Written Answers Nos. 973-992
974. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total allocation of funding to each State agency under her Department’s remit, broken down by the allocation to each agency, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30789/26]
View answerFunding allocated to State Agencies for the past 15 years are available in The Revised Estimates Volumes for the Public Service (REVs) published by Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (DPER).
Below is the link to published REVs.
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/collections/the-revised-estimates-volumes-for-the-public-service/
975. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total spend on consultancy firms by each State agency under her Department's remit, broken down by the allocation to each named consultancy firm, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30806/26]
View answerThe Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy on this matter as soon as possible.
977. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the targeted recruitment campaigns or incentives that are being done to encourage people into early years education (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30891/26]
View answerThe role of the early years educator and school-age childcare practitioner are valuable ones, and they play an important part in supporting children's development, learning and care.
In a very competitive labour market and with low levels of unemployment, recruitment and retention is a challenge for all employers.
The current Annual Early Years Sector Profile data shows that the number of educators/practitioners working with children in the sector has increased by over 8% between 2024 and 2025 and has increased by over 33% since 2022 while the national average turnover rate has fallen by 1.3% to 24.%% in 2025.
However, it is acknowledged that many early learning and childcare services report recruitment and retention issues. In general, these challenges are not caused by insufficient supply of staff, but by high levels of turnover mainly due to low pay and conditions.
Although the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions.
The Joint Labour Committee is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders, and is independent in its functions. Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by Government through Core Funding. In this programme year 2025/26 Core Funding has increased by 6% to approximately €350 million with an additional €45 million in ring-fenced Core Funding provided to support early learning and care services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector.
I recently announced, as part of launch of Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan in December, another allocation of up to €15m of ring-fenced funding from September 2026, which amounts up to €45m for the full programme year, to support service providers with costs associated with possible increases in minimum rates of pay negotiated via the independent Joint Labour Committee process.
Consequently, over 2 years, the Department has made an allocation of €90 million available to support possible increased rates of pay.
A longer-term workforce strategy for the sector is in place: "Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028". Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in the sector. One of the five "pillars" of Nurturing Skills comprises commitments aimed at supporting recruitment, retention and diversity in the workforce, and it includes actions to raise the profile of careers in the sector.
In December 2023, a Sub-Group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum was established to address recruitment and retention challenges. The group has advanced initiatives including:
• A Student Fast-track Process for recognition of studies to work in service out of term,
• The assessment of unfinished qualifications, where people who may have started a relevant qualification but did not get to finish it, can have what they completed assessed for meeting qualification requirements
• An agreement to promote careers in the sector.
A communications campaign is currently under development and will include a series of videos aimed at promoting careers in the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector. In addition, a careers information pack is being developed to support promotion of the sector. The pack will be provided to career guidance counsellors and other key bodies who support individuals in making education and employment decisions, with the aim of raising awareness of career opportunities and pathways within ELC and SAC.
To further support staff retention, the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund enables educators who continue to work within the sector to pursue Level 7 and 8 qualifications by funding up to 90% of their tuition costs. Over 700 staff are now supported through the Nurturing Stills Learner Fund.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund demonstrates how we are already delivering on our Programme for Government commitment to ‘remove barriers in education and training for early years educators to broaden access to the profession.
Complementing wider Departmental policies to streamline administration and regulation, to reduce stress and to support wellbeing in the sector, the Department is committed to roll out an employee assistance programme nationally in the near future.
978. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the increased funding supports that are available for services struggling to maintain staffing ratios (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30892/26]
View answerIn setting regulatory requirements for early learning and care and school-age childcare services, the primary consideration must be children’s health, safety and well-being.
The minimum adult-to-child ratios for pre-school services are set out in Schedule 6 of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. The ratios set the maximum number of children allowed per staff member working directly with the children, and services can choose to have fewer children per staff member if they wish. There are no plans at present to revise the minimum adult-to-child ratios for pre-school services.
