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Childcare Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Questions (686)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

686. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the capital funding that has been allocated for 2022 to increase childcare places; if this funding will facilitate the building of purpose-built childcare facilities; the specific plans his Department has through the national development plan capital funding for expanding places for the 0-2.8 years cohort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14584/22]

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Written answers

The works eligible for capital funding are determined by my Department on an annual basis, having regard to the needs of children, families and providers, and to Departmental priorities.

During the 2021 budgetary process, an initial €8.3m was provided for capital funding. A further €2.2m was secured in capital carryover bringing total capital funding available to €10.5m in 2021. The upgrading of the fire safety measures in existing early learning and childcare services was the key objective of the 2021 Capital Programme, with €10.5 million available funding.

During 2021, my Department successfully secured €70m in the revised National Development Plan (NDP) allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during 2023-2025. 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.

Capital funding has been reduced in 2022 to €0.5m as my Department focusses on the preparation of distribution of NDP funding from 2023 onwards. This will include setting eligibility criteria, designing and developing the application process, and establishing approval criteria. This 2022 allocation is for Childminding and Parent and Toddler Groups, who maintain 2021 allocations.

In addition, my Department has secured some €750k in capital funding which will be made available to provide financial assistance to providers to comply with fire safety regulations in 2022.

Further information on the Department’s NDP allocation and the application process will be communicated to the sector in the near future. The Department advises the service to contact their local CCCs, who will provide information on future capital supports when it becomes available.

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