The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley today (Tuesday 23 June) announced the official establishment of Guardian ad litem National Service.

A Guardian ad Litem is an independent person appointed by a court to advise the courts on the best interests of the child in public court proceedings.

The new Guardian ad litem National Service is being established to ensure that every child’s voice is heard, and their best interests are independently presented to the court in care proceedings across Ireland. The official opening of the National Service signifies a major step forward in delivering a high-quality, accountable and consistent service grounded in children’s rights.

Announcing the commencement, Minister Foley said:

Patrick Bergin, the Director of the Guardian ad litem National Service added:

The new National Service has sanction to recruit a team of 65 full time Guardians ad litem, who will then be available for appointment as directed by the courts. So far, 95 of current Guardians ad litem have been appointed as part of the transitional arrangements, five new Guardians ad litem commenced employment on 22nd of June and a further 31 are at final stages of contracting and will have the option to take up employment in the coming weeks. The Public Appointments Service are also processing a further 25 successful applications so they can also be offered posts in the coming months.

The new National Service has prioritised continuity for children. There will be a 12-month transition period during which 95 existing Guardians ad litem can continue working with the children they have been appointed to. This will ensure that children already engaged with a Guardian ad litem will experience no disruption as the new National Service commences.

The new National Service has its own five-person legal unit, led by a Head of Legal Services, which can provide legal advice to Guardians ad litem. A panel of solicitors has been set up to cover all 26 district courts, so that rapid access to legal representation can be provided.

The independence of Guardians ad litem is now clearly established in law. The legislation explicitly states that a Guardian ad litem must act independently in carrying out their functions. Guardians ad litem make their own professional judgments and recommendations to the court. They are not directed in this or any regard by the Minister, the Department, Tusla, or any other party.

The new National Service is based in Lombard Street in Dublin in a floor of a building which was previously used by the Civil Registration Service.

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley launched the 2026 What Works in Communities Fund, a €400,000 investment from the Dormant Accounts Fund to support prevention and early intervention initiatives that help children, young people and families thrive in communities across Ireland.

This funding represents a strategic investment in children, young people and families across Ireland. Prevention and early intervention approaches help address challenges before they escalate and ensure that children and families receive the right support at the right time.

The launch brought together practitioners, policymakers, community organisations and previous funding recipients to hear first-hand how prevention and early intervention programmes are making a difference in communities across the country.

Speakers at the event included Bernie Laverty, National ABC Manager at Tusla, and Maryrose Costello, Early Intervention and Family Support Manager at SPECS in the Bray & North Wicklow Area Partnership. They shared examples of how early support can change outcomes for children and families, highlighting the importance of reaching families at the right time with the right supports.

Minister Foley said:

Established in 2019, the What Works initiative has supported more than 250 projects, events and training initiatives across Ireland, helping communities to strengthen supports for children, young people and families.

Grants of between €10,000 and €40,000 will be made available to community and voluntary organisations delivering prevention and early intervention initiatives for children, young people and families.

The fund focuses on inclusion, equality and participation and aims to support organisations to evaluate and strengthen their work, build learning and share evidence across the prevention and early intervention sector.

Applications for the fund are now open and will close at 5pm on Friday 31 July 2026.

ENDS

What Works is an initiative of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality funded through the Dormant Accounts Fund. Established in 2019, it aims to strengthen prevention and early intervention policy, practice and service delivery for children, young people and families, particularly those at risk of poor outcomes.

Since its establishment, What Works has supported more than 250 projects, events and training initiatives across Ireland, helping communities to develop, test and strengthen approaches that improve outcomes for children, young people and families.

The What Works initiative is built around four key strands:

1. Data – improving access to and use of data relating to children, young people and families.
2. Evidence – supporting the generation and use of evidence to inform policy, service delivery and practice.
3. Professional Development and Capacity Building – enhancing the skills and capabilities of policymakers, providers and practitioners.
4. Quality – promoting continuous improvement in prevention and early intervention policy, provision and practice.

Previous What Works funding calls include:

• Learning Together Fund (2021)
• Digital Solutions Fund (2021)
• Sharing Knowledge Fund (2022)
• Building Evidence Fund (2023)
• Enhancing Quality Fund (2025)

The 2026 What Works in Communities Fund seeks to build on this work by supporting community organisations to generate practical learning about what works in prevention and early intervention and to contribute to improved outcomes for children, young people and families across Ireland.

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, today announced €422,000 in development grants for Childminders.

The 2026 Childminding Development Grant supports childminders to purchase toys, childcare equipment, safety equipment, inclusion equipment and materials related to the arts and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths).

