Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 February 2024
113. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount by which investment in early years has increased year-on-year in percentage terms in the past eight years; if he will indicate the domestic and/or international indicators which demonstrate this improvement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9183/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPublic investment in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare rose from €345 million in 2016, to €1.108 billion in 2024.
Investment as a percentage of modified GNI (based on the most recently available modified GNI figures, 2022) increased from 0.20% in 2016 to 0.26% in 2022. For illustrative purposes investment as a percentage of modified GNI (using 2022 figures) is also provided in the table below.
This investment excludes the significant spending on Covid-19 supports for the sector, estimated to cost in the region of €1 billion.
Table: Year on year increase in investment for the period 2016 to 2024
|
Year |
Amount (m) |
% increase on the previous year |
Modified GNI (bn) |
Investment as a % of modified GNI |
|
2024 |
1108 |
8% |
Not available |
0.41% (using 2022 modified GNI) |
|
2023 |
1025 |
43% |
Not available |
0.38% (using 2022 modified GNI) |
|
2022 |
716* |
12% |
273.1 |
0.26% |
|
2021 |
638 |
0% |
233.3 |
0.27% |
|
2020 |
638 |
11% |
202.9 |
0.31% |
|
2019 |
574 |
18% |
210.4 |
0.27% |
|
2018 |
485 |
5% |
194.8 |
0.25% |
|
2017 |
464 |
34% |
183.7 |
0.25% |
|
2016 |
345 |
33% |
171.8 |
0.20% |
Notes: *This includes €679m investment plus one of €37m in Covid-19 supports.
In 2018, First 5, the ten-year whole of government strategy for babies, young children and their families, set an initial target of doubling investment in early learning and childcare to approximately €1 billion by 2028. My Department not only met but exceeded this target 5 year ahead of time.
A key priority for this Government is to continue to increase the levels of public investment in early learning and childcare so that, by 2028, it is more closely aligned with the EU average, in order to continue improving quality and addressing the affordability and accessibility of provision for families. This target is a commitment in the latest First 5 Implementation Plan 2023-2025, which I published last November.