The role of the early years educator and school-age childcare practitioner are valuable ones, and they play an important part in supporting children's development, learning and care.
It is acknowledged that those working in the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector do not receive the recognition they deserve.
In a very competitive labour market and with low levels of unemployment, recruitment and retention is a challenge for all employers.
The current Annual Early Years Sector Profile data shows that the number of educators/practitioners working with children in the sector has increased by over 8% between 2024 and 2025 and has increased by over 33% since 2022 with the national average turnover rate falling by 1.3% to 24.5% in 2025. However, it is acknowledged that many early learning and childcare services report recruitment and retention issues. In general, these challenges are not caused by insufficient supply of staff, but by high levels of turnover mainly due to low pay and conditions.
Although the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions.
The Joint Labour Committee is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders, and is independent in its functions.
Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by Government through Core Funding. In this programme year 2025/26 Core Funding has increased by 6% to approximately €350 million with an additional €45 million in ring-fenced Core Funding provided to support early learning and care services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector.
The Minister recently announced, as part of launch of Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan in December, another allocation of up to €15m of ring-fenced funding from September 2026, which amounts up to €45m for the full programme year, to support service providers with costs associated with possible increases in minimum rates of pay negotiated via the independent Joint Labour Committee process.
Consequently, over 2 years, the Department has made an allocation of €90 million available to support possible increased rates of pay.
A longer-term workforce strategy for the sector is in place: "Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028". Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in the sector. One of the five "pillars" of Nurturing Skills comprises commitments aimed at supporting recruitment, retention and diversity in the workforce, and it includes actions to raise the profile of careers in the sector.
In December 2023, a Sub-Group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum was established to address recruitment and retention challenges. The group has advanced initiatives including:
• A Student Fast-track Process for recognition of studies to work in service out of term.
• The assessment of unfinished qualifications, where people who may have started a relevant qualification but did not get to finish it, can have what they completed assessed for meeting qualification requirements.
• An agreement to promote careers in the sector.
To further support staff retention, the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund enables educators who continue to work within the sector to pursue Level 7 and 8 qualifications by funding up to 90% of their tuition costs. Over 700 staff are now supported through the NSLF scheme.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund demonstrates how we are already delivering on our Programme for Government commitment to ‘remove barriers in education and training for early years educators to broaden access to the profession.
979. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is looking at expanding training and introducing upskilling programmes to grow the workforce (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30893/26]
View answerNurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028 aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) and to raise the profile of careers in the sector through its five pillars of support.
Nurturing Skills commits to providing funded places on flexible education programmes at levels 6 to 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) for Early Years Educators and level 5 for SAC Practitioners, supporting staff to upskill while continuing to work.
Nurturing Skills Learner Fund was set up with the aim of providing upskilling and professional development opportunities for staff working in Early Learning and Care services.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund (aims to assist early year’s educators to pursue Early Learning and Care qualifications at level 7 and level 8 that have been approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board while continuing to work in the sector.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund assists in the financial costs for early year’s educators who wish to pursue ELC qualifications approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board at level 7 and level 8 while continuing to work in a core funded service. The funding is paid directly to the higher education institution on behalf of the early year’s educator in order to minimise the financial and administrative barrier the educator faces when seeking to undertake further studies.
The scheme applies to those Early Years Educators who are entering a Nurturing Skills Learner Fund approved ELC level 7 or 8 qualification for the first time.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund 2026 Application process is now open for new applications and will close on 1st May 2026. It is expected that more than 350 Educators, seeking to upskill to Level 7 and Level 8 Early Learning and Care Qualifications in the academic year 2026/2027 (commencing Autumn 2026), will be offered financial support.
Since its inception in 2024 the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund scheme has been in a position to offer financial support to over 700 applicants.
One of the five pillars of Nurturing Skills (the Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare 2022-2028) is the development of a national Continuing Professional Development (CPD) system.
