Written Answers Nos. 954-974
954. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of safeguarding incidents, serious concerns, or Garda referrals that have arisen in special emergency arrangements in the past five years. [34376/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
955. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of required weekly visits to children in special emergency arrangements were missed or delayed in the past 12 months. [34377/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
956. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the proportion of children in special emergency arrangements that have accessed independent advocacy services; and whether any barriers to access have been identified. [34378/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
958. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she will commit to a timeline for the elimination of long-term special emergency arrangements. [34380/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile Tusla, supported by the Department, are working to reduce reliance on SEAs, the Agency is facing significant and ongoing challenges in sourcing appropriate placements for children in the care of the State. This is due to a number of factors, including difficulties in recruiting staff, the complexity of the presentation of some children, and the unprecedented number of Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP) requiring Tusla services. In 2025, child protection and welfare referrals to Tusla rose by 10%, to over 106,000, as compared to over 89,000 in the same period in 2024.
Both Tusla and I as Minister share a common aim to meet the needs of all children in mainstream alternative care placements, and to reduce Tusla's operation of Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs). We have invested significantly in Tusla to this end.
In 2026, Tusla's overall funding was raised to €1.37 billion, an increase of 14% or €177 million compared to 2025, which was itself a year of record investment. This increase includes an additional €53 million for mainstream residential care. This additional funding will provide for the full year costs of residential places opened in 2025, in addition to 30 new residential places over the course of 2026. This will bring the number of placements for children in residential care to over 800. Tusla’s capital budget has also been expanded to €35 million in 2026, which represents growth of 100% since 2024.
Tusla has been working to invest in increasing residential care capacity and reduce reliance on SEAs. Tusla’s residential care house purchase and refurbishment programme is ongoing in 2026 and will continue throughout the lifetime of the National Development Plan. 9 houses were purchased in 2025 with a further 9 houses planned for 2026. This capital investment seeks to rebalance provision in favour of care provided directly by the State in line with Tusla’s strategies, Ministerial priorities and Programme for Government commitments.
Where Tusla is required to place a child in a Special Emergency Arrangement (SEA), the Agency has advised that it follows specific safeguarding procedures. Tusla has developed Standard Operating Procedures for these placements, which detail extensive checks that any prospective SEA provider must adhere to, including in relation to records management and staff vetting. Tusla has advised that all SEA providers are vetted by its Central Compliance Unit (CCU), which ensures that Garda vetting and appropriate qualifications are in order before any child is placed with a prospective provider. The CCU also carries out spot checks to validate staff on active duty. Tusla has said that young people in SEAs are also visited weekly by a social worker or delegated person to have their voice heard and check on the care being provided.
As part of the process of reducing reliance on SEAs, Tusla has advised that its Alternative Care Inspection and Monitoring Service (ACIMS) has met with each SEA provider to support transition of these providers to registered regulated services.
HIQA carries out announced and unannounced inspections of statutory Children’s Residential Centres. HIQA carries out these inspections against the identified Regulations and Standards. Tusla is the statutory regulator of Private and Voluntary Children’s Residential Centres, and is therefore responsible for the registration and inspection of these centres in accordance with the relevant regulations, standards, and the provisions of the Child Care Act 1991.
The record level of investment in Tusla outlined above will support the Agency to increase capacity in its mainstream services and to reduce its reliance on SEAs, within the context of the ongoing high level of demand for its services.
959. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the CDNTs within which there are family representatives adopted and in place; those for which there is a vacancy; the CDNTs in which any family representatives have stood down since January 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34388/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to the service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
960. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any mechanism in place within her Department that allows for civil servants to transfer on secondment to an equivalent role within the European Union, without negatively impacting their pension and other employment rights; her views on the merits of such a scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34416/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Department does not have a formal scheme specifically designed to facilitate secondment of officers to equivalent roles within public services of other EU member states.
However, as part of the wider Civil Service, officers in this Department can access the centralised mechanisms in place that allow for civil servants to transfer on secondment to European Union institutions and bodies.
These include secondment arrangements such as Seconded National Expert (SNE) positions, which are coordinated centrally by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Officers on secondment remain employees of their parent department for the duration of the secondment with core employment and pension rights protected, in so far as is possible.
