Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 October 2025
387. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who are registered for ECCE for the years 2025-2026; the percentage of the total number of children registered for early years and school age childcare for the 2025-2026 programme year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52628/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra388. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children who are registered for ECCE year two for the 2025-2026 programme; the percentage of the total number of children registered for early years and school age childcare for the 2025-2026 programme year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52629/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together.
The total number of unique children that are registered for the ECCE 2025/2026 programme call as of 30th September is 102,364.
49,403 / 48% unique children are registered in the 2025/2026 ECCE Programme Year 2 as of 30th September.
The number of unique children registered this time last year in the 2024/2025 ECCE Programme is up by 0.76% from 101,593.
The percentage of the total number of children registered for early years and school age childcare for the 2025/2026 programme year as of 30th September is as follows*:
|
Programme Year |
ELC |
SAC |
|
ECCE 2025/2026 |
102,364 / 100% |
N/A |
|
NCS 2025/2026 |
97,458 / 51% |
101,357 / 53% |
|
CCSP Saver Programme 2025/2026 |
N/A |
576 / 100% |
|
Total number and percentage overall of children registered in ELC and SAC childcare for 2025/2026 |
149,868 / 61% |
101,919 / 42% |
Please note NCS percentages are calculated as a proportion of the combined total and may not sum to 100% as a result. This is due to the nature of the data, with Educational Stage being provided by parents and children can have differing Educational stages attached to their claims. The combined total relates to the total number of unique children and children can possibly hold registrations in both ELC and SAC Education Stages.
*All data contained in this answer have been supplied by Pobal’s Funder Queries from 30th September 2025.
