Written Answers Nos. 2781-2800
2781. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the most up-to-date contact list for queries from Oireachtas members to agencies under her Department, in tabular form. [55574/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraContact details for each of the bodies under the aegis of the Department for use by members of the Oireachtas is published on gov.ie. These are:
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Adoption Authority of Ireland |
oireachtas@aai.gov.ie |
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National Disability Authority |
oireachtasreps@nda.ie |
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Oberstown Children Detention Campus |
oireachtas@oberstown.com |
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Ombudsman for Children's Office |
oireachtas@oco.ie |
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Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam |
oireachtasqueries@dait.ie |
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency |
oireachtasqueries@tusla.ie |
Additionally, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is an independent public body that accounts to the Oireachtas, with a mandate established under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014. They can be contacted at OireachtasQueries@ihrec.ie or +353 1 858 9601.
2787. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to urgently reinstate respite hours in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55795/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
2789. 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. [55829/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra2790. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the 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. [55830/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra2791. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the 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. [55831/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra2795. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the progress that has been made in relation to a childcare centre's proposal (details supplied) to withdraw from the core funding scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55835/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2789 to 2791, inclusive, and 2795 together.
I am aware that Sharavogue School has regrettably signalled to families that they do not intend 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 4 of the scheme is €617,669.84, representing an increase of 34% on the first year of Core Funding. The projected allocation for this full 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.
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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 |
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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 |
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Sharavogue School |
€461,010.82 |
€492,774.14 |
€551,848.52 |
€617,669.84 |
€156,659.02 |
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 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 €90 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.
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 currently, services that provide the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme and/or the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) are not required to take part in Core Funding, reducing the impact of the NCS as some families are not benefiting from the fee-control measures (fee-freeze and fee caps) or additional funding for quality provision that is provided by Core Funding. This will also be the case for the coming programme year 2026/2027.
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.
It should be noted that uptake of Core Funding remains strong. As of July, 93% of all eligible providers have signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding, which equates to over 4,600 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 www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/how-to-find-a-partner-service/.
2792. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the basis for allowing different upper fee rates for childcare centres in band F based on when they joined the core funding scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55832/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra2793. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are flexibilities in place for a childcare centre categorised in band F to revise their fees (details supplied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55833/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra2794. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1623 of 9 June 2026, the position regarding the childcare centre's application to increase their fees from September 2026 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55834/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2792 to 2794, inclusive, together.
Core Funding is a supply-side payment to early learning and childcare services to support them with their operating costs, and is designed to support affordability, quality and sustainability in the sector.
Adherence to the Core Funding fee management system is a primary condition of receiving the significant State funding that is available through the scheme. The fee management system requires compliance with the fee freeze and maximum fee caps. This helps ensure that taxpayers’ money is being used in a way that sustains services while not excessively increasing their private profit.
The fee freeze meant that in return for funding through the scheme, services that sign up for Core Funding agree not to raise their fees above what was charged to parents on 30 September 2021. For services who were not in existence on this date, they are permitted to set their fees at their own discretion, but must adhere to their fees as set on the date that they signed their Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement. This is to ensure that the State’s significant investment through the Scheme is not absorbed by unnecessary fee increases.
Maximum fee caps were first introduced for new entrants to the Scheme in September 2024. They were then lowered and extended to all Partner Services in September 2025. This established a minimum level of affordability beyond which services would not be able to participate in Core Funding, with the maximum fees subject to annual review and amendment.
For Programme Year 4, the fee cap for Band F was set a maximum of €354 per week. From September 2026, this will be reduced further to €336. Most services already charge below the maximum allowable fees, with only 12% of services expected to have to lower at least one fee from September 2026, in line with the new fee caps.
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 a fee increase assessment and approval process for services with fees frozen at unsustainably low rates.
Per the Core Funding Agreement a fee increase assessment can be run at Ministerial discretion. There will be a Sustainability Review process in advance of the beginning of Programme Year 5, with any sanctioned fee increases being implemented after September 2026.
The criteria for this process has recently been finalised, with the aim of identifying and supporting services whose fees remain at very low levels. An announcement informing services of the new Sustainability Review process has issued through the Department and also through the Early Years Hive. Eligible Partner Services will be contacted by their local CCC in the coming week to inform them of their eligibility and to see if they wish to undertake the assessment.
Partner Services facing sustainability concerns can also avail of supports through the Department’s established case management process, through which local City and County Childcare Committees and Pobal work together to assess and provide support including financial support to services experiencing difficulties.
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 www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/campaigns/city-and-county-childcare-committees/. page on gov.ie
2796. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the community crèche pilot scheme; the locations that have been identified to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55854/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra€135 million will be made available between 2026 and 2030 for the State-led Early Learning and Childcare capital programme, providing high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare.
