Written Answers Nos. 2801-2820
2801. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of registered childcare providers in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55859/26]
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.
2802. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No: 2502 of 14 April 2026 and the HSE reply provided on 27 April 2026, if there is an update available on payment of the Children's Disability Service Grant to the organisation (details supplied); the current reason for the lengthy delay in providing the grant; if a commitment will be made as to a date the organisation will receive the grant; if it will be prioritised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55860/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
2803. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total expenditure incurred by her Department on external consultancy and advisory services for each contract; the name of the consultancy firm or supplier; the title and purpose of the contract; the relevant Department or HSE division; the amount paid in each year; the number of personnel assigned to the contract and their equivalent whole-time-equivalent commitment or, where this was not specified, the number of contracted and delivered person-days, in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55865/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is currently reviewing our records in the context of the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
2804. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number and proportion of staff who have completed AI-related training programmes since January 2024; the levels of training, introductory or advanced use; to confirm the associated expenditure on each level of training provided, by her Department and public body; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55867/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department began its programme of AI-related training in November 2025, when Microsoft Copilot Chat was made available through Teams to all staff. An introductory session was provided, with a recording of the session shared with all staff via the Department's Intranet.
Since then, further Department-wide, divisional and unit-specific sessions have been delivered. Training has primarily focused on introductory and practical use, including effective prompting and the safe and responsible use of AI.
As these were awareness and practical-support sessions rather than formal accredited programmes, centralised completion figures are not currently available. Therefore, a reliable number or proportion of staff who completed training cannot be provided. All training to date has been delivered using internal resources, with no associated external expenditure.
The Department has adopted the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of AI in the Public Service and is developing a Department-specific AI Framework. A suite of supporting documents, including an AI Policy, staff guidance and a Training and Awareness Plan has been prepared and is progressing through the Department’s approval process. The framework is intended to align AI use with the EU AI Act and relevant public-service, data protection and cybersecurity requirements.
The Department has an AI governance group in place to oversee the Department’s approach. Governance arrangements include an AI Register and a proportionate use-case assessment process to ensure that proposed uses are assessed, recorded and subject to appropriate safeguards.
The Department has sent your query on to the aegis bodies under the Department's remit, who will reply to the Deputy directly.
2805. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a statutory future-planning pathway will be established for adults with an intellectual disability living with ageing family carers; the body responsible for initiating and completing each plan; the point at which planning must commence; and the timeframe for implementation. [55894/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo support people with disabilities and their families, the HSE and contracted service providers endeavour to provide the correct supports for individuals when needed including day services, respite services, residential services, home support and personal assistance.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality, alongside the HSE, is continuing to work to increase provision in order to assist those who are most vulnerable in our society, and who urgently require services.
The HSE advise that access to services is based on assessment of need and prioritisation of risk and urgency.
HSE regions are working collaboratively with voluntary service providers in each Integrated Healthcare Area to identify individuals with urgent need to ensure plans are in place before a crisis arises. Engagement is also ongoing to improve the process for service users and families to access these residential services.
The HSE’s 2026 National Service Plan includes details of a move towards a more planned and responsive system of service provision to meet residential needs for people with a disability, with the allocation of specific funding for the development of 72 new planned residential placements and strengthened operational processes being put in place to respond to the current high demand.
Generally, the majority of people with disabilities who receive new residential placements are currently living with their parent(s) or carer(s) and it should be expected that a number of the new planned places and unplanned urgent places funded in 2026, will be provided to people with disabilities, living with older parents.
The HSE advises that it is important that the individual with disabilities or their advocate/carer make contact with their local HSE Disability Manager and local authority with a view towards discussing housing or social housing supports required.
The HSE’s Disability Support Application Management Tool (DSMAT), provides a list and profiles of people (Adults & Children) who require both residential and non-residential supports in each Health Region. Entries to the DSMAT are entered locally by the HSE and represent an indicator of need for people who come forward actively seeking services.
The DSMAT captures detailed information on home and family circumstances and a detailed presentation profile of each individual, including specialised profiles of behavioural intensity, key diagnoses, and complex support needs due to the extent and intensity of intellectual and/or physical & sensory disability.
The National Ability Support System, (NASS) is a key planning tool in respect of current service provision and future service needs. It is a national planning tool run by the Health Research Board, in conjunction with the HSE and disability service providers nationally.
The HSE's Framework for the Management of Residential Supports provides guidance to HSE regions in their oversight and decision-making process governing the allocations and use of resources for the provision of residential care and supports. The purpose of this framework is to ensure that:
• An equitable, transparent and consistent practice regarding the prioritisation of need of applicants for residential supports is implemented across and within each Region.