The Better Start Learner Management System was enhanced and rebranded to support the national approach to continuing professional development set out in Nurturing Skills. Building on this work, the new Nurturing Skills website and Learning Hub successfully launched in Q2 2025, providing educators with open and accessible pathways to career development, CPD resources and training opportunities. The platform supports learning across a range of priority areas, including inclusive practice, health and wellbeing, and the Irish language.
Further enhancements to the website and Learning Hub are planned to expand functionality and user experience. The platform is available in both English and Irish, supporting accessibility and inclusion across the sector.
Further work focussed on the delivery of national CPD systems through the establishment of Better Start and the formation of its Learning and Development Unit, through the National Síolta Aistear Initiative (NSAI), and through the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM).
Aligned to the commitment to develop a national CPD system, the Department recently commissioned a mapping exercise in order to identify existing CPD opportunities available to the Early Learning and Care, School-Age Childcare and Childminding sector.
The Department also plans to conduct research and consultation with key stakeholders, educators, practitioners, childminders and relevant organisations within the sector to gain a full overview of current CPD provision and identify any areas where there is a gap between skill requirement for ELC and SAC provision and CPD topics.
980. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures her Department is taking to improve pay and conditions in the childcare sector to attract and retain qualified staff (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30894/26]
View answerThe role of the early years educator and school-age childcare practitioner are valuable ones, and they play an important part in supporting children's development, learning and care.
It is acknowledged that those working in the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector do not receive the recognition they deserve.
In a very competitive labour market and with low levels of unemployment, recruitment and retention is a challenge for all employers.
The current Annual Early Years Sector Profile data shows that the number of educators/practitioners working with children in the sector has increased by over 8% between 2024 and 2025 and has increased by over 33% since 2022.
However, it is acknowledged that many early learning and childcare services report recruitment and retention issues. In general, these challenges are not caused by insufficient supply of staff, but by high levels of turnover mainly due to low pay and conditions.
Although the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions.
The Joint Labour Committee is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders, and is independent in its functions.
Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by Government through Core Funding. In this programme year 2025/26 Core Funding has increased by 6% to approximately €350 million with an additional €45 million in ring-fenced Core Funding provided to support early learning and care services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector.
I announced, as part of launch of Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan in December, another allocation of up to €15m of ring-fenced funding from September 2026, which amounts up to €45m for the full programme year, to support service providers with costs associated with possible increases in minimum rates of pay negotiated via the independent Joint Labour Committee process.
Consequently, over 2 years, the Department has made an allocation of €90 million available to support possible increased rates of pay.
A longer-term workforce strategy for the sector is in place: "Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028". Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in the sector. One of the five "pillars" of Nurturing Skills comprises commitments aimed at supporting recruitment, retention and diversity in the workforce, and it includes actions to raise the profile of careers in the sector.
In December 2023, a Sub-Group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum was established to address recruitment and retention challenges. The group has advanced initiatives including:
• A Student Fast-track Process for recognition of studies to work in service out of term,
• The assessment of unfinished qualifications, where people who may have started a relevant qualification but did not get to finish it, can have what they completed assessed for meeting qualification requirements
• An agreement to promote careers in the sector.
To further support staff retention, the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund enables educators who continue to work within the sector to pursue Level 7 and 8 qualifications by funding up to 90% of their tuition costs. Over 700 staff are now supported through the NSLF scheme.
The NSLF scheme demonstrates how we are already delivering on our Programme for Government commitment to ‘remove barriers in education and training for early years educators to broaden access to the profession.
981. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will consider streamlined pathways for the recognition of international childcare qualifications (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30895/26]
View answerThe role of the early years educator and school-age childcare practitioner are valuable ones, and they play an important part in supporting children's development, learning and care. It is acknowledged that those working in the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector do not receive the recognition they deserve.
It is acknowledged many early learning and childcare services report recruitment and retention challenges. In a very competitive labour market and with low levels of unemployment, recruitment and retention is a challenge for all employers.