The process will begin this year with investment in buildings in what is a ground-breaking initiative for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. Capital funding will be used to acquire and/or fit out the building, depending on requirements. The Department will work with not-for-profit providers to design, open and operate services.
To assess potential sites, a forward planning model has been developed. The model seeks to identify the nature and volume of different types of early learning and childcare places across the country and how that aligns with the numbers of children in the corresponding age cohorts at local area level. An extensive data analysis and cleaning exercise has been undertaken to map available publicly-subsidised supply.
As well as the forward planning model, a suite of appraisal criteria and tools have been developed in order to assess the potential alignment of projects with Departmental goals of promoting quality, inclusion, accessibility and affordability.
The Department is assessing project options in order to identify which are best placed to deliver on the goals of the programme. Analysis of project options is advancing well.
Project proposals can be brought to the attention of the Department through completion of a preliminary appraisal form which is available from City and County Childcare Committees.
When a suitable project is brought to the Department, the Forward Planning and Delivery Unit develop a Preliminary Business Case for the project. The Preliminary Business Case assesses the building and the location associated with the project against the programme's appraisal criteria as well as analysing cost, value for money and the quality of the proposed building. The Preliminary Business Case is considered by a Capital Steering Group, comprising senior Department officials and members from the Office of Public Works and the Department of Education and Youth. It can then be submitted for approval-in-principle.
It is important to note that this is not a guarantee of funding for the project as a whole.
After approval-in-principle, a Final Business Case is developed for the project which includes the selection of an eligible operator, agreement of investment/purchasing of buildings, and detailed building design and costing work. The Final Business Case is considered by the Capital Steering Group prior to being submitted for approval. Only once a Final Business Case which provides full details of the project has been developed can final approval for funding be sought.
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 are supporting the development of projects 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.
2797. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare provider closures there have been in County Wicklow since 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55855/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.
2798. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of childcare providers in County Wicklow that have pulled out of the core funding scheme since 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55856/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCore Funding commenced September 2022 and as of 3 November 2025, 15 services based in Wicklow had left Core Funding at one point over the lifetime of the scheme to this date but later rejoined. A further 2 services had left and continued to operate outside of the scheme. Information provided by Pobal, the scheme administrator, indicates that 1 additional service has formally withdrawn from the scheme to date.
While the Department cannot mandate providers to participate in the Scheme, every effort has been made to carefully design Core Funding to meet the policy objectives including to achieve high levels of participation by providers.
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 of July 2026, we are seeing the highest numbers of services participating in the Core Funding scheme since the scheme was launched, with 93% of all eligible providers signed up to the fourth year of Core Funding which equates to over 4,600 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.
When first introduced in 2022, Core Funding brought a significant increase in investment for the sector with an annual allocation of €259 million. That annual allocation has increased each year since and will exceed €390 million for year 4 of the Scheme, starting from September. 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 will see the allocation for Core Funding in the next programme year from September 2026 increase to over €480 million. That is an additional €89.3 million on the current full year allocation, or a 23% increase.
2799. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of new childcare providers that have opened in County Wicklow since 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55857/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.
2800. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the Government's commitment to reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per child per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55858/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Phase 1 report of Shaping the Future: the Early Years Action Plan was published in December 2025. The report sets out the next steps in the delivery of a number of Programme for Government commitments relating to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC).
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. The fee-freeze and maximum fee-caps required for Core Funding have been key to the progress in recent years in making ELC and SAC services more affordable. 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 out of pocket costs for lower-income families through the National Childcare Scheme. These measures include:
- 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.
I recently announced the details of a further reduction in maximum fee caps for the Core Funding programme year 2026/2027, beginning September 2026. These latest maximum fee caps, which apply to all Core Funding Partner Services, will place a limit on the maximum fees that can be charged. Under the new maximum fee caps, the highest possible upfront cost for a typical full day place of 45 hours per week will drop from around €198 per week to €183.70 per week with universal subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme. Higher subsidies are available for many parents, depending on their level of income and the age and number of children in their family.
Phase 2 actions, which will be undertaken from 2027 through to the end of 2029, will be published in Q4 2026. Before Phase 2 actions can be specified, in line with the Programme for Government commitment a broad public consultation is underway. Multiple consultation channels have been used including a national online survey with over 11,000 responses and a telephone survey of approximately 600 parents with children aged under 15. In addition, 56 local consultation events were held between 20–30 April organised with the City and County Childcare Committees. There has been continued ongoing engagement through the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum throughout the consultation process. A national forum, later this year, will build on insights from surveys, events, and stakeholder engagement. Additional data-gathering and analysis is also being undertaken to inform Phase 2.
