Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
41. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there will be an increase in his Department's core funding to support the childcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15665/23]
View answerIn September 2022, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers.
Together for Better, the new funding model comprised of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the new Core Funding scheme, is about getting the most out of the three early learning and childcare programmes, for children, parents, providers, the workforce, and society overall, and ensuring stability and sustainability in the sector.
Core Funding has a budget of €259 million in full year costs for year 1 of the programme (September 2022-August 2023) to start the partnership for the public good between the State and providers. Its primary purpose is to improve pay and conditions in the sector as a whole and improve affordability for parents as well as ensuring a stable income to providers.
In Budget 2023, an additional €28 million was secured to increase the Core Funding allocation to €287 million for Year 2 of the Scheme. I have committed €4 million of that additional allocation in Year 2 to remove the 3-year experience rule for graduate premiums (subject to an amendment to the EROs) with the remaining €24 million to introduce other developments to the Scheme. Further interrogation of the new Core Funding application data is required in order to most effectively design developments in Year 2 of the scheme.
Budget 2023 allocates €1,025m to early learning and childcare – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. I am committed to working with Partner Services delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
