Anne Rabbitte
Question:992. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of full-time equivalent childcare places for preschool children which will be available in September 2020. [8422/20]
View answerWednesday, 3 June 2020
Questions (992)
Written answers
Each year Pobal conducts research on behalf of my Department to examine a number of factors related to early learning and care and school age childcare services in Ireland, including the monitoring of capacity. This is published in an annual Early Years Sector Profile.
In line with recent trends, and based on the number of places available in previous programme years, my Department estimates that the number of full day places which would have been available in September 2020, if the Covid-19 pandemic had not occurred, would have been 48,900.
However it must be stressed that this is an estimate, and that operational capacity will be dependent on Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in place in September 2020.