Budget 2016 makes provision for additional childcare places under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme which provides affordable childcare for low income families. Based on current take up and expenditure, it is estimated that the additional €16 million in funding will provide for a further 3,200 full-time equivalent childcare places or about 8,000 children each year.
These new childcare places will be available through community/not-for-profit childcare providers and, for the first time, through private childcare providers. It is envisaged that these places will be targeted at private providers in areas with identified need and where no community/not-for-profit providers are available. My Department will be working closely with the local City and County Childcare Committees and Pobal to identify areas of need.