Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 November 2025
322. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the criteria for selecting locations for the forthcoming public childcare pilot scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64130/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government.
The total capital allocation for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality under the revised National Development Plan for the period 2026-30 is €795 million. As announced in the context of Budget 2026, €36 million of this will be available in 2026 for early learning and childcare capital programmes. This will include acquisitions of new buildings through the State-led early learning and childcare programme and investment in expansion of existing early learning and childcare operators through the Building Blocks scheme as well as investment in other quality initiatives.
The development of a forward planning model is currently underway using the expertise of statisticians on secondment from the Central Statistics Office and other specialists. The model seeks to identify the nature and volume of different types of early learning and childcare places across the country and how that aligns with the numbers of children in the corresponding age cohorts at local area level. An extensive data analysis and cleaning exercise is currently being undertaken to map available publicly subsidised supply. This involves combining data from multiple administrative sources, including child population data, using GIS (Geographical Information System) mapping tools.
The analysis of the forward planning model will provide a key input into the approach to the multi-year capital programme to be resourced through the allocation in the revised National Development Plan 2026-2030. It will be one of a number of factors considered when selecting and prioritising projects.
Other factors will reflect the policy goals of the Department to support a quality, inclusive and accessible early learning and childcare system and to ensure value for money.