The 2026 Childminding Development Grant awards will be given to 424 childminders, which is the highest number of recipients and the largest amount of funding ever awarded under the scheme.

This continued investment reflects the Minister’s ongoing commitment to the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-28.

Minister Foley said:

“Today, I am pleased to announce that an increased number of childminders will benefit from the Childminding Development Grant, supporting them to further enhance the quality and safety of the services they provide.

Childminders are an integral part of Ireland’s early learning and childcare sector, providing essential support to children, families and communities nationwide.

This is part of the continued commitment to supporting childminders and strengthening their role within the wider early learning and childcare sector.”

The Grants were open to all childminders, including those planning to open a childminding business in 2026. 75% of the grant is paid in advance to help childminders with the upfront costs of purchasing equipment.

Successful applicants will receive information about their grant awards over the coming days. A breakdown of successful applications and funding by City and County Childcare Committee area is set out in the appendix below.

The increase in the number of awards reflects growing demand for the Grant among childminders.

It also reflects the Government’s commitment to support childminders to prepare for registration with Tusla. In line with the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028, regulations written specifically for childminders came into effect for the first time in September 2024, making it possible for all childminders to register with Tusla.

This enables families who rely on childminding services to access financial supports through the National Childcare Scheme, while also providing a range of safeguards and assurances of quality.

Those childminders who were previously exempt from regulation have a three-year transition period until 2027 during which they are now able to register with Tusla but are not yet required to do so. The grant can also be used for IT equipment to assist childminders to engage with training and registration processes.

A review of the initial implementation of the Childminding Regulations is set to begin in June. The review will examine childminders’ experiences of the regulations so far as well as the effectiveness of the support and the barriers to registration. It will include an open call for submissions, an online survey and regional focus groups.

To have your say, look out for details of how to get involved through your local City and County Childcare Committees or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalactionplanforchildminding

For further information about the National Action Plan for Childminding, see www.gov.ie/childminding

A breakdown of successful applications and funding by City and County Childcare Committee area is set out below. All applications were approved in full:

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley today welcomed the publication of a new review which highlights the benefits of Government funding for parent and toddler groups.

The Parent and Toddler Group grants support weekly meet-ups for hundreds of parents, guardians, grandparents, childminders, and young children across the country.

In 2024, almost 400 parent and toddler groups received grants worth €912 on average to support their work.

The independent review of the Parent and Toddler Group Initiative found that it delivers important social and parenting support for many families, and represents significant value for money.

Minister Foley said:

“I am pleased to be able to support the valuable work of the Parent and Toddler groups. It is heartening to read in this report about parents and children alike making new friends through the groups and learning from each other. The groups have a welcoming, relaxed, friendly, warm, and inclusive atmosphere.”

Some of the feedback gathered from parents as part of the review was as follows:

“I enjoy chatting with the parents. It helps me know I am not by myself, and if you are going through hard times.” [Mother]

“You hear what other parents have gone through with teething or other things and other parents tell you that will pass and you come back the next week and say ‘you were right’!” [Father]

“I think the buggy walking group helps people post-birth navigate that window getting out actually and getting fresh air exercise. You know, it’s all those things that kind of help lift your mood like as well.” [Mother]

“It gives you a better sense of community and it would give you the confidence to pop into the town and the local library and you might bump into people you know from here (group).” [Father]

“I go to all the groups around with my grandson. I mind him three days a week and it is good to have something on in the morning and then you just have the afternoon. He likes playing with the other kids.” [Grandmother and childminder]

“Maybe slightly later down the line, but we did get a social outlet from it as well. How many times did we meet up on a Saturday? Do you remember those meetups we would do coffees we used to go to each other’s houses and the kids.” [Mother]

The review was undertaken by Sandra Roe Research on behalf of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. It examined the operation and impact of the grant initiative based on face to face consultations with members of parent and toddler groups, national data and surveys.

The review highlighted the important role that parent and toddler groups play in strengthening community connections and integration, offering an accessible, low-cost support at a time when parents and caregivers can feel quite isolated.

It stated: “Overall, the Parent and Toddler Group Grants Initiative represents very good value for money, is meeting the objectives of the scheme as well as the social and parenting support needs of parents and children and is an important infrastructure and support systems for many families in their community.”

While there were generally more mothers than fathers attending groups, the review heard that fathers felt welcome and comfortable attending groups with their young children. They stated that improved paternity leave for fathers had helped facilitate them to attend groups.

Alongside these benefits, the review identified a number of challenges faced by parent and toddler groups, including rising rent and insurance costs, administrative demands and finding volunteers to support the operation of the groups.

