Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
653. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated full-year cost of providing free childcare for all children under five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24082/23]
View answer654. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated full-year cost of providing free afterschool childcare for all children in primary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24083/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 653 and 654 together.
Significant investment is being made by my Department to support parents with the costs of paying for Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) and to support providers with the costs of delivering ELC and SAC.
To respond directly on the cost of free Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) for all children under 5 and for all primary school children.
CSO population estimates shows that there were 301.7k children under 5 in Ireland in April 2022. To derive an estimated cost of funding ELC for these children, the following assumptions are made: ELC is availed of on a full time basis, 52 weeks per year. The estimated cost uses the average weekly rate for a full time place, as reported in the Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2020/21 (i.e. €187). Based on these assumptions, funded ELC for all children under 5 would cost €2.9 billion per annum (or €9,724 per child).
Department of Education preliminary enrolment rates for 2022/203 show there were 558,133 enrolments in Primary schools. To derive an estimated cost of funding after school care for these children, the following assumptions are made: After-school care is availed of in-term only (i.e. 38 weeks per year) for 4 hours per day and 5 days per week. The estimated cost uses the average hourly rate charged for after-school care, as reported in the Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2020/21 (i.e. €5.25). Based on these assumptions, funded after-school care for all primary school children would cost €2.2 billion per annum (or €3,990 per child).
It is worth noting these costs do not capture the nuances of delivering ELC and SAC including supply and demand or other funding complexities such as quality and improved pay and conditions for the workforce.
Information is not captured in relation to parental choice in terms of uptake, therefore costings assume full uptake for all eligible children based on the hours set out above. It is important to note this does not capture parental choice where take up of hours would not be 100%, particularly in relation to after-school, nor does it capture some families wish to avail out of term supports.
The figures above also do not account for the National Childcare Scheme and the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme currently supporting thousands of families to offset their costs, or the developments underway through Core Funding and investment in the new funding model.
I am confident that the new funding model being implemented, with fee management through Core Funding, in tandem with developments and investment in the NCS and ECCE, will together deliver improved affordability, quality, sustainability and accessibility of ELC and SAC.