While the broader framework for civil service mobility is dealt with centrally, the Department supports the continued participation of staff in EU secondment opportunities, subject to operational requirements.
961. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the Building Blocks Grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34469/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI was pleased to announce the next phase of the Building Blocks Extension Scheme last month.
The Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2 is a €10 million capital funding scheme to deliver a significant number of additional early learning and childcare places. The scheme is being funded under the updated National Development Plan.
The purpose of the Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2 is to deliver additional capacity in the sector by supporting existing early learning and childcare services to undertake physical extensions to existing premises. The scheme will be open to community and private services that are signed up to the Core Funding scheme, that commit to continuing in that scheme and adhering to its conditions, particularly in respect of fee management rules.
The aim of the scheme is to tackle undersupply of full-time places, particularly within the 1-3-year-old age-cohort. Places for children in other age brackets will also be eligible for funding, once services create at least the minimum number of places in the priority age-cohort.
The scheme will have two strands:
• Extensions to existing premises for community services
• Extensions to existing premises for private services
Community services can avail of investment of up to €530,000 for projects up to a total value of €680,000.
Private services can avail of investment of up to €265,000 for projects up to a total value of €680,000, with a minimum of 50% funding to come from the operator.
Thresholds for the scheme have been updated since the previous scheme to reflect construction price inflation.
All projects will be required to accept a charge on the premises to protect the State’s interest in the property and ensure that the capital investment continues to be used for its intended purpose over the long term.
The Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2 will build on the success of the existing Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme which, when completed, will deliver up to 1,500 additional full-time places.
The scheme will run in tandem with and will complement the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme, for which €135 million is being made available over the next five years.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality continues to progress a range of other actions to increase the supply of quality and affordable early learning and childcare, including significantly increased investment in the Core Funding scheme and the National Childcare Scheme over recent budgets.
The closing date of the scheme is end of July to allow for notification of successful applicants in September with a view to contracts being signed by year end in preparation for works to commence from January 2027. Projects will begin to make places available to children from September 2027. City and County Childcare Committees will support the development of applications and implementation of projects.
962. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the status and number of operational respite beds for children with disabilities in Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34470/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
963. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeframe for the Government moving towards the target of €200 per month for childcare costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34471/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have always been clear in communicating that the €200 per month commitment is over the lifetime of this Government. While Shaping the Future, the Early Years Action Plan Phase 1 Report, sets out the next steps towards this ambition, I have not waited until now to take action. In September 2025, maximum fee caps were extended to all Partner Services in Core Funding. Budget 2026 also enables Core Funding to continue to support fee-control measures. It will ensure fees remain at 2021 levels for a majority of providers.
A central objective of Shaping the Future is to reduce parental fees to an upper limit of €200 per month over the lifetime of the Government. However, this objective cannot be achieved through the National Childcare Scheme alone. The fee-freeze and maximum fee-caps required for Core Funding have been key to the progress in recent years in making early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services more affordable.
The Phase 1 report of Shaping the Future sets out actions which will be carried out in 2026 using existing policy tools. 2026 actions on affordability will include further reduction in some of the highest fees paid by parents by lowering the maximum fees that Core Funding Partner Services can charge. In addition, from autumn 2026 we will reduce fees for lower-income families through the National Childcare Scheme.
Specifically in relation to the National Childcare Scheme, Phase 1 of Shaping the Future commits to:
• An increase to the lower (base) income threshold of the income-assessed subsidy from €26,000 to €34,000, to ensure that families with incomes below the relative income poverty line receive the maximum subsidies.
• An increase to the upper income threshold (income limit) of the income-assessed subsidy from €60,000 to €68,000, to extend income-assessed subsidies to more families.
• An increase to the multiple child deduction (MCD) component of the income-assessed subsidy for families with two children under the age of 15 from €4,300 to €5,500, and for families with three or more children under the age of 15 from €8,600 to €11,000
Phase 2 actions will be undertaken from 2027 to 2029. While we need to make progress quickly, the actions we take must be sustainable, underpinned by public consultation and research, and delivered in a way that supports families, the workforce and service providers. That is why a broad public consultation process is currently underway. An online survey has been completed, with more than 11,000 responses. Approximately 50 local consultation events, organised with the City and County Childcare Committees, took place during April 2026.