• Measures are put in place to ensure residential placements and supports are only considered when all other options such as respite and in home supports have been exhausted.
• A robust review and regular monitoring of the current configuration or delivery of services takes place.
• Assist in the strategic planning of residential resources.
With the funding allocated for 2026, the HSE has begun work to establish Residential Placement Planning & Review Teams in each Regional Health Area. The aim of these teams will be to improve forward planning of residential placements, and to ensure that individuals are appropriately assessed in relation to support needs prior to placement in residential services and reviewed in a timely manner for duration of the placement in respect of quality of care and support needs.
Furthermore, with additional funding secured in recent Budgets, new HSE housing coordinators will also be in place this year to coordinate and oversee the delivery of the new residential placements and plan for future placements, many of which will be delivered in Local Authority homes.
Availability of suitable housing is particularly important in the delivery of residential supports. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are working closely with the HSE and local authorities to respond to the need for additional capacity and improve forward planning, including more cost-effective approaches to meeting housing and support needs. This includes setting specific targets in Local Authority Housing Development Action Plans, which are currently under development.
Throughout 2026, this Department is undertaking research and progressing policy development, with a view to developing a new policy framework for both specialist disability residential services and respite services.
The Department is also advancing the development of a policy framework on community-based supports, including home support and personal assistance.
These supports play a critical role in enabling disabled peoples’ independence and participation in their communities. The work will also consider the appropriate role of personalised budgets. Engagement with stakeholders, particularly those in receipt of these services, will be an important part of the reform programme under way.
2806. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of people aged under 65 residing in nursing homes at the end of each year from 2021 to 2025 and currently in 2026; the number in that age group admitted to and discharged from nursing homes in each year; the number discharged to an appropriate community-based setting; and the projected reduction in the number of people aged under 65 residing in nursing homes by the end of 2026. [55896/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for raising this question. As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
2807. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for the estimated cost based on current funding for the early years sector, to increase national childcare subsidies to a level whereby parental fees would cost €200 per month. [55906/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy has requested the cost of increasing the NCS subsidy so that parental fees for childcare would cost €200 per month.
It is not possible to provide an accurate estimation with the information currently available. To model a change such as this accurately would require individualised fee data on out-of-pocket costs for parents. Each year Pobal compiles data from Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers as part of the Early Years Sector Profile. This provides the Department with data on the average weekly fee per child before subsidies. According to the most recently published fee data for the 2024/25 programme year, the median weekly fee is €200 for full day early learning and childcare.
However, this average fee figure does not accurately capture the variation across the ELC and SAC sector. These fees vary significantly based on the location of the service, usage patterns (i.e. sessional, part-time, full time) and age of the child. Additionally, to estimate the cost of increasing the NCS subsidy in this way, it would be necessary to also consider the behavioural shift that would occur as a result of the subsidy increase, including increases in labour market participation, changes in usage, and use of formal ELC and SAC for the first time.
The Programme for Government has committed to establishing a cap on costs at €200 per child per month to further build on significant progress in affordability that has already been made through a number of existing Schemes.
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 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 out of pocket costs will be reduced for lower-income families and families with 2 or more children through the National Childcare Scheme (NCS).
Starting in September 2026, the new maximum fee caps will lower the maximum fees that can be charged by new and existing ELC and SAC services receiving Core Funding from the state. The fee for a full day place of between 40-50 hours per week was initially set at €325 for Programme Year 3 in 2024/2025 and will be reduced to €280 from September 2026, before subsidies are applied (which will bring the rate down to €183.70 for those families on universal subsidies for a typical full day place of 45 hours). This new measure represents a significant advance in standardising fees across the sector, which has historically seen different rates charged by providers for the same level of provision.
The publication of Shaping the Future, the Early Years Action Plan Phase 1 Report sets out the next steps for building an affordable, high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare system, informed by stakeholder consultation. 2026 actions on affordability will include further reduction in some of the highest fees paid by parents through Core Funding; and reduced fees for lower-income families through the National Childcare Scheme, which will ensure that families with incomes below the relative income poverty line receive the maximum subsidies. 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.
Results of this consultation, and additional analysis, will inform Phase 2. Phase 2 (which will be published later this year) will set out actions to be undertaken from 2027 through to the end of 2029.
2809. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the gradual reduction of childcare costs as committed to in the programme for Government; the steps she has taken to progress this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55909/26]
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 under way. 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.
