Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
102. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has identified the need for new supply in early childhood education and childcare; and if he has developed any proposals for capital support in areas of shortage. [32474/23]
View answerSome €69 million has been allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars:
Building Blocks - Improvement Grant;
Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and
Building Blocks - Innovation Grant.
The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant is now closed. Under this Pillar, €9 million was allocated earlier this year in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 for energy upgrades and retrofit projects.
Work is currently underway on the design and delivery of Pillars 2 and 3, which have a combined allocation of €20 million in 2024 and €40 million in 2025.
The Building Blocks – Capacity Grant will fund an expansion of existing services in areas of under supply. Funding will also be provided to support the development of new services, where most needed.
The Building Blocks – Innovation Grant will pilot a range of innovative initiatives such as outdoor early learning and childcare services.
A working group, comprising officials from my Department, representatives of the City/County Childcare Committees and Pobal, has been established to oversee the design and delivery of Pillar 2. The group is conducting a needs analysis, which will identify areas of unmet need, by geographical area and by age cohort.
I hope to be in a position to provide more information on the delivery of this Building Blocks – Capacity Grant in the coming weeks.
In addition to capital funding to support an increase in capacity in the early learning and childcare sector, I recently announced the allocation model for year 2 of Core Funding, which makes provision for a 3% growth in capacity across the sector.