Results of this consultation process, as well as additional analysis, will inform Phase 2 of the Action Plan. The Action Plan adopts a phased approach that enables action to be taken in 2026 while allowing adequate time for the broad public consultation and analysis on longer-term actions, which will be set out in a second report, to be published by the end of 2026.
964. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 2493 of 14 April 2026, if she will outline when local county childcare committees will receive funding for applications submitted under the early learning and childcare capital programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34472/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra967. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on progress in relation to the State's acquisition of childcare facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34475/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 964 and 967 together.
I recently announced €135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible State-led early learning and childcare. The process will begin in 2026 with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative for this Government. Capital funding will be used to acquire and/or fit out the building, depending on requirements.
Up to eight buildings will be selected for investment this year and the State-led initiative will provide thousands of places up to 2030 using the €135 million provided in the National Development Plan. The level of investment will ramp up over the lifetime of the Government.
The initial approach is on purchasing and refurbishment of buildings given that this is a faster route to delivery in the short term. However, the option of building new facilities will also be considered over subsequent years.
The Department is now assessing project options in order to identify which are best placed to deliver on the goals of the programme. No final decisions have yet been made on the specific projects but I look forward to sharing details of projects as they are agreed later this year.
Local City and County Childcare Committees will be supporting the development of projects in the State-led early learning and childcare programme, so in the first instance, community early learning and childcare operators, local authorities, developers, or others who might have a suitable premises or project, should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee. Contact details for City/County Childcare Committees can be found here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees/
965. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide a county-by-county breakdown of the number of city/county childcare committees currently in operation within the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34473/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are 30 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) funded by the Department of Children Disability and Equality (DCDE). The location of the CCC are set out below:
Carlow County Childcare Committee
Cavan County Childcare Committee
Clare County Childcare Committee
Cork City Childcare Committee
Cork County Childcare Committee
Donegal Childcare Committee
Dublin City Childcare Committee
South Dublin Childcare Committee
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Childcare Committee
Fingal County Childcare Committee
Galway Childcare Committee
Kerry County Childcare Committee
Kildare County Childcare Committee
Kilkenny County Childcare Committee
Laois County Childcare Committee
Leitrim County Childcare Committee
Limerick Childcare Committee
Longford County Childcare Committee
Louth County Childcare Committee
Mayo County Childcare Committee
Meath County Childcare Committee
Monaghan County Childcare Committee
Offaly County Childcare Committee
Roscommon County Childcare Committee
Sligo County Childcare Committee
Tipperary Childcare Committee
Coiste Cúram Leanaí Phort Láirge
Westmeath County Childcare Committee
Wicklow County Childcare Committee
Wexford County Childcare Committee
966. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to increase the provision of Irish-medium early years services in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34474/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.
Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2024/25 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 25% from the 2021/22 programme year. Enrolments in Meath during this time increased by 39.9%.
Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2024/25 indicates that, nationally, 4% of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) services are wholly Irish-medium, while 3% are mixed settings where part of the service is Irish-medium part is English-medium. These figures have remained consistent since 2022/23.
The Department is working in collaboration with other relevant Departments and Agencies to develop a national plan to further the development of Irish language provision in the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector. The development of such a plan is a commitment in the 5-Year Action Plan for the Irish Language.
The national plan is expected to support the delivery of two commitments in First 5 (the Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families): “Introduce measures to ensure that children in Gaeltacht areas have access to Irish-medium ELC provision” and “Develop mechanisms to provide Irish-language supports to ELC provision where there are high proportions of children who are learning through the medium of Irish”.
The plan is also expected to support the delivery of commitments in the Programme for Government to: “Support naíonraí and creches to ensure early education access in Gaeltacht communities and beyond” and “Plan the development of State-led facilities in tandem with the school building programme, including Irish-medium naíonraí”.
A survey of Irish-medium ELC and SAC settings including childminders was undertaken in 2022-2023 to obtain a baseline of the current level of Irish-medium provision in the sector, to inform the development of the national plan. A public consultation and a programme of research, including a literature review, took place in 2024. A consultation with children was completed in 2025. It is expected the plan will be launched in the coming months.
968. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare facilities the State has acquired in County Meath for the years 2020 to 2025, and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34476/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn January of this year, I announced €135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible State-led early learning and childcare. The process will begin in 2026 with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative for this government. Capital funding will be used to acquire and/or fit out the building, depending on requirements.
This is a new initiative signalled in last year's Programme for Government and with funding secured in the revised National Development Plan between 2026 and 2030.
Up to eight buildings will be selected for investment this year and the State-led initiative will provide thousands of places up to 2030 using the €135 million provided in the National Development Plan. The level of investment will ramp up over the lifetime of the Government.
The Department is now assessing project options in order to identify which are best placed to deliver on the goals of the programme. Up to eight capital projects will be selected under the programme in 2026. No final decisions have yet been made on the specific projects but I look forward to sharing details of projects as they are agreed.
Local City and County Childcare Committees will be supporting the development of projects. In the first instance, anyone who might have a suitable premises or project should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee whose details can be found here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees
969. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline supports available to those who want to open new childcare services; if any new measures are being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34477/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department supports the ongoing development of existing and new services in the sector through its range of funding schemes and support infrastructure including City and County Childcare Committees.
In particular the Core Funding scheme, which has operated since 2022, offers supply side funding to services.
The Department continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of Core Funding which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core Funding, which is in its fourth programme year, funds services based on the number of places available.
This provides stability to services, and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service.
The Government is also 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. Core Funding Partner Services could apply for capital funding to physically extend their premises or to construct or purchase new premises. The Scheme will deliver up to 1,500 full-day care places for 1- to 3-year-olds.
Following on from the success of the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme, a further Building Blocks scheme will open for applications in 2026. The Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2 will provide grants for community and private early learning and childcare services who are Core Funding partner services to increase their capacity by means of extensions to their existing premises.
Separately, in January I 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 operators who are considering establishing a new early learning and childcare service or expanding existing provision.
The contact details for the City/County Childcare Committees may be found here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees/
970. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when will there be a decision made on the protected disclosure that was submitted by a person (details supplied). [34497/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is a matter for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
971. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department plans to tackle the issue of children attending childcare facilities on a part-time basis (details supplied) and are charged full time rates and as a result are paying more in childcare fees than those attending full-time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34499/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMany families avail of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) as a way to reduce the cost of their early learning and childcare. NCS subsidies are awarded as an hourly rate, along with a maximum number of weekly hours that the subsidy will be paid for.
The fees and sessions offered by the childcare provider is a private matter between the provider and the parent. As the NCS is an hours based model, the subsidy received is determined in part by the number of hours awarded and the attendance pattern of the child. A child awarded longer hours will, all else being equal, receive a larger subsidy by total euro amount than a child who attends part-time. If the fee the provider charges for part time does not reduce pro rata, the co-payment (fee minus subsidy) paid by the parent will be greater.
The accurate recording of a child’s attendance is a core obligation under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 for early years providers and is one of the conditions set out in the NCS funding agreement.
I would note that the Department will soon commence an evaluation of the NCS. This will include consultation and engagement with parents, educators and representative organisations. This evaluation will examine how the NCS is performing currently and identify ways in which the NCS can better support families. As part of this evaluation, the hours-based model of the NCS will be reviewed.
972. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if findings of Tusla investigations form part of the Garda vetting process; if statutory bodies, such as the Teaching Council, are informed of the findings of an investigation by Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34560/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for this question. However I must advise that this is a matter for the Minister for Justice Home Affairs and Migration and/or An Garda Siochana as this Department cannot respond to questions about vetting processes conducted by An Garda Siochana nor whether the findings are shared with other statutory bodies.
973. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any support mechanisms in place to support families whose childcare facilities have withdrawn from the core funding model, specifically in relation to the knock-on price increase for childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34679/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhen first introduced in 2022, Core Funding had an annual allocation of €259 million, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding to the sector.
That annual allocation has increased each year since and exceeds €390 million for year 4 of the Scheme, which started in September. This represents an increase of over 50% in Core Funding in three years.
The allocation for Core Funding for year 5 of the Scheme will increase again - by 23% to over €480 million. This will support a range of important priorities, including maintaining fees at 2021 levels in Year 5, supporting further improvements in pay to staff, and supporting services in adhering to fee management conditions – ensuring affordability for families and sustainability and stability for staff.