2810. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding developments towards reaching the commitment to reducing childcare costs to €200 per child, per month, in the context of a number of childcare providers pulling out of the core funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55910/26]
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.
Core Funding is a supply-side grant to ELC and SAC 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.
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 2022 to over €390 million in 2025). This represents an increase of over 50% in Core Funding in three years.
Core Funding has enjoyed high participation from the sector since its launch in September 2022.
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. Over 70% of services who left the scheme at one point have returned to the Scheme.
334 eligible services, from a total of 5296, are currently not participating. These services are welcome to join Core Funding at any stage. The Department/CCC can support services with further information on how to join.
To deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to progressively reduce parental fees to €200 per month, the Phase 1 report of Shaping the Future states that Phase 2 will set out a roadmap to ensure that all publicly funded providers are supported to take part in Core Funding.
As noted in the Phase 1 report, this will include measures to reduce the administrative burden for providers of participating in publicly funded schemes.
Phase 2 of Shaping the Future is in development and will be published by year end.
2811. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the areas identified in Cork county where childcare demand exceeds supply; the estimated shortfall in places; the measures being taken to increase capacity in those areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55915/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraImproving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government.
A forward planning model has been developed by officials in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to better understand the interaction of early learning and childcare supply and demand at local area level and to inform decision making about capital investment.
Work is continuing on the next stages of development of the forward planning model, which will incorporate future demographic trends and new housing developments, among other features.
Estimates of current and future unmet early learning and childcare need can vary significantly depending on assumptions made regarding target or required participation levels and the population projection source and scenario applied.
Aggregated early learning and childcare demand and capacity data, including data on enrolments, vacancies and waiting lists, is available on the www.pobal.ie/childcare/capacity/. Data on population and on expected future trends in population is available from the www.cso.ie/en/. and the ESRI.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is supporting the development of early learning and childcare capacity nationally, including in Cork, through Core Funding which was introduced in 2022 and has supported the expansion of capacity in the sector by 25% over three years.
Capital funding is also supporting expansion of capacity through both the Building Blocks Extension Grant Schemes and the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme.
A new Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme has been launched which will make available €10 million next year to support existing operators to expand their provision. The closing date for applications is 31 July. This follows on from the current Building Blocks scheme which will deliver up to 1,500 places.
Separately, the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme will invest €135 million in buildings in the coming five years to support the expansion of provision, delivering thousands of additional places.
2812. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children awaiting an assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005, by CHO area; the average wait time in each area; the number waiting longer than six, 12 and 24 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55934/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of an effective, efficient Assessment of Need system is a priority for the Government.
Children do not require an Assessment of Need report to access health services, including Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services, or education supports.
However, demand for Assessments of Need has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child. From 2024 to 2025 applications increased from 10,690 to 13,186 with 7,100 applications already received in the first 6 months of this year. This demand is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond resulting in over 23,000 applications overdue for completion at the end of June 2026.
There has been intensive work by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE to address delays in the provision of Assessments of Need. This is evident in the continued improvement in the number of completed Assessment of Need reports with 5,939 reports completed nationally in 2025. This is a 43% increase compared to the number completed in 2024. The HSE reports that 3,043 Assessment of Need reports were completed in the first six months of 2026. This improvement is welcome and must continue.
In late 2024, the HSE Community Health Area (CHO) structure was replaced by six Regional Health Areas (RHA) with Assessment of Need data reported by the HSE at Regional Health Area level since the start of 2025. The most recent HSE Assessment of Need data is for Q2 2026 and Table 1 as follows shows the number of Assessment of Need applications overdue for completion by RHA, along with the number of reports overdue by over 3 months. The HSE does not provide data on the number of applications overdue for completion by six, 12 or 24 months.
Table 1: Applications overdue for completion by region (Q2 2026)
|
RHA |
Total overdue end of Quarter 2, 2026 |
Overdue >3 months |
|
HSE Dublin & North East |
7248 |
6271 |
|
HSE Dublin & Midlands |
8183 |
7408 |
|
HSE Dublin & South East |
3293 |
2667 |
|
HSE South West |
2234 |
1715 |
|
HSE Mid West |
589 |
517 |
|
HSE West & North West |
1735 |
1439 |
|
Total |
23282 |
20017 |
The duration of the Assessment of Need process varies for each individual application and is dependent on a number of factors including the complexity of each case and whether multi-disciplinary or single discipline input and/or clinical assessments are required. As such, it is not possible to provide a breakdown of waiting time for individual assessments. However, the HSE reports that in Q2 2026, the average duration of the assessment process per report completed nationally was 24.3 months. As this is a national figure, there will be regional variations with some AONs being delivered within a shorter timeframe.
