €354 for more than 50 hours of care.
When the maximum fees for Year 4 were set earlier this year, 460 Partner Services (10% of Scheme participants) were identified as having at least one fee option above the corresponding maximum fee. These services were required to reduce any affected fees from 1 September 2025 in order to continue to receive payments under Core Funding.
90% of Partner Services already charge far less than the maximum fee caps and are therefore unaffected. The majority of these services remain bound by the fee freeze, wherein they cannot increase their fees beyond the levels charged in September 2021.
The Department continues to promote affordability for parents without compromising the viability of businesses in the sector. Fee management measures are therefore calibrated so as not adversely impact the sustainability of the sector, and appropriate safeguards will be carefully considered during planning for future developments.
Full details of Core Funding 2026/27, including new fee management measures, will be announced in the coming months.
326. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total number of times the Child and Family Agency have applied to the courts for orders to remove children where it has been deemed by the agency that there is a serious risk to their health or welfare that cannot be managed within the family setting; the total number of times such orders have been granted; the total number rejected by the courts, from 2020 to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56146/25]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
327. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on concerns around the privatization of childcare providers in Fingal (details supplied) and initiatives her Department is taking increase the amount of publicly owned childcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56303/25]
View answerThe utilisation of local authority buildings, and any criteria which may be used in the selection of tenants of those buildings, are matters for each local authority.
In respect of the early learning and childcare sector, this is an entirely privately delivered sector with three quarters of operators established on a for-profit basis and one quarter of a not-for-profit basis.
Following on from the publication of Partnership for the Public Good in 2012, the sector has seen substantially increased public funding accompanied by significantly greater levels of public management. This is enabled in particular by the introduction of the Core Funding scheme.
Core Funding is an supply-side funding scheme that allocates investment to operators in order to manage fees, enable improved terms and conditions for staff and allow for greater levels of financial transparency. Among the objectives of Core Funding is to ensure that taxpayers money is being used in a way that sustains services while not excessively increasing private profit.
The annual allocation for the scheme has risen from €269m in the first year of the scheme to €436.5m in the fifth year which begins in September 2026.
Government sees a role for both private and community in the early learning and childcare sector and accordingly it does not differentiate between for-profit and not-for-profit services in either the eligibility criteria for or the calculation and distribution of Core Funding.
This Department does however make distinctions between for-profit and not-for-profit operators in respect of investment of capital funding. The current Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme has four strands, only one of which was available to for-profit operators. Of the 50 services approved for funding, 43 are not-for-profit and, by design, have on average substantially higher value grant allocations.
The Programme for Government also commits for the first time to provide capital investment to build or purchase State-owned early learning and childcare facilities, to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists. State ownership of facilities is a very substantial and significant development and offers the potential for much greater scope to influence the nature and volume of provision available and to ensure better alignment with estimated demand. This work will be supported through capital investment under the revised National Development Plan.
State-led early learning and childcare builds on existing trajectory in Government policy for the sector as set out in Partnership for the Public Good in 2021, the key theme of which was the need to strengthen State involvement in the sector through greater levels of public management accompanied by increased State funding. Significant advances have been made in public management and increased public funding over the last number of years and State-led early learning and childcare is part of the next phase of developments building on this foundation.
328. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the EU funding opportunities that will be open for application for schemes under her Department and at agencies under her aegis in the next six months and in the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56443/25]
View answerI can advise the deputy of the following two programmes in relation to his question.
Programme 1: The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the European Social Fund+ Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training programme (EIST) 2021-27. The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund contributes up to 90% of course fees for early years educators who are studying for an approved degree-level qualification in Early Learning and Childcare, while continuing to work within the sector. To date, the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund has been in a position to offer financial support to over 700 applicants. It is expected that the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund will be extended for the academic year 2026/2027 and applications for the scheme will open in March 2026. The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to ‘remove barriers in education and training for early years educators to broaden access to the profession.’
