Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1285. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that he is taking to facilitate all preschools and creches to join the national childcare scheme. [44305/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Childcare Scheme (NCS) represents the first ever statutory entitlement to early learning and childcare in Ireland, and has streamlined the multiple targeted support schemes previously available.
In replacing the legacy schemes, the Scheme entails a fundamental shift away from subsidies grounded in medical card and social protection entitlements, and towards a comprehensive and progressive system of universal and income-based subsidies.
A review of the NCS published in December 2021 revealed that:
- 38% of families reported that half or more of their early learning and childcare costs were covered by the NCS;
- 56% reported that they had more money to spend; and
- 28% reported that they were working more (with 8% reporting they would not be in work without the NCS).
Since this review was published, further enhancements to the NCS have been introduced. The first, which came into effect on 2 May 2022, is the discontinuation of the practice of deducting hours spent in pre-school or school from the entitlement to NCS subsidised hours. The second change is that, from 29 August 2022, the NCS universal subsidy has been extended to all children under 15. This is estimated to benefit up to 40,000 by up to €1,170 per annum.
Any regulated early learning and childcare service can contract to deliver the NCS and a majority of providers - currently 3,088 – are in contract.
Moreover, a condition of the new Core Funding Scheme being introduced this month is that early learning and childcare services (other than sessional services) must offer the NCS.
The overwhelming majority of providers are participating in the Core Funding application process and most have now contracted for Core Funding meaning that a very significant number of parents will benefit from increased access to the NCS, in addition to the other benefits Core Funding will bring, which includes a freeze on fees.