In December 2025 Government announced a series of improvements to the Assessment of Need process which will make it more effective and efficient for children and families. Over time, this should lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment. This includes legislative reform and operational improvements to support the efficiency and effectiveness of the Assessment of Need process.
The proposed legislative changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child. They also will not alter the statutory six-month timeline set out in the Disability Act.
The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill has been published on the Department’s website. An assets.gov.ie/static/documents/2fc0c49e/20260324-FAQ-Version-1.1-CLEARED.pdf has also been published, providing information on Assessment of Need and the proposed changes for parents and any other interested stakeholders.
It is important to recognise that legislation is only a part of the response. The Department is working with the HSE to identify further opportunities to enhance processes, improve training, and increase administrative supports for HSE Assessment Officers who are responsible for the production of assessment reports. This includes the establishment of working groups to address learning and development needs and to develop statutory guidelines.
The HSE is also implementing actions to address the wider issue of access to services and supports for children with disabilities including:
• Introduction of a Single Point of Access system by the HSE in 2026 which should make it easier for families to be referred to the right service, whether that is primary care, CDNT or mental health services. It aims to streamline referrals and reduce duplication, so children do not end up on multiple waiting lists.
• Implementation of the Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathways Protocol by the HSE, announced in May 2026, which will provide a standardised assessment process across primary care, mental health and disability services. It will be the preferred assessment route for autism. A dedicated assets.gov.ie/static/documents/dc3ff710/Autism_Protocol_FAQ_May_2026.pdf for the Protocol is also available on the Department’s website.
• The creation of eleven new HSE teams, initially, to support assessment processes, including AON, providing clinical guidance and administrative supports.
It is intended that these improvements to the AON process will result in a noticeable reduction in waiting times for children and their families across the country.
2813. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in Cork city and county awaiting an assessment of need; the average and longest waiting times; the staffing complement of assessment teams in Cork; the additional post sanctioned in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of these post that remain to be filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55935/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
2814. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of persons in Cork County awaiting residential placement, emergency placements and respite services, respectively; the number receiving fewer respite nights than assessed as required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55936/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for raising this question. As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
2815. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of staff employed in the early learning and childcare sector in County Cork; the average pay rates by qualification level for Cork county; the estimated workforce shortfall in this sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55937/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe role of the early years educator and school-age childcare (SAC) practitioner are valuable ones, and they play an important part in supporting children's development, learning and care.
I acknowledge that many early learning and care (ELC) and SAC services report staffing challenges in relation to recruitment and retention. In general, these challenges are caused not by insufficient supply of qualified personnel, but by turnover caused in general by low levels of pay.
Pay is one of a number of challenges impacting the ELC and SAC workforce. The level of pay for early years educators and SAC practitioners does not reflect the value of their work for children, families, society and the economy.
Although the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions for any staff in the sector.
The Joint Labour Committee (JLC) is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders (EROs), and is independent in its functions.
Pay and conditions are improving. Through the work of the JLC and successive EROs, minimum pay rates have now risen three times in four years, delivering an average 15% increase in minimum rates of pay. This marks significant progress in professionalising the workforce. The latest EROs, which came into effect in October 2025, saw an increase in minimum pay rates of, on average, 10% and will increase pay for over 67% of staff in the sector.
Outcomes from the JLC process are supported by Government through Core Funding. In this programme year 2025/26, Core Funding has increased by 6% to approximately €350 million with an additional €45 million in ring-fenced Core Funding provided to support services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector.
For programme year 2026/2027, I recently announced that Core Funding will be increased by 23% to €480 million. An additional €45 million has also been ringfenced from September 2026 to support services in meeting the potential costs of increasing rates of pay, contingent upon new EROs being enacted following successful negotiations by the independent JLC.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to continue to support EROs to attract and retain early years educators, I met with JLC representatives in April to outline the Government's continued support for the improvement of pay for educators and practitioners working in the sector and the JLC process.
The Department continues to support the JLC and the negotiation process by fulfilling data requests which it has received from the JLC members.
The following tables show the staff workforce and staff vacancies in Cork County only and do not include Cork City.