Programme 2: Gender Equality measures
Funding will also be made available in early 2026 for Gender Equality measures under the European Social Fund (ESF+) Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training Programme 2021-2027, known as EIST.
329. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health if Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda no longer accepts histopathology samples from general practitioners (GPs) in the catchment area for patients without a medical card or GP visit card; if so, the reason; when the matter will be resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56076/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
330. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of changes to blister packed medication (details supplied) that will cause difficulties for older persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56086/25]
View answerThe Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025 does not remove phased dispensing.
Phased dispensing was introduced in 1996 for patient safety reasons. The supply of medication in instalments can support patients prescribed certain high-risk medications who are at risk of medication misadventure if these medications were to be supplied on a monthly basis, as is the norm under the community drug schemes. Where a phased dispensing claim is submitted, the current requirement is that an item must be dispensed across multiple supply occasions. Community pharmacies receive additional payments in respect of phased dispensing.
Monitored Dosing Systems are systems that enable the individual medicine doses to be organised according to the prescribed dose schedule. These are sometimes referred to as blister packs. The State has never agreed to fund Monitored Dosing Systems.
However, a practice has built up whereby the use of Monitored Dosing Systems are charged as if for phased dispensing. The State has never agreed to this. Phased claiming was never intended to be used to submit claims in lieu of the provision of Monitored Dosing Systems.
Whilst Monitored Dosing Systems may have a role for some patients there is significant uncertainty around the robustness of the evidence supporting its use. The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics carried out an evidence assessment which indicated that the evidence was, at best, equivocal to support such a programme.
Significant expenditure is therefore being incurred where it was never intended by the State. It has been agreed to introduce improved controls in this regard and to limit the use of phased dispensing to specified high risk drugs, where a patient safety concern may exist.
Phased dispensing support is currently available under the GMS (medical card) Scheme for the following reasons:
• Reason 1 - at the request of a patient's physician.
• Reason 2 - due to the inherent nature of a medicinal product i.e. product stability and shelf life.
• Reason 3 - where a patient is commencing new drug therapy with a view to establishing patient tolerance and acceptability before continuing on a full treatment regime.
• Reason 4 - in exceptional circumstances where the patient is incapable of safely and effectively managing the medication regimen.
Under the Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025, from January 2026, phased dispensing under reason 1 and 4 will be limited to a defined set of high-risk medication classes. These are:
• Psychotropics;
• Opioids;
• Codeine; and
• Pregabalin and gabapentin.
The approved list of medications under these classes will be provided by the HSE in due course.
For reasons 1 and 4, by focusing phased dispensing reimbursement on the medication categories on the approved list, phased dispensing payments can be targeted to medications with the highest risk or potential for misuse.
Phased dispensing fees will remain payable as per current arrangements under reasons 2 and 3 and will not be subject to the approved list.
The salient point here is that appropriate phased dispensing is not being removed in this Agreement.
The introduction of improved controls around phased dispensing is being done in a way which puts patient safety first and allows the State to repurpose €20m of funding to be used to implement new patient-centred services.
It remains open to pharmacies to charge patients for the use of Monitored Dosing Systems as a private service.
331. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health the rates of referral from emergency department to acute assessment units for all model 4 hospitals, for 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56097/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
332. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if she will review the case of a person (details supplied) who was discharged from the Mater Hospital and is awaiting an appointment in the outpatient clinic; the status of this follow-up care; if she will ensure that their care plan proceeds without further delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56137/25]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
333. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Health if the Fair Deal payment that a person has to make in respect of their family contribution and public care in a nursing home can be reviewed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56141/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
334. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Health for an update regarding an individual who has submitted an additional payment under the disablement payment (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56142/25]
View answerDeputy, this Parliamentary Question falls within the remit of the Department of Social Protection, as the payment scheme in question is administered by that Department. Accordingly, it would be appropriate to direct the inquiry to them for response.
335. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene to secure a wheelchair for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56145/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
