Written Answers Nos. 995-1000
996. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a list of all capital projects, including early years, childcare and disability infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of her Department, and bodies under its aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Kildare in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35015/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy on this matter as soon as possible.
997. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the lack of childcare services currently available in the Clifden area, County Galway; if she has considered the potential of establishing a community crèche in the Clifden area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35034/26]
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. However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for younger children.
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 and has prioritised places for 1- to 3-year-olds.
Recently, I launched the Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2. This is a €10 million capital funding scheme to deliver a significant number of additional early learning and childcare places. 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.
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 will work with not-for-profit providers to design and open services, and these providers will run the services.
A suite of appraisal tools have been developed, including a forward planning model, in order to select projects that align with programme objectives. No final decisions have yet been made on the specific projects but I look forward to sharing details of projects as they are agreed.
The Department is assessing sites and buildings which align with the goals of the programme and, where required, will seek expressions of interest from operators to deliver these State-led services.
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.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee for assistance.
998. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to examine the poll by child care providers (details supplied) and answer the concerns raised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35058/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI acknowledge the viewpoints of childcare providers regarding the operation of the Core Funding scheme, and I wish to assure them that the Department has taken steps to ensure the scheme remains viable.
Core Funding offers supply-side funding to services to support them with their operational costs. Core Funding operates alongside all other early learning and childcare programmes and constitutes additional income to services on top of these programmes (and parental fees) towards a service’s operating costs. It is designed to deliver:
• Affordability for parents through ensuring no increases in fees, capping the maximum fees that can be charged, and offering the National Childhood Scheme (NCS) and the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme to all eligible children;
• Quality in services, including through better terms and conditions for staff and supporting graduate leadership in services; and
• Sustainability for providers through substantially increased funding to the sector, paid on a consistent and equitable basis.
As Core Funding is an optional scheme, service providers have the autonomy and business freedom to withdraw from or choose not to participated in Core Funding, even though this will result in the loss of the significant financial support it offers them and the substantial benefits and certainty it brings to families.
It should be noted that. as of 3 November 2025, there were 5,035 services listed as being open on the Early Years Platform, of which 177 (4%) had left Core Funding at one point over the lifetime of the scheme to this date and continue to operate outside of this scheme. A further 415 services (8%) had left Core Funding at one point over the lifetime of the scheme to this date but later rejoined and were signed up to fourth year of the scheme on this date.
The overwhelming majority of services, 4,157 or 83%, have continued to participate in Core Funding from the date on which they first signed up for the scheme.
It should be noted that of the 592 services that have left the scheme at one point, some 415 services were contracted to Core Funding as of 3 November 2025 – meaning over 70% of services who left the scheme at one point have now returned to Core Funding.
One of the key features of Core Funding is the introduction of a system of fee management, to ensure that affordability measures are passed on to parents/guardians. This began with an effective fee freeze from September 2022. In return for significant funding through the scheme, Partner Services (i.e. services that have an active Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement) agree not to raise their fees above what was charged to parents as at 30 September 2021. For Partner Services who were not in existence on this date, they must adhere to their fees as set on the date that they signed their Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement.
The introduction of Core Funding in 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to services in year 1 of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding to the sector.
While the State cannot mandate providers to participate in the scheme, 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.
I was delighted to announce further investment in Core Funding 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.
A key condition of receiving the significant State funding that is available through the Scheme requires that a Partner Service adhere to the Core Funding fee management system, which includes a freeze on fees at 2021 levels and fee caps. This is to ensure that the State’s significant investment through the Scheme is not absorbed by unnecessary fee increases. This approach to stabilising fee rates in the sector is in line with the recommendations outlined in Partnership for the Public Good, the Expert Group report which was accepted by all of Government in December 2021.
The medium term of the Expert Group’s recommendations, corresponding to the period between September 2024 to August 2026, has brought significant changes to the fee management system as the Department has introduced more direct fee management measures, including fee caps on all Partner Services and controlled fee increases. In the spirit of partnership between the State and Partner Services, these measures promote fairness in the market while supporting affordability for parents.
In addition to the year on year increases in the Core Funding allocation, the Department has made changes to improve the sustainability of providers through, for example, targeted measures for small and sessional services, and in 2024 a fee increase assessment and approval process for services with fees frozen at unsustainably low rates.
The Department is conscious of the importance of promoting affordability for parents without compromising the viability of businesses in the sector, and appropriate safeguards are carefully considered during planning for new developments.