Estimated ELC/SAC workforce in Cork County
|
Main role |
Estimated staff |
|
Educator |
1,383 |
|
Lead Educator |
200 |
|
Graduate Lead Educator |
399 |
|
Deputy Manager |
122 |
|
Manager |
236 |
|
Graduate Manager |
210 |
|
Total |
2,550 |
There are an estimated 2,550 educators and practitioners working with children in the ELC and SAC sector in Cork County. The average rates of pay by qualification level are as follows:
|
Qualification Level |
Average Pay Rates € |
Estimated Staff Numbers |
|
Level 5 |
15.82 |
571 |
|
Level 6 |
17.26 |
660 |
|
Level 7 and above |
18.84 |
822 |
|
None |
18.22 |
498 |
|
Total |
17.63 |
2,550 |
Currently there is no qualification required for SAC practitioners, who are included in the data presented above.
General data assumptions
Data are based on the Core Funding data pull 21 May 2026.
Data is self-reported by service providers.
Staff members’ highest role was chosen as the main role.
Staff whose rate of pay is entered below the previous ERO in the data pull are assigned a rate equal to the latest ERO.
Staff number estimates are extrapolated to the sector at 1/0.88.
Staff number estimates relate to a count of staff IDs. A staff member may have more than 1 staff ID but numbers of such cases are very low.
Exclusions
Data has been cleaned to remove or adjust for likely errors.
Services were excluded where service status was recorded as Closed, System Cancelled, Draft, New, Withdrawn or Declined in the data pull.
Services were excluded where service type was recorded as Childminder, Drop-In or Not found.
Staff Vacancies
|
|
2024/25 |
|
Cork County |
135 |
Vacancies Data Notes:
The vacancies data is taken from responses to the 2024/25 Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey, which had a national response rate of 87.5%.
Data is self-reported by service providers.
Figures for 2026 are not available as data collected through the 2025/26 Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey is undergoing cleaning.
The number of vacancies at the time of the 2024/25 survey relates to staff working directly with children (both educators/practitioners and managerial staff) only.
A longer-term workforce strategy for the sector is in place: "Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for ELC and SAC, 2022-2028". Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in the sector.
One of the five "pillars" of Nurturing Skills comprises commitments aimed at supporting recruitment, retention and diversity in the workforce, and it includes actions to raise the profile of careers in the sector.
In December 2023, a Sub-Group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum was established to address recruitment and retention challenges. The group has advanced initiatives including:
• A Student Fast-track Process for recognition of studies to work in service out of term,
• The assessment of unfinished qualifications, where people who may have started a relevant qualification but did not get to finish it, can have what they completed assessed for meeting qualification requirements
• An agreement to promote careers in the sector
Another action from the plan currently under development is a communications campaign which will include a series of videos and information packs aimed at promoting the ELC and SAC profession. The packs will be provided to career guidance counsellors and other key bodies who support individuals in making education and employment decisions, with the aim of raising awareness of career opportunities and pathways within the ELC and SAC sector.
The Department acknowledges the challenges faced by staff in relation to stress and well-being, with administrative burden often cited as a key factor to those pressures. To help support the welfare and wellness of the sector, a pilot employee assistance programme will commence shortly in five City and County Childcare Committee (CCC) areas. This pilot project is an action under Equal Start: A model to support access and participation in early learning and childcare for all children. Following evaluation of the pilot the EAP will be expanded across the sector.
To further support staff retention and increase the number of degree-level graduates in the sector, the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund was established to enable educators who continue to work within the sector to pursue Level 7 and 8 qualifications in support of the First 5 and subsequently Nurturing Skills objective of a 'graduate led' ELC workforce.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund assists in the financial costs for early years educators who wish to pursue ELC qualifications approved by the Qualifications Advisory Board at level 7 and level 8 while continuing to work in the sector, in a core funded service.
Nurturing Skills Learner Fund pays up to 90% of course fees excluding student levies. Over 550 early years educators have been offered financial support to upskill to Level 7 and Level 8 ELC qualifications for the academic year 2026/2027 beginning in Autumn 2026. Since its inception in 2024 the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund has offered financial support to over 1,250 early years educators.
2816. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of registered childcare places in Cork county; the net increase or decreases in childcare places since 2022; the number of service closures for Cork county in each years from 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of services currently operating at full capacity in Cork county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55938/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraEach year, Pobal compiles data from Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers as part of the Early Years Sector Profile. Data for the Early Years Sector Profile is typically captured in May/June of each programme year. While ELC and SAC offerings vary across service providers and the allocation of ELC of SAC places is flexible, the published capacity data provides an estimate of the number of children enrolled in ELC and SAC, the percentage of services with at least one vacant place and the percentage of services operating a waiting list at a given time.
The most recent published capacity data for the 2024/25 programme year estimated that there were 17,025 children enrolled in ELC and SAC services in Cork County, a 24% increase from 13,737 in the 2021/22 programme year. In Cork City, estimated enrolments in ELC and SAC services increased by 21%, from 7,131 in the 2021/22 programme year to 8,613 estimated enrolments in the 2024/25 programme year.
