Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
40. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to ensure that childcare providers across the country have access to sustainable funding. [72978/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI do not want any Provider to be faced with financial sustainability issues in their delivery of Early Learning and Childcare services. In addition to the childcare subsidy schemes offered, there are wider financial supports available from my Department. Where a service is experiencing financial difficulty or has viability concerns, these supports can be accessed while remaining within Core Funding.
Since 2017, the Department has offered Sustainability Funding to community ELC/SAC services in crisis. In 2018, a Sustainability Funding policy was formalised, and a framework was created which coupled this Sustainability Funding with on-the-ground case management assistance. The purpose of the supports within this framework were to provide emergency funding to community services where a need for funding was identified while also ensuring that the case management performed at a service level identified and resolved underlying issues that may have caused the initial crisis.
Through Case Management supports, the City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) assists providers with interpreting aspects of their business model including analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.
The sustainability fund for service providers is a support mechanism introduced to ensure the stability and viability of early learning and childcare services for those participating in the Core Funding model. The fund is accessed through a collaborative process involving the service, their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC), and Pobal, who assess financial eligibility and need.
Once a service engages with their local CCC they will be able to avail of sustainability supports through the case management process.
I would encourage any service experiencing financial difficulty and who would like assistance to contact their CCC to access case management supports. Contact details for the CCCs can be found online at the gov.ie website.
