Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 July 2024
427. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated full-year cost of providing free after school childcare for all children in primary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28840/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy has requested the full year cost of providing free childcare for all children in primary school.
According to Department of Education data, there were 558,143 children enrolled in primary school in 2023.
To generate the cost of providing free childcare to these children, it is assumed that they avail of 20 hours of childcare per week in term (38 weeks per year) and they avail of childcare on a full time basis out of term (14 weeks per year).
According to the latest data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey, the median hourly fee for school-age childcare in term is €5.00 while the median weekly fee for school-age childcare out of term is €165.
To calculate cost of childcare "in term" the following formula was used:
(number of children enrolled in primary school) x (number of in term weeks) x (number of hours per week) x (median hourly fee for childcare in term time)
This generates an in term cost of €2.12bn.
To calculate cost of childcare "out of term" the following formula was used:
(number of children enrolled in primary school) x (number of out of term weeks) x (median weekly fee for childcare out of term)
This generates an out of term cost of €1.29bn.
Combining the in term and out of term costs, the total full year cost is estimated to be €3.41bn.
This estimate assumes that 100% of primary school children will participate in every available hour of childcare in term and out of term and does not take account of a range of factors including parental preference and work patterns, current usage patterns and availability.
According to a recent survey carried out by IPSOS on behalf of my Department in 2023, parental care was the main form of childcare for school-going children in term (62%) and out of term (66%), while the percentage that used centre-based childcare in term and out of term was 14% and 4% respectively.
