I thank the Deputy. He and I have spoken and corresponded on the issues pertaining, in particular, to Cork city. Of course, the availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government policy. The early years sector profile shows there is a national vacancy rate of 12.3%. There is a slightly lower vacancy rate of 9.8% in Cork city. That indicates, as the Deputy said, that there is pressure on services in Cork city.
It is important to note that these data do not take account of any capacity growth under year two of core funding, which provided for a 3% growth in capacity from September of this year. It does not take account of new services registered with Tusla in recent months.
As the Deputy knows, there are 30 childcare committees across the country, including in Cork city. They work to match vacant spaces with families who are in need of spaces. I always say that as a first port of call, parents who are looking for a space should engage with their local childcare committee.
In addition to support from the childcare committees, my Department is undertaking a range of measures to increase supply. As I said already, core funding has grown to recognise an increase in capacity. We are seeing capacity increases being delivered. As the Deputy knows, I have opened the national childcare scheme to parents who use childminders for the first time. That will be in place from September next year. Parents using childminders will be able to draw down the significant subsidies of the national childcare scheme. Probably the most significant element is that in the coming weeks, I will be announcing the new building blocks capital grant scheme for early years care, which is designed to support the expansion of existing services. It will focus in particular on areas of undersupply.