Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
873. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports available for parents with low literacy or digital skills who are required to complete national childcare scheme applications; whether alternative, simplified application pathways are being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37009/26]
View answerThe Department funds 30 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) across the country that coordinate the implementation of national early learning and childcare policy and programmes at a local level.
The CCC are available to support parents and guardians to understand what early learning and childcare options are available to them. Importantly, the CCC also support parents in applying for a range of policies and programmes, including the National Childcare Scheme (NCS), particularly where there may be issues relating to literacy or digital skills.
The application process for the NCS has been designed to be accessible and user-friendly. If applying online, the Scheme Administrator will use information provided by the applicant to confirm their identity and automatically retrieve income information from both the Office of the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection. The ‘Fast Track’ option is the quickest and easiest way for an applicant to have their income assessed. Applicants can choose not to Fast Track if their income has decreased significantly from the previous tax year or they want to opt out of an automatic assessment – in which case, they will be required to upload certain documents.
If families wish to not apply online, applicants can choose to apply offline by contacting the Parent Support Centre and requesting a hard-copy form.
In addition to the CCCs, the Parent Support Centre is available by phone or contact form for assistance during this process. It’s also worth noting that extensive guidance material and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are available on www.ncs.gov.ie to help parents when it comes to submitting their NCS application. This material is kept under review and updated where appropriate.
Simplify and Support, the Action Plan for Simplification, published on 17th December 2025, includes actions to simplify processes for parents. Key actions in the Plan include:
• Improve parent-facing content for ELC and SAC programmes and schemes, ensuring the content is accessible to all parents.
• Continue to support parents through the City/County Childcare Committees and the Parent Support Centre.
• Scope options to simplify processes and reduce administrative requirements on parents, including the introduction a long-term CHICK under the NCS.