Data for the 2024/25 programme year also indicated that 57% of services in Cork County reported that they had no vacant places at the time of the survey, 31% reported operating a waiting list and 43% reported having at least one vacant place. In Cork City, 60% of services reported that they had no vacant places at the time of the survey, 42% reported operating a waiting list and 40% reported having at least one vacant place.
As part of the early years sector profile survey, providers are asked whether they operate a waiting list and, where applicable, the number of entries on a waiting list for a place for their service. While this data can be used to give an indication of demand, it should not be used as a measure of overall demand for ELC or SAC places as it is vulnerable to overestimating the actual number of children requiring a place. An individual child may be on multiple waiting lists in different services and may remain on one or multiple service lists after taking up a place.
Further information can be found on the Early Learning and Childcare data website: www.pobal.ie/data-library/early-learning-and-childcare-data/. The Capacity Section of the website provides information on the number of children enrolled, services with vacant places, and services with a waiting list.
In line with the requirements of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations , 2016, the Child Care Act, 1991 (Early Year Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018 and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Childminding Services) Regulations 2024, those wishing to operate a preschool, school age or child minding early years service are required to register with Tusla. Each year a number of early years services also decide to close of their own volition. Where these services close, they are also required, in line with these statutory provisions to notify Tusla of their planned closure.
All data collected by Tusla, including information relating to new registrations and reported cessations is collated and verified on a rolling basis. It must be noted however that where a facility that was providing both pre-school and school age services closes fully, the reported cessations will be counted twice in the following figures (once in the pre-school table and once in the school age table), as pre-school services and school age services are regulated separately and are maintained on separate registers as separate services. Additionally, Childminding Services Regulations only became operative in September 2024 with a statutory transition period of three years ending in September 2027. As such registration is not mandatory until the end of this transition period.
For the purposes of registration in line with the statutory requirements outlined above, Tusla records the maximum number of children which the provider can accommodate in their service at any one time, in line with prescribed statutory criteria. It is important to note that this does not equate to the number of actual children in attendance. This is an upper limit in which a service is approved to operate and it is for individual services to determine their own capacity which may be below this limit in line with their own service provision constraints. While the number of children in attendance in individual early years services is noted on inspection, this data is not collated centrally, and therefore the Early Years Inspectorate is unable to address this portion of the Deputy’s query, relating to early year service capacity or number of childcare places.
On this basis, the requested data which is available for the period January 2020 – end of June 2026 is presented as follows:
|
Co. Cork |
2022 |
|
2023 |
|
2024 |
|
2025 |
|
2026 to end June |
|
|
|
New |
Closed |
New |
Closed |
New |
Closed |
New |
Closed |
New |
Closed |
|
Pre-School |
5 |
13 |
7 |
17 |
11 |
9 |
10 |
8 |
2 |
3 |
|
School Age |
45 |
9 |
40 |
16 |
44 |
10 |
47 |
13 |
8 |
3 |
|
Childminding |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
1 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
2817. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children on waiting lists for an assessment of need in Wexford in each of the years 2020 to date; the number overdue for completion; the number completed with a service statement, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55994/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of an effective, efficient Assessment of Need system is a priority for the Government.
Children do not require an Assessment of Need report to access health services, including Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams or Mental Health Services, or education supports.
However, demand for Assessments of Need has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child. Between 2022 and 2025, applications for Assessments of Need almost doubled rising from 6,755 to 13,186 and are continuing to increase with 7,100 applications already received in the first 6 months of this year. This demand is outpacing the capacity of the system to respond resulting in over 23,000 applications overdue for completion at the end of June 2026.
There has been intensive work by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE to address delays in the provision of Assessments of Need. This is evident in the continued improvement in the number of completed Assessment of Need reports with 5,939 reports completed nationally in 2025. This is almost double the number completed in 2022 (3,071). The HSE reports that 3,043 Assessment of Need reports were completed in the first six months of 2026. In Wexford, 114 reports were completed in the first six months of the year compared to 89 in the same period in 2025. This improvement is welcome and must continue.
