Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1360. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if grants are available at present for a start-up preschool that plans to open in September 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40602/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children participate in the universal pre-school programme (ECCE) each year and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) subsidises up to 80,000 children. Since 2015, more than 27,000 new early learning and childcare places were funded under my Department's Annual Early Years Capital Programme.
While there are no specific start-up grants for services that plan to open in 2022, my Department successfully secured €70m in the revised National Development Plan (NDP) for early learning and childcare over the period 2023-2025. This funding will be allocated across three pillars.
Pillar 1 - Building Blocks- Modernisation Grant (€10m) will be made available in 2023 to improve energy efficiency standards across the sector, while also supporting the continuous improvement of the physical environment of services for children in early learning and childcare settings.
Pillar 2 - Building Blocks – Capacity Grant (€45m) – will address capacity gaps, funding an expansion in existing settings where possible and investing in the development of new settings where most needed
Pillar 3 - Building Blocks – Innovation Grant (€15m) will pilot a range of innovative initiatives and ideas for the sector such as piloting outdoor early learning and childcare provision.
Pillars 2 and 3 will operate over the period 2024-2025.