However the current Annual Early Years Sector Profile data shows that the number of educators/practitioners working with children in the sector has increased by over 8% between 2024 and 2025 and has increased by over 33% since 2022 and the national average turnover rate has fallen by 1.3% to 24.5% in 2025.
First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families, recognises that the workforce is at the heart of high-quality early learning and care. The evidence suggests children achieve better outcomes when staff are well qualified. This is undisputed internationally.
Under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, all staff working directly with children in a pre-school service must hold at least a Level 5 major award in early childhood care and education on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or a qualification that has been deemed to be equivalent.
This regulation ensures that all staff have a solid foundation in child development, early childhood education, child health and welfare, and practical experience through supervised practicum placements which, in turn, helps to create a consistent and high-quality early learning environment for children in services nationally.
To support the streamlining of qualification recognition the Department has a published list of pre-approved qualifications, including international qualifications, for the sector. Anyone holding a qualification that is not on the Department's approved list of qualifications must submit a full application for qualification recognition. This system has now been updated so those seeking to apply can do so via an online application.
985. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on CDNT waiting lists for assessments and therapies in Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30908/26]
View answerAs this question refers to the service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
986. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in light of ongoing delays in accessing disability services such as assessments of need, therapies and respite, the specific actions her Department is taking to reduce waiting times; the way in which she is ensuring that children and adults are supported at key transition points where delays may have long-term developmental or social impacts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30909/26]
View answerGovernment is committed to ensuring that children with disabilities and their families who need early intervention, therapy and respite services can access that support in a timely way.
An Assessment of Need is a specific assessment process carried out by the HSE under the Disability Act 2005, to determine whether a child has a disability as defined within the Act. If it is determined that they do, assessments are arranged to identify the health and education needs of the person with a disability and the services required to meet those needs. It is important to note that children do not require an Assessment of Need to access health services.
Demand for Assessments of Need has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child. Unfortunately, this demand is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond, with the result that there were 20,209 applications overdue for completion nationwide at the end of 2025, according to the most recently available HSE data.
On a positive note, there has been continued improvement in the number of completed AON reports, with 5,939 reports completed in 2025. This is a 43% increase nationally compared to the number completed in 2024. Additionally, since June 2024, 7,700 clinical assessments have been commissioned privately through the AON Targeted Waitlist Initiative to support the delivery of AON reports at a cost of €27.8 million. Funding of €20 million has been provided this year for the AON Targeted Waitlist Initiative. It is expected that some 6,000 clinical assessments will be delivered this year, with a specific focus on autism spectrum disorder at a fixed cost of €2,900 per assessment.
Separately, the Government continues to work with the HSE on a range of legislative and non-legislative improvements to the Assessment of Need process. This is to ensure the needs of children are identified as early as possible and to improve the delivery of assessment reports to families.
Most children and young people with disabilities can have their needs met through mainstream services. However, children and young people with complex needs may require access to health and social care supports and services delivered by Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). It is important to note that a diagnosis is not required to access a CDNT.
Whilst recognising that there is more to do, real progress has been made in reducing the CDNT waiting list. HSE preliminary data indicates that the national CDNT waiting list has reduced by 48%, from 16,522 children awaiting an initial contact in 2023, to 8,648 children at the end of February 2026.
Preliminary data for February 2026 reports that Children’s Disability Network Teams are providing services and supports nationally for 45,141 children, and strategies and supports for waitlisted children with urgent needs, where staffing resources allow.
This Government recognises that delays faced by families are unacceptable and there has been intensive work by this Department and the HSE to address this.
The Government has provided funding for additional posts to enhance the capacity of CDNTs and shorten the waiting times in recent years, with further investment in both Budgets 2025 and 2026 to fund additional therapy posts and clinical trainee places.
Progress is being made on the recruitment of staff to CDNTs, with the HSE reporting a 28% increase in staffing levels nationwide from October 2023 to October 2025. This equates to an additional 448 Whole-Time Equivalents (WTE), including an additional 321 Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCPs).