While the HSE does not provide Assessment of Need data by county, data is provided by Regional Health Area and Local Health Office (LHO) area. The most recent data provided by the HSE for Wexford LHO is for Q2 2026 and the data requested by the Deputy is provided in the following table:
|
Wexford LHO |
No. of AON applications overdue for completion |
No. of service statement completed |
|
2020 |
166 |
16 |
|
2021 |
52 |
11 |
|
2022 |
111 |
112 |
|
2023 |
163 |
11 |
|
2024 |
198 |
76 |
|
2025 |
261 |
141 |
|
2026 (end Q2) |
325 |
60 |
In December 2025 Government announced a series of improvements to the Assessment of Need process which will make it more effective and efficient for children and families. Over time, this should lead to a reduction in the waiting time to receive an assessment. This includes legislative reform and operational improvements to support the efficiency and effectiveness of the Assessment of Need process.
The proposed legislative changes will not remove any rights for parents to apply for an Assessment of Need for their child. They also will not alter the statutory six-month timeline set out in the Disability Act.
The General Scheme of the Disability (Amendment) Bill has been published on the Department’s website. An assets.gov.ie/static/documents/2fc0c49e/20260324-FAQ-Version-1.1-CLEARED.pdf has also been published, providing information on Assessment of Need and the proposed changes for parents and any other interested stakeholders.
It is important to recognise that legislation is only a part of the response. The Department is working with the HSE to identify further opportunities to enhance processes, improve training, and increase administrative supports for HSE Assessment Officers who are responsible for the production of assessment reports. This includes the establishment of working groups to address learning and development needs and to develop statutory guidelines.
The HSE is also implementing actions to address the wider issue of access to services and supports for children with disabilities including:
• Introduction of a Single Point of Access system by the HSE in 2026 which should make it easier for families to be referred to the right service, whether that is primary care, CDNT or mental health services. It aims to streamline referrals and reduce duplication, so children do not end up on multiple waiting lists.
• Implementation by the HSE of the Autism Assessment and Intervention Pathways Protocol, announced in May 2026, which will provide a standardised assessment process across primary care, mental health and disability services. It will be the preferred assessment route for autism. A specific assets.gov.ie/static/documents/dc3ff710/Autism_Protocol_FAQ_May_2026.pdf for the Protocol is also available on the Department’s website.
• The creation of eleven new HSE teams, initially, to support assessment processes, including AON, providing clinical guidance and administrative supports.
It is intended that these improvements to the AON process will result in a noticeable reduction in waiting times for children and their families across the country.
2818. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her assessment of a policy proposal by an organisation (details supplied) suggesting that the State take on payroll for early years educators with a view to enhancing overall affordability and achieving the target set out in the programme for Government of €200 per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56006/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Joint Labour Committee (JLC) is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders (EROs). The JLC is independent in its functions.
Pay and conditions are improving. Through the work of the JLC and successive EROs, minimum pay rates have now risen three times in four years, delivering an average 15% increase in minimum rates of pay. This marks significant progress in professionalising the workforce. The latest ERO, which came into effect in October 2025, saw an increase in minimum pay rates of, on average, 10% and will increase pay for over 67% of staff in the sector.
The Annual Early Years Sector Profile reports an estimated 9% increase in educators and managers working in the sector from 34,807 in 2023/24 to 37,866 in 2024/2025 while the national average turnover rate fell over this period by 1.3% to 24.5% in 2025.
The Central Statistics Office report on Early Learning Care Graduate Outcomes that was released in December 2025 examined outcomes for the 2022 graduates. The report notes that 73% of 2022 graduates found employment in the Early Learning and Care Sector. This has increased from 55% for 2013 graduates.
Outcomes from the JLC process are supported by Government through Core Funding. In this programme year 2025/26 Core Funding has increased by 6% to approximately €350 million with an additional €45 million in ring-fenced Core Funding provided to support services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector. For programme year 2026/2027, I recently announced that Core Funding will be increased by 23% to €480 million. An additional €45 million has also been ringfenced from September 2026 to support services in meeting the potential costs of increasing rates of pay, contingent upon new EROs being enacted following successful negotiations by the independent JLC.
The estimated annual cost of wages for early years educators and SAC practitioners is approximately €1.27 billion. An estimated 37,400 educators’ wages were supported through Government funding in May 2026. Included in this calculation are staff who are in receipt of funding or partial funding through other Government schemes such as AIM, Equal Start and Community Employment Schemes.
I recognise that supporting the workforce is essential to ensuring quality in early learning and childcare. This funding will help to make further progress on improving pay while maintaining the strong partnership between the State and providers.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to continue to support EROs to attract and retain early years educators, I met with JLC representatives in April to outline the Government's continued support for the improvement of pay for educators and practitioners working in the sector and the JLC process.
A longer-term workforce strategy for the sector is in place: "Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028". Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in the sector.
