Capital investment in early learning and childcare will be delivered through the National Development Plan (NDP) during 2021-2030. Investment under the NDP will consist of three pillars: Modernisation, New Capacity and First 5 Initiatives. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during the lifetime of the NDP as follows:
(1) Modernisation: Much of the existing early learning and childcare infrastructure that was previously delivered by large scale capital programmes is now in need of upgrading and modernisation in order to be fully compliant with new regulations and more recent guidelines, as well as to maximise energy efficiency. This investment will prioritise follow-up funding for buildings that were funded through the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP), with funding also available for previously non-funded infrastructure.
(2) New Capacity: Ireland is approaching the limits of capacity, with shortfalls for early learning and childcare places already evident in some areas and for some cohorts. The rates of participation in early learning and childcare are also lower than European averages. As investment in subsidisation grows in the coming years as committed to in First 5 and the Programme for Government, demand from parents will also increase.
In the coming years, NDP capital funding allocated to early learning and childcare will be used to increase the stock of early learning and childcare infrastructure, in order to address capacity challenges including the undersupply for certain types of provision and in specific areas of the country.
(3) First 5 Initiatives: First 5 (Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families 2019 -2028) was launched in 2018 and was re-committed to in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future. First 5 envisages a range of innovative initiatives for the early learning and childcare sector, including piloting Family and Early Childhood Centres and piloting outdoor early learning and childcare provision, piloting meal provision. Each of these initiatives have capital requirements.
As outlined in the National Development Plan 2021-2030, access to affordable early learning and childcare is inherently linked to creating an equitable society, sustainable communities and a thriving economy. Early learning and childcare provision is therefore considered under the National Development Plan, along with housing, schools and health facilities as an integral part of national infrastructure.
My Department funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs) to act as its local agent in the delivery of the national early education and childcare programmes and the implementation of Government policy. The CCCs were assigned by the National Childcare Strategy (2000) as the key local component in the development of a co-ordinated approach to quality childcare and to advance the provision of childcare facilities in their local areas.
The role of the CCCs is to provide support and guidance to local service providers and parents in relation to the various childcare programmes, and support quality in keeping with national frameworks and policy objectives. CCCs are often the first port of call for both parents and childcare providers when trying to access early learning and care and school-age childcare initiatives. CCCs are therefore a key component in the suite of supports made available by my Department to the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector.
The Department of Education Guidelines on the use of School Buildings Outside of School Hours, see assets.gov.ie/24484/ca5b1787db1b47f98de31f57e977dad0.pdf relate to the use of school facilities mainly for outside of school hours but which includes pre-schools.