To continue this growth, the HSE is driving intensive domestic and international recruitment efforts and will undertake a variety of workforce initiatives to support sustained growth of CDNTs and the wider disability service.
A dedicated Disability Workforce Strategy will be developed by the HSE in 2026, to meet growing service demands and address recruitment and retention challenges across specialist disability services, including CDNTs. The Strategy will be developed as a distinct and visible strand within the new HSE Resourcing Strategy 2026-2029, detailing specific actions for Disability services while remaining fully aligned with national workforce reform
In addition, placements on CDNTs will continue to be expanded, alongside a continued expansion in the number of places in higher education, to develop the pipeline of future therapists.
The Programme for Government commits to doubling the number of college places for speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, psychologists and social workers. This expansion will provide up to 461 additional student places by 2028, with the majority commenced in 2025.
In 2026, the HSE will develop targeted retention actions and innovative recruitment campaigns to address persistent vacancies and optimise recruitment across all service providers, ensuring the workforce reaches its funded level.
As set out in the HSE’s 2026 National Service Plan (NSP), Budget 2026 has provided an additional €25m for investment in Respite Services. This funding will provide a range of new respite initiatives nationally. The NSP states that 500 more children and adults with a disability are expected to receive respite sessions in both centre based and alternative settings within their community. This represents a 7% increase on 2025 figures. 2026 funding will also allow for 10,000 additional respite bed nights nationally, including high support placements (a 6% increase on 2025) along with 25,000 additional day sessions through for adults and children including after-school, weekend, and holiday programmes (a 6% increase on 2025).
HSE Disability Services recognises the importance of support during transition between child and adult services. CDNTs work with families to prepare for this change through Individual Family Support Planning, which includes goal setting, skills development, and referral to appropriate adult services. Transition planning is recognised as a gradual process that supports young people and families to prepare for adulthood and lifelong wellbeing.
Many young people who access clinical inputs from CDNTs may also be in receipt of other Paediatric clinical input and may appropriately be referred towards adult Primary Care teams or other adult clinical care services as they move towards adulthood. The Central Referrals Office in each Integrated Health Area assists in ensuring referrals are directed to the appropriate service.
The HSE Day Opportunities Team works closely with CDNTs to support transfer to HSE funded adult day services where this is the appropriate pathway.
Referrals for transition planning may be made from age 16 and families are invited to information sessions to meet local service providers, including those offering rehabilitative training.
It is recognised that demand for registered residential, respite and personal assistant services continue to increase due to demographic change, increased life expectancy and the evolving and increasingly complex needs of people with disabilities.
The Department, alongside the HSE, is continuing to work to increase provision in order to assist those who are most vulnerable in our society, and who urgently require services.
987. 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, broken down by age category, including children aged 0–one years and one–two years; the number of children on waiting lists in the city for these age cohorts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30967/26]
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. Data for the Early Years Sector Profile is typically captured in May/June of each programme year. While ELC and SAC offerings vary across service providers and the allocation of ELC or SAC places is flexible, the published capacity data provides an estimate of the number of children enrolled in ELC and SAC and the percentage of services with at least one vacant place at a given time.
Data are not collated by the Department in the exact manner requested by the Deputy. The most closely aligning data available on capacity in County Galway is summarised below.
The most recent published capacity data for the 2024/25 programme year estimated that there were 16,716 children enrolled in ELC and SAC services in County Galway. This data indicated that there were 913 estimated enrolments of one to two year olds and 7,220 estimated enrolments of two to five year olds in ELC services in County Galway. Due to the small number of enrolments for those up to one year of age, it is not possible to reliably estimate national or county figures for this cohort.
This data also indicated that 45% of services in County Galway had at least one vacant place and 45% had a waiting list.
As part of the early years sector profile survey, providers are asked the number of children on a waiting list for a place for their service. While this data can be used to give an indication of demand, it should not be used as a measure of overall demand for ELC or SAC places as it is vulnerable to overestimating the actual number of children requiring a place. An individual child may be on multiple waiting lists in different services and may remain on one or multiple service lists after taking up a place.