One of the five "pillars" of Nurturing Skills comprises commitments aimed at supporting recruitment, retention and diversity in the workforce, and it includes actions to raise the profile of careers in the sector.
In December 2023, a Sub-Group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum was established to address recruitment and retention challenges. The group has advanced initiatives including:
• A Student Fast-track Process for recognition of studies to work in service out of term,
• The assessment of unfinished qualifications, where people who may have started a relevant qualification but did not get to finish it, can have what they completed assessed for meeting qualification requirements,
• An agreement to promote careers in the sector.
To further support staff retention and increase the number of degree level graduates in the sector, the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund was established and enables educators who continue to work within the sector to pursue Level 7 and 8 qualifications by funding up to 90% of their tuition costs. Over 700 staff are now supported through the Nurturing Stills Learner Fund.
Shaping the Future, the Early Years Action Plan, Phase 1 Report sets out the next steps for building an affordable, high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare system, informed by stakeholder consultation. 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. 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.
Before Phase 2 actions can be specified, in line with the Programme for Government commitment a broad public consultation is under way. 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.
General data assumptions
Cost estimates are based on the data available to the Department, provided by service providers in receipt of Core Funding. The data was pulled on 6th May 2026.
A 21% employer cost has been included in the calculations (to cover PRSI, Holiday pay, Sick Pay and Auto Enrolment Pension contributions).
The cost estimates only relate to staff and managers covered by the current Employment Regulation Orders, i.e. the estimates exclude the cost of ancillary staff.
Core Funding data was extrapolated to represent the entire sector at factor of 1/0.88.
Staff whose recorded annual hours exceeded the valid threshold were assigned the mean annual hours calculated from the valid population.
Staff whose rate of pay is entered below the latest ERO in the data pull are assigned a rate equal to the latest ERO.
2819. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the date on which the fee increase assessment process for the 2025/2026 Core Funding Programme year was made available to Partner Services on the Early Years Hive portal; if she will acknowledge that clause 4.3.24 of the 2025-2026 Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement committed her Department to making details of this process available in advance of the programme year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56060/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCore 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.
I was pleased 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. Budget 2026 also allocated over €21 million in brand new funding to help support providers in adhering to these Core Funding fee management conditions.
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. Moreover, the annual changes to the allocation model and in the conditions attached to the funding has ensured that the Scheme remains responsive, balancing the needs of providers while seeking also to meet a range of other objectives. Among these objectives is ensuring taxpayers’ money is being used in a way that sustains services while not excessively increasing their private profit.
As part of the progressive development of the Core Funding fee management system, in Programme Year 3 the Department ran a Fee Increase Assessment process. Partner Services charging fees below the county average were eligible to apply to be assessed for a fee increase. This process ensured that services, who had fees which may not have been sustainable, were given the opportunity to apply for a fee increase. This process was launched on 31 July 2024 and closed on 29 November 2024. 898 services were approved to increase at least one fee through this process.
I acknowledge that 4.3.24 of the Core Funding Agreement for 2025/26 noted that a new Fee Increase Assessment could be run within the Programme Year, and that details would be made available in advance of the programme year. This assessment would only be provided under exceptional circumstances, and at the Minister’s discretion as per 4.3.22 and 4.3.23. There will be a Sustainability Review 2026/2027 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 will issue 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
2820. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to set out, as of the date of reply, each sustainability support that a privately owned full day care partner service is eligible to access under Core Funding, distinguishing these from supports confined to community services or to small and sessional services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56061/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe sustainability fund for service providers is a support mechanism introduced to ensure the stability and viability of early learning and childcare services for those participating in the Core Funding model. 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.
Operational Funding Support for Core Funding Beneficiaries is available to private ELC/SAC partner services. The purpose of the Operational Funding Support for Core Funding Beneficiaries is to support the sustainability of Early Learning and Care (ELC), School Age Childcare (SAC) services who are experiencing sustainability issues in the current programme year, by providing both financial and operational supports.
The financial support is available to DCDE approved Core Funding Partner Services who are contracted to Core Funding for the current Programme Year to manage their immediate financial difficulties. Operational supports will be delivered via the completion of an operational review. The purpose of which, is to provide information and guidance to DCDE approved Core Funding Partner Services on how they may adapt the day-to-day operations of their Service to support its long-term sustainability.
This is a fund of "last resort” and is additional to other funding packages provided by DCDE, other Government Departments and Agencies.
Once a service engages with their local City/County Childcare Committee, they will be able to avail of supports through the case management process.
Contact details for all City and County Childcare Committees are available on the gov.ie website.