Uptake of Core Funding remains strong. As of 4 May 2026, there were 4,633 services signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding which represents 93% uptake by eligible services. This is the highest number of Partner Services in Core Funding at any point since the scheme was launched in 2022. I am encouraged by this rate of participation; it shows the vast majority of families will continue to benefit from the scheme’s fee management conditions.
I am aware that a small number of services have regrettably chosen to withdraw from Core Funding. The State is providing Core Funding to promote the interests of children and their families and workers in a privately delivered sector.
The Department, through the local Childcare Committees (CCCs), engages directly with any such service to highlight the benefits of staying in Core Funding, not only for their service but also for the families who avail of them. I remain hopeful that these providers may reconsider their decision.
Core Funding is a supply-side grant to early learning and childcare providers towards their operating costs. It is designed to promote affordability for parents and sustainability for providers through increased funding to the sector, paid on a consistent and equitable basis.
As Core Funding is an optional scheme, providers have the autonomy to withdraw from or choose not to participate in the scheme. Participation in Core Funding is optional, but it remains open to all Tulsa-registered providers, subject to their agreement to the terms and conditions of the Core Funding Agreement. It is a matter for providers to decide whether they wish to sign up to Core Funding and benefit from the significant financial supports it offers to providers and the certainty it gives to parents through the associated fee management measures.
The Department has a list of all Core Funding Partner Services which is updated regularly on the Department’s website under How to Find a Partner Service.
Regardless of whether the early learning and childcare service which their child attends is participating in Core Funding, both the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) are currently available to parents. The Local Childcare Committee can provide contact information for parents should they need help to secure alternative places. Parents/guardians can also use the following website to find Core Funding Partner Services in their area at https://www.ncs.gov.ie/en/childcare-search/ The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to help parents reduce the cost of early learning and childcare in the form of a subsidy paid directly to the childcare provider. Subsidies are available for children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years of age. The minimum rate available to all families in Ireland is €2.14 per hour, which is available for up to 45 weekly hours. Depending on the child's age and the family's income, an additional income assessed subsidy may be available to provide additional support.
Effective September 2026, the NCS income thresholds will increase significantly, expanding eligibility for subsidies. The lower income threshold rises to €34,000 (from €26,000), allowing more families to access maximum subsidies, while the upper threshold increases to €68,000 (from €60,000). This also means that most families currently receiving an income assessed award will see an increase in their subsidy due to positive tapering effects.
All Tusla registered providers are eligible to offer the National Childcare Scheme and avail of the supports the subsidy provides. Services are eligible for the same NCS supports irrespective of if they are a Partner Service with Core Funding or not.
974. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the withdrawal of a childcare facility from the core funding model (details supplied); the actions she will take to support parents with the knock-on price increase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34680/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra975. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any engagement that her Department has had with the management of a childcare facility (details supplied) prior to their withdrawal from the core funding model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34681/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra976. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any engagement that her Department has had with the management of a childcare facility (details supplied) since their withdrawal from the core funding model with a view to continuing their participation in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34682/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 974, 975 and 976 together.
I am aware that Sharavogue School has regrettably signalled to families that they do not intended to rejoin Core Funding in the 2026/2027 programme year, commencing in September.
The Department, through the local Childcare Committees (CCC), has engaged directly with this service to highlight the benefits of staying in Core Funding, not only for their service but also for the families who avail of them. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown CCC has confirmed that the service does not intend to enter contract for the 2026/2027 programme year. However, I remain hopeful that the provider may reconsider their decision and have asked the CCC to engage further with the provider.
Under the Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement, Partner Services must comply with the rules of the Core Funding scheme, such as the associated fee management measures and minimum notice periods. In line with the Core Funding Partner Service Agreement, services considering withdrawing from the scheme during a programme year must give 3 months’ notice of their intention to withdraw to the scheme administrator, and 3 months’ written notice to parents/guardians.
However, if an existing Partner Service decides not to enter a contract for the new programme year starting on 1 September, they, as private businesses, would no longer be subject to the provisions of the Core Funding Agreement and, by extension, the required minimum notice period to the scheme administrator and parents/guardians. They are also not required to provide a reason for choosing not to reapply for Core Funding to the scheme administrator.
