Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2025
47. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the action she is taking to alleviate childcare costs for parents forced to rely on childcare services that have withdrawn from the core funding scheme due to a lack of alternative options in their area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50115/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvestment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has quadrupled in the last 10 years from €260 million in 2015 to €1.37 billion in 2025.
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help families with their early learning and childcare costs, via a subsidy paid directly to the childcare provider. All children in Ireland between 24 weeks and 15 years of age are eligible for the subsidy, and the subsidy is provided for up to 45 hours of childcare a week. The universal subsidy amount is €2.14 per hour, with additional support available depending on the family's income and the child's age. The NCS has grown significantly in recent years. The numbers of children benefitting from the Scheme are up more than 70% since 2022.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides free universal pre-school to children in the eligible age range. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year. The programme year runs from the end of August to the following June in line with the primary school year. The weekly ECCE capitation is €69.00 and is paid pro rata to the number of days a child is registered for the ECCE programme year. ECCE must be available free of charge to parents/guardians in return for this capitation.
The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with additional needs can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. The goal of AIM is to empower early learning and care providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme and reap the benefits of quality early learning and care in any mainstream service participating in ECCE. AIM resources are allocated based on a child’s individual needs through targeted and universal supports.
AIM, ECCE and the NCS are available to parents who avail of both Core Funding partner and non-partner services.
In September 2024, the Department commenced the rollout of Equal Start, a major model of supports to ensure children experiencing disadvantage can access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare. Children benefitting from Equal Start include children living in disadvantaged areas, Traveller children, Roma children, children availing of the National Childcare Scheme through a sponsor body, children experiencing homelessness and children in the International Protection system.
Equal Start is designed to be developed and rolled out in phases. Services with the highest level of need have been targeted in the early phases. 787 settings (serving 35,000 children - 4,700 from priority cohorts) identified as operating in a context of concentrated disadvantage have been given Equal Start designation and are now receiving additional supports.
