Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 April 2026
2477. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration is being given to provide targeted support for people or companies that wish to open new childcare centres in parts of the country where the rent of commercial premises is significantly higher than the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25142/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile the Government does not currently provide targeted financial supports for rent in the early years sector, it does offer other forms of funding and support to help ensure the availability and sustainability of early learning and childcare places.
The Government is investing more than €1.52 billion a year in early learning and childcare and school-age childcare, working with providers to ensure children have access to high quality, affordable early learning and childcare.
The Core Funding Scheme has provided consistent and substantial investment into the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare sector, since its launch in September 2022. In that first year, Core Funding had an allocation of €259 million, over €210 million of which was entirely new funding. The Core Funding allocation increased to €287 million in programme year two, €331 million in programme year three and has exceeded €390 million in the current programme year (which commenced in September 2025).
As part of the Case Management process, City or County Childcare Committees (CCC) assist services with issues and difficulties that arise. This support can take the form of assisting services with interpreting analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, financial support, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.
There are financial supports available from the Department where a service is experiencing financial difficulty or has concerns about their viability, which can be accessed through their local City/County Childcare Committee while remaining within Core Funding.
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. Contact details for all City and County Childcare Committees are available on the gov.ie website.
The Department is committed to working with the sector in managing the challenges associated with the sector. The department has resourced and transformed the Supply Management Unit into a Forward Planning and Delivery Unit within the Department to identify areas of need, forecast demand and deliver public supply within the childcare sector where required.
The Department is supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme is designed to increase capacity in the 1–3-year-old, pre–Early Childhood Care and Education, age range for full day care. Existing Core Funding Partner Services could apply for capital funding to physically extend their premises or to construct or purchase new premises. When complete, the Scheme will deliver up to 1,500 full-day care places for 1- to 3-year-olds.
A further Building Blocks scheme will open for applications in 2026. This round of capital funding will focus on funding extensions to existing premises to allow for increased numbers of children to be offered places on a full-time basis. Existing community and private providers that are currently Core Funding partner services will be eligible to apply for this scheme. I expect to announce details of the next Building Blocks scheme in the coming weeks.
Separately, I recently announced €135 million of capital investment over the coming five years for State-led services to provide high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare. The process will begin in 2026 with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative.?
Up to eight buildings will be selected for investment this year. The State-led initiative will provide thousands of places up to 2030.?
The Department also funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees, which provide support and assist families and early learning and childcare providers. The network of 30 City/County Childcare Committees across the country can assist in identifying vacant places in services for children and families who need them and engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion among services, particularly where there is unmet need.