As per the table below, Sharavogue School’s projected full-year Core Funding allocation for year 3 of the scheme is €617,603.64, representing an increase of 34% on the first year of Core Funding. The projected allocation for this programme year figure includes funding specifically ringfenced for improvements to staff pay, to support the Employment Regulation Order that came into effect on 13 October 2025.
|
Name of provider |
2022/2023 Core Funding received |
2023/2024 Core Funding received |
2024/2025 Core Funding Contract Value (Aug 2025) |
2025/2026 Core Funding Contract Value (24 Apr 2026) |
Difference in grant value between 2022/2023 and 2025/2026 |
% change in grant value between 2022/2023 and 2025/2026 |
|
Sharavogue School |
€461,010.82 |
€492,774.14 |
€551,848.52 |
€617,603.64 |
€156,592.82 |
34% |
This Core Funding allocation for Sharavogue School is paid to the services regardless of whether the places are filled or not filled. This provides services a guaranteed minimum income, supporting stability where attendance may be fluctuating.
Core Funding has been designed with maximum participation of providers in mind as reflected in the year-on-year growth of investment in the Scheme (rising from €259 million in year 1 to over €390 million in year 4). This represents an increase of over 50% in Core Funding in three years.
Further investment in Core Funding was announced in Budget 2026. The additional funding being made available in 2026 will see the allocation for Core Funding in the next programme year which begins in September 2026 increase to over €480 million. That is an additional €89.3 million on the current full year allocation, or a 23% increase.
In addition to the year-on-year increases, the Department has made changes to improve the sustainability of providers through, for example, targeted measures for small and sessional services and a fee increase assessment and approval process for services with fees frozen at unsustainably low rates.
Sharavogue School's application for a fee increase was approved in 2024. As part of that approval, the full-time fee increased from €285 to €307.73 per week.
There are also wider financial supports available where a service is experiencing financial difficulty or has concerns about their viability. These supports can be accessed through the Department’s case management process, which can be accessed while remaining in Core Funding.
All services have been encouraged to avail of these supports as an alternative to withdrawing from Core Funding and removing the benefit of Core Funding to children and their families.
While the State cannot mandate providers to participate in Core Funding, the scheme remains open to all registered providers subject to their agreement to the terms and conditions of the Scheme.
It should be noted that where a provider intends to withdraw or not contract into Core Funding, they currently remain eligible to provide the National Childcare Scheme and the Early Childhood Care and Education programme.
The ECCE Programme, which provides two years of pre-school without charge, enjoys participation rates of 96%. Over 70% of families on low-income report that they would not be able to send their child to pre-school without this Programme.
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) complements the ECCE Programme, providing subsidies – both universal and targeted - to reduce the costs to parents for children to participate in early learning and childcare.
The NCS has undergone a number of enhancements in recent years to further improve affordability for parents. These include the extension of the universal subsidy to all children under 15 and two increases to the minimum hourly subsidy, which is now worth a minimum of €96.30 per week for 45 hours. The NCS increases since 2022 are there to benefit all families using registered childcare.
These schemes have made a significant impact on improving affordability of early learning and childcare for families and work more favourably for parents when they are offered as part of Together for Better, where parents are protected though Core Funding’s fee management framework.
The Department has also published the ‘Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan’ (Phase 1 Report). It sets out plans to achieve key Programme for Government commitments on the affordability, quality, and accessibility of early learning and childcare.
The Action Plan adopts a phased approach that allows for actions in 2026 to improve affordability, accessibility and quality, while also ensuring adequate time for a broad public consultation on longer term actions.
The report is available at: Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan
It should be noted that uptake of Core Funding remains strong. As of 5 May, 93% of all eligible providers have signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding, which equates to over 4,630 services. These are the highest numbers of Partner Services in Core Funding at any point since the scheme was launched in 2022.
I am encouraged by this rate of participation and the vast majority of families will continue to benefit from the scheme’s fee management conditions.
The Department will continue to engage with the sector and continue to develop the scheme so that it can continue to see the high uptake levels it has seen this year, and indeed since it was launched in 2022.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee for assistance. For information, the Department has a list of all Core Funding Partner Services which is updated regularly on the Departments website under How to Find a Partner Service.