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.
988. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific measures that are being taken, or are planned, to address the shortage of childcare places for children under two years of age in Galway city, including whether the city is being prioritised under State-led or publicly supported early learning and childcare provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30968/26]
View answerImproving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.
Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2024/25 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 25% from the 2021/22 programme year. However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for younger children.
The Department continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of Core Funding which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core Funding, which is in its fourth programme year, funds services based on the number of places available.
This provides stability to services, and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service. For the third programme year (2024/25), the allocation for Core Funding allowed for a 6% increase in capacity. Budget 2025 secured funding for the fourth programme year (2025/6) to facilitate a further 3.5% increase from September 2025. Budget 2026 has made provision for the fifth programme year (2026/7) for a further expansion in supply of 4.2%.
This increased investment will allow increases in the natural growth of the sector driven both by new services joining the sector and existing services offering more places and/or longer hours to families.
The total allocation for Core Funding in 2026/2027 programme year will increase to €436.54 million, an additional €43.90 million on the current full year allocation.
The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme is designed to increase capacity in the 1–3-year-old, pre–Early Childhood Care and Education, age range for full day care. Core Funding Partner Services could apply for capital funding to physically extend their premises or to construct or purchase new premises. The Scheme will deliver up to 1,500 full-day care places and has prioritised places for 1- to 3-year-olds.
Last week, I launched the Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2. This is a €10 million capital funding scheme to deliver a significant number of additional early learning and childcare places. The purpose of the Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2 is to deliver additional capacity in the sector by supporting existing early learning and childcare services to undertake physical extensions to existing premises. The scheme will be open to community and private services that are signed up to the Core Funding Scheme, that commit to continuing in that scheme and adhering to its conditions, particularly in respect of fee management rules.
The aim of the scheme is to tackle undersupply of full-time places, particularly within the 1-3-year-old age-cohort. Places for children in other age brackets will also be eligible for funding, once services create at least the minimum number of places in the priority age-cohort.
The scheme will have two strands:
• Extensions to existing premises for community services
• Extensions to existing premises for private services
Community services can avail of investment of up to €530,000 for projects up to a total value of €650,000.
Private services can avail of investment of up to €265,000 for projects up to a total value of €650,000, with a minimum of 50% funding to come from the operator.
Separately, I recently announced €135 million of capital investment over the coming five years for State-led services to provide high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare. The process will begin in 2026 with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative.
Up to eight buildings will be selected for investment this year. The State-led initiative will provide thousands of places up to 2030.
A suite of appraisal tools have been developed, including a forward planning model, in order to select projects that align with programme objectives. No final decisions have yet been made on the specific projects but I look forward to sharing details of projects as they are agreed.
The Department is assessing sites and buildings which align with the goals of the programme and, where required, will seek expressions of interest from operators to deliver these State-led services.
The Department also funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees, which provide support and assist families and early learning and childcare providers. The network of 30 City/County Childcare Committees across the country can assist in identifying vacant places in services for children and families who need them and engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion among services, particularly where there is unmet need.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee for assistance. The contact details for the Galway City and County Childcare Committee may be found at www.galwaychildcare.com
989. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of special emergency arrangements entered into by Tusla in each of the past five years, broken down by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30985/26]
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.
990. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of special emergency arrangements that were closed by Tusla in each of the past five years, broken down by year; and to provide the reasons for closure in each case. [30986/26]
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.
991. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total cost incurred by Tusla in respect of special emergency arrangements in each of the past five years, with a breakdown, where available, of average cost per placement, and the primary cost drivers [30987/26]
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.
992. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children reported missing while in the care of Tusla in each of the past five years; and to provide a breakdown of the length of time each child was missing, and the number of incidents falling into duration categories of less than 24 hours, 1-7 days, 8-30 days, and more than 30 days. [30988/26]
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.
