Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021
651. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the €78 million ELC funding announced in Budget 2022; if a breakdown of the €41 million increase in ELC core allocation and a breakdown of the €37 million one-off measure will also be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50986/21]
View answerIn Budget 2022 I have secured an additional €78m in early years and school age childcare funding, bringing the total investment in the sector to €716m next year.
This will allow my department to bring forward a substantial and comprehensive package of developments to achieve significant progress on its policy priorities of affordability, quality and sustainability of ELC.
Some €37m has been earmarked for a once-off Transition Fund. This will support ELC and SAC services to ensure there are no increases in parental fees for ELC and SAC in the period leading up to the introduction of the new funding stream in September 2022.
Officials within my Department are currently finalising the budget line details in respect of the this allocation. Programme subheads within the early learning and care and school age childcare allocation will be finalised in the coming weeks with the publication of the Revised Estimates in early December 2022.