Minister Foley said:

“The findings of this review underscore the importance of Parent and Toddler Groups in creating a sense of connection for people with their community. These groups have developed friendships between the parents and guardians, and provided a range of activities for children, including arts and crafts, story time, music and singing. There are valuable recommendations in this review which give us an opportunity to further strengthen the supports for Parent and Toddler groups.”

Full details on the review of the Parent and Toddler Group Grants Initiative can be found online here.

• This review of the Parent and Toddler Group Grants Initiative was carried out by Sandra Roe Research on behalf of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE).
• Key methodologies used in the research included a literature review, consultations with key stakeholders, a data collection exercise completed by all City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), a survey of Parent and Toddler Group Grants Initiative recipients, focus groups with parent and toddler group participants and the development of case studies.
• The Parent and Toddler Group Grants Initiative was first introduced under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006-2010 by the then Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and other stakeholders. Its aim was to support the growth and development of parent and toddler groups across the country.
• Since its introduction, the Initiative has been delivered on an annual basis. The Grant provides funding to not-for-profit groups that involve parents/guardians taking part in community-based activities with their children. Funding supports items such as toys, equipment, children’s activities, training and a contribution towards operational costs.
• The initiative is funded by the DCDE and administered locally through City and County Childcare Committees, which play a central role in supporting groups on the ground
• This review forms part of the Department’s broader commitment under First 5, the Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their families. In particular, it supports Goal C of the strategy, which focuses on supporting positive play-based early learning, including informal community-based services.
• There are over five hundred active parent and toddler groups nationwide. A list of the available groups across the country is published here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/parent-and-toddler-groups/

Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality, Norma Foley today announced the details of the new maximum fee caps for early learning and childcare services participating in Core Funding.

The new maximum fee caps will lower the maximum fees that can be charged by new and existing early learning and childcare services receiving Core Funding from the state.

Under the new maximum fee caps, the highest possible upfront cost for a typical full day place of 45 hours per week will drop from around €198 per week to €183.70 per week. with universal subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme. Higher subsidies are available for many parents, depending on their level of income and the age and number of children in their family.

This new measure represents a significant advance in standardising fees across the sector, which has historically seen different rates charged by providers for the same level of provision.

The move will come into effect in September and will be accompanied by record State funding of €480 million this year for over 4,600 providers in the state’s Core Funding scheme. Core Funding supports providers to meet their staffing and general operating costs in return for maintaining a fee freeze for parents and, where applicable, observing maximum fee caps as well.

Approximately 12% of services will be required to reduce at least one fee. However, the majority of parents are already paying below the new maximum fees and will continue to benefit from the fee freeze introduced in 2022.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister Foley said:

The increased allocation includes up to €45 million in ring-fenced funding to support increases in the minimum rates of pay for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners. These rates will be the subject of negotiations at the Joint Labour Committee, the independent body responsible for negotiating minimum pay rates in the sector.

Minister Foley continued:

Minister of State for Disability, Emer Higgins, said:

€21.4 million in full-year funding was secured in Budget 2026 to support providers in adhering to Core Funding fee management conditions. This brand-new funding will be distributed to all Partner Services through an enhanced Base Rate and will allow most services to maintain the fee freeze while offsetting a portion of the fee income reduction experienced by the minority of services that will be impacted by maximum fee caps.

For more information, please visit: Core Funding

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Table 1: Core Funding Fee Caps

Table 2: Core Funding Base Rates (by the State)

Prior to Core Funding by the State there was no comparable scheme/s that was underpinned by the ‘staffed capacity’ principle which is fundamental to the Core Funding scheme. Set out below is the aggregate monthly base rate per child place offered (on a full time, part time, sessional and school age basis), which varies by age. This excludes funding for graduate premiums and the Staffing Funding Additional Contribution, as well as the targeted measures.

Table 3: Year 5 targeted measures in 2026/2027

Table 4: Core Funding Base Rates (Hourly Rate Paid Per Place Hour) in 2026/2027

Ring-fenced funding to support improvements in staff pay

For 2025/2026, the Department secured €45 million in a full year, to support employers to meet the costs of further increases to the minimum rates of pay in the sector.

This facilitated the development of a new funding element – the Staff Funding Additional Contribution (SFAC) to centre-based services. This measure was designed to support Core Funding Partner Services to meet the the costs of increasing rates of pay because of new Employment Regulation Orders negotiated by the Joint Labour Committee.

For Programme Year 5, an additional funding allocation – up to a maximum of €45 million – has been secured to support further Employment Regulations Orders from September 2026/2027, contingent on negotiations by the independent Joint Labour Committee. A second grant will be designed to distribute the new funding. The calculation of the new rates will include Graduate Lead Educator hours.