Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
1487. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated full year cost of expanding the number of childcare places to meet an estimated unmet demand for early years and after-school care currently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39126/23]
View answerThe 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 for example 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.
Together for Better, the new funding model, brings together the three Early Learning and Childcare programmes, Early Childhood Care and Education, including the Access and Inclusion Model, the National Childcare Scheme and Core Funding.
Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels with public funding for the first time reaching more than €1 billion in 2023 for early learning and childcare – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector.
Core Funding, worth €259 million in Year 1 and €287 million in Year 2, an 11% increase, intentionally introduces Fee Management in a sustainable and considered manner, allowing for substantial increases in the total cost base for the sector without additional costs being passed on to parents.
Core Funding has provided evidence of increased capacity in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare. Initial analysis shows the increased capacity is the type of capacity that is in highest demand relative to supply (i.e. more baby and toddler places as well as school-age places).
Some €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 network of 30 City/County Childcare Committees across the country are in a position to match children and families to services operating with vacant places and engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion among services, particularly where there is unmet need. Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.
