Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
865. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps her Department is taking to improve access to the national childcare scheme for children at risk of poverty who had more access to childcare under the former community childcare subvention scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37001/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Childcare Scheme (NCS), introduced in November 2019, was designed to improve the affordability and accessibility of quality early learning and childcare for families across Ireland. In replacing legacy programmes, such as the Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP), the NCS tangibly reduces the cost of early learning and childcare for thousands of families across the State. This is because, unlike legacy programmes which were grounded in social protection payments and medical card status, the NCS offers a comprehensive and progressive system of universal and income-based subsidies. In this way, it aims to combat the poverty traps which existed within legacy programmes, and to appropriately incentivise employment and education/training for parents.
The NCS provides a single statutory entitlement based on the principles of progressive universalism. All families can receive a universal subsidy of €2.14 per hour (for a maximum of 45 weekly hours), but the highest subsides are provided to families with the lowest levels of income through an income assessment process. Families with a reckonable income of €26,000 or less qualify for the maximum subsidy rate of, for example, €5.10 per hour for a child aged between 24-52 weeks or €3.75 for a school-aged child.
The Scheme also contains a number of measures specifically intended to support vulnerable families. In particular, the NCS Sponsorship arrangement allows designated bodies to refer children to the Scheme where childcare is needed on child welfare, protection, family support or other specified grounds. Where a referral is made by a Sponsor Body, the family will automatically qualify for a subsidy without being required to satisfy the Scheme’s standard eligibility, income assessment or enhanced hours requirements.
It is worth noting that the Scheme has also been significantly enhanced since its introduction in 2019. Recent measures include the extension of the universal subsidy to all children under 15 years of age and increases in the minimum subsidy rate from €0.50c per hour in 2019 to the current rate of €2.14 per hour.
Further enhancements to the income-assessed subsidy are also being introduced from 31 August 2026. These include an increase in the lower income threshold to qualify for the maximum subsidy rate from €26,000 to €34,000. This will ensure that more families on lower incomes, including those below the relative poverty line, will qualify for the highest level of support. In addition, increases to the Multiple Child Discount component of the income-assessed subsidy for families with two or more children will further reduce families’ reckonable income, thereby supporting access to higher subsidy rates.
Finally, children who were in receipt of CCSP supports prior to the closure of that programme to new entrants were permitted to remain on the programme or transfer to the NCS where it was of greater benefit to that family. While still available to this cohort, it is expected that the number of families availing of CCSP will continue to reduce over time as children age out of the programme or transition to the NCS.
The Department continues to keep the operation of the NCS under review, including the efficacy of supports available to low income and vulnerable families while ensuring the overall objective of improving children’s outcomes, supporting labour market participation and reducing child poverty are progressed.