The allocation for Core Funding’s fifth programme year will include €20.6m in brand new full-year funding to support services to maintain fee management conditions, such as the fee freeze and new maximum fee caps supporting affordability for parents. This will guarantee that Core Funding’s monetary protections will continue to be passed on to families while ensuring sustainability and stability for the sector.
Full details of Core Funding programme year 2026/2027 will be made available to the sector later this year.
I am happy to confirm that the coming year’s Core Funding will not be dependent on linking services.
It should be noted that uptake of Core Funding remains strong. As of 11 May, 93% of all eligible providers have signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding, with the highest number of Scheme participants at any point since its launch in 2022.
I acknowledge the increase in administration for providers with the introduction of schemes such as the NCS and Core Funding. A number of steps are being taken to reduce the administrative workload. In relation to Core Funding, improvements have been made to the application module since the commencement of Core Funding including a cloning facility, to enhance the user experience. A Universal Fee Table has been in place since 2023, which enables services to upload one single fee table that covers all schemes. The Parent Statement has also been refined so that one agreement now covers all schemes, and this only has to be signed once between the provider and parent irrespective of fee changes.
Funding to support administration costs for providers is included in Core Funding. This replaces the Programme Support Payments (PSP), which supported early learning and childcare providers in meeting the costs arising from the administrative work associated with the Department’s schemes, and for the time required to perform activities outside of contact time with children. The budget previously allocated to PSP has now been incorporated into Core Funding. In addition, the contribution towards staff pay and conditions under Core Funding takes account of both contact time and non-contact time.
I am confident in the adequacy of the new funding model for this sector. However, there is a safety net in place for the small number of services who may for any number of reasons require additional supports, to ensure that they can continue to provide this vital service for the public good without needing to withdraw the benefits that Core Funding achieves for parents such as fee freezes and caps.
All services are encouraged to avail of these supports if they are facing difficulties with the sustainability of their business. Contact details for the CCCs can be found at the City and County Childcare Committees page on gov.ie.
999. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the basis on which the current levy arising from public expenditure overruns is being calculated and applied to her Department’s Vote; whether any categories of expenditure, including pay, pensions or staffing-related costs, are exempt from the levy within her Department; and if she will provide a breakdown of the areas against which the levy is being applied [35074/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe levy amount being applied was set out in a written letter from the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) to this Department's Secretary General. This letter notes the basis for the levy arising from Government Decision S180/20/10/3001 dated 21 April “on the application of an Expenditure Levy.”
The letter states that the levy will apply to current expenditure in 2027. The letter notes that it “is a matter for your Department to determine how the levy will be applied across your Vote Group”. The letter does not specify as to what areas of current expenditure are to be impacted. This will be determined in due course with proposals to be provided to DPER before the specified return date of the 17th July 2026.
1000. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality when Ireland will implement the European Union Disability Card Directive; the steps currently being taken by her Department towards its transposition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35162/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Disability Card and European Parking Card Directive was published in November 2024. Member States have until 5 June 2027 to transpose the Directive into national law and until 5 June 2028 to introduce the Cards. It is my intention that Ireland transpose and implement the Directive within these deadlines.
The European Disability Card is an important EU initiative which will make travel easier for disabled Irish citizens by removing barriers to travel across all Member States.
This standardised card will ensure that when a disabled Irish person travels to another EU Member State for a short stay, and uses transport or avails of culture, arts, leisure or sport services, they will be able to easily access any special conditions or preferential treatment available to a disabled citizen of that country. This could include, for example, reduced entry fees when visiting a museum or priority entry or access to dedicated seating areas when attending a sporting event or concert.
The European Disability Card will be complemented by an enhanced European Parking Card, which has also been established by the same Directive. In a similar way to the European Disability Card, this enhanced parking card will have a standard format across all Member States, making it easier for disabled Irish citizens to travel, secure in the knowledge that their card will be recognised in their destination Member State. This Card is within the remit of the Minister for Transport. My Department is coordinating the transposition of the Directive. As the Directive is broad in its scope, covering areas such as transport, arts, and culture, officials are engaging with all relevant departments as well as Disabled Persons' Organisations and will continue to do so throughout the transposition process.
Officials are also engaging on an ongoing basis with the European Commission in relation to the Delegated Acts which will support transposition and implementation of the Directive, which are to be published by the Commission in the coming months.
