The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. My Department monitors early learning and childcare capacity on an ongoing basis, with a particular focus on responding to the unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.
The annual data captured by Pobal on behalf of my Department - through the Early Years Sector Profile Survey - is one important data source that allows us to monitor supply and demand. In addition to this survey data, the Department also relies on data from the register of services held by Tusla, data provided by services as part of their application for Core Funding and has also conducted several surveys with parents. Since 2020, five parent surveys have been undertaken by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of the Department.
Data captured from the 2021/22 iteration of the Early Years Sector Profile, indicated that the vacancy is 8% across Dublin for children aged 0-2. Data collection for the 2022/23 Early Years Sector Profile is currently underway and will give an updated position.
The data in Dublin Bay North shows the following:
Number of children by age range (0-2 years) for services in Dublin Bay North
|
-
|
Enrolled
|
Vacant Places
|
Vacancy Rate
|
|
2015/16
|
393
|
27
|
7%
|
|
2016/17
|
489
|
29
|
6%
|
|
2017/18
|
535
|
19
|
4%
|
|
2018/19
|
446
|
7
|
2%
|
|
2020/21
|
132
|
30
|
23%
|
|
2021/22
|
320
|
21
|
7%
|
Due to data quality/technical issues which resulted in a higher degree of missing data, the capacity data for 2019/20 had been excluded from the report. 2020/21 data was gathered in Spring 2020 with a response rate of 57%.
A series of steps are being taken to address issues of undersupply for the 0 to 2 years old bracket.
Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places.
My Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government, is in the process of updating the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings. As part of this work, my Department has been included in the updated list of prescribed bodies that need to be notified on certain planning matters, including the formulation of County Development Plans and Local Area Plans.
In addition, Core Funding - introduced in September 2022 - has already proven to be effective in expanding capacity, particularly in areas of undersupply and additional funding secured in Budget 2023 for year two of Core Funding provides further opportunity to invest in an additional 3% growth in capacity.
The Tusla registers of early years services and school age services are publicly available on the Tusla website at www.tusla.ie/services/preschool-services/early-years-providers/register-of-early-years-services-by-county/ and www.tusla.ie/uploads/content/External_Register_School_Age.pdf. The Early Years Register is broken down by county.
