• 49% of parents of pre-school age children and 53% of parents of school-going children in non-parental care report that they find it easy or fairly easy to pay for childcare
• this latest data compares favourably with data from 2023 when 28% of parents of pre-school age children and 43% of parents of school-going children in non-parental care reported that they found it easy or fairly easy to pay for childcare
• three quarters of parents in receipt of childcare subsidies from the State report that they find the subsidies easy to access
• 85% of parents of pre-school children and 83% of school-going children report using their preferred childcare arrangement
• 95% of parents of pre-school children and 93% of parents of school-going children report to be satisfied with their current childcare arrangements

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley today published results of a wide-ranging survey on childcare undertaken earlier this year by Ipsos B&A on behalf of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

The nationally representative poll of more than 700 families with children under 15 reveals increases in the proportion of parents who report to find it easy or fairly easy to pay for early learning and childcare.

Specifically, 49% of parents of pre-school age children and 53% of parents of school going children in non-parental care report they find it easy or fairly easy to pay for childcare. These latest data compare favourably with data from 2023 when 28% of parents of pre-school age children and 43% of parents of school going children in non-parental care reported they found it easy or fairly easy to pay for childcare.

These data were gathered following the introduction of fee management under the government’s Core Funding Scheme, including a fee freeze introduced in 2022. Parents also now benefit from recent increases in subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme – with 74% of parents availing of these subsidies to offset out of pocket costs for childcare reporting that the subsidies were easy to access.

Notwithstanding this progress, findings show many parents continue to experience difficulty finding a childcare place for their child and in paying for childcare, including 38% of parents of pre-school age children in non-parental care who reported they find it difficult or very difficult to meet the out-of-pocket costs.

Additional analysis of the data by staff at the Department of Children also identified key gender differences, with significantly more females reporting that difficulties arranging early learning and childcare had:

• restricted the hours they could work or study (73% of females compared to 57% of males)
• stopped then from taking on some study or training (46% of females versus 36% of males)
• prevented them looking for a job (39% of females versus 22% of males)
• made them turn down or leave a job (35% of females versus 21% of males)

The poll also gathered data on parental awareness of existing State supports. 91% reported that they were aware that all children aged 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months are eligible for two years free preschool under the ECCE programme while 55% reported that they were aware that families of children aged 14 and under are eligible for financial support towards the cost of childcare under the National Childcare Scheme.

Commenting on the findings, Minister Foley said:

Minister Foley continued:

Full details on supports available to reduce the cost of childcare is available at www.gov.ie/childcare.

Full details on the poll of parents can be found online.

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley has today announced €25 million in funding to deliver 1,500 additional early learning and childcare places.

The Building Blocks Extension Scheme will deliver additional capacity by supporting existing private and community early learning and childcare providers to extend their premises. It will also allow community services to purchase or construct new premises.

Grants of up to €500,000 are being provided for large-scale extensions for community and private early learning and childcare services.

Grants of up to €750,000 are being allocated to purchase or construct new premises for community early learning and childcare services.

In total, 49 community and privately operated services have been shortlisted for funding under the scheme.

The Building Blocks Extension Scheme funds additional places through four categories

• extensions to existing premises for private early learning and childcare services
• extensions to existing premises for community early learning and childcare services
• purchase of new premises for community early learning and childcare services
• construction of new premises for community early learning and childcare services

All early learning and childcare services were required to deliver net increases in full-time places for one to three-year-olds in order to qualify for Building Blocks funding.

In line with the State’s policy of universal accessibility for people with disabilities, early learning and childcare services getting Building Blocks funding are also required to incorporate Universal Design Guidelines for early learning and childcare services so premises can be used by children, parents and staff of all abilities.

All early learning and childcare services getting Building Blocks funding have provided a comprehensive construction plan that has outlined in detail all elements and stages of the proposed works. A team of architects at the Office of Public Works appraised the quality and readiness of the applications, and Pobal reviewed the evidence of need.

Minister Foley thanked the Office of Public Works and Pobal for assisting the Department of Children, Disability and Equality in the delivery of the Building Blocks scheme.

Minister Foley has contacted the successful services to advise them of the next steps. It is expected that the projects will commence in the coming months, with many of the additional places coming on stream to towards the end of the year.

The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme is part of the wider Building Blocks Capital Programme for Early Learning and Childcare under the National Development Plan. It is the third capital scheme under the Building Blocks programme. It follows the Building Blocks Improvement Grant, delivered in 2023 and the Building Blocks Expansion Scheme, delivered in 2024

Minister Foley is currently considering the possibilities for future capital programmes, including potentially operating a Building Blocks type scheme next year to support the expansion of provision by existing providers, subject to budgetary provision. As soon as those details are finalised, there will be further communication with the sector.

Notes

Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme

Strand 1: Extensions to private services

• private providers could apply for funding between €50,000 (min) and €250,000 (max) to extend existing premises
• match funding was required with a maximum contribution by the Department of €250,000 or 50% of total project costs, whichever was lower
• project values between €100,000 and €650,000 were eligible, with any additional project costs exceeding €500,000 to be funded by the service

Strand 2: Extensions to community services

• community providers could apply for funding between €100,000 (min) and €500,000 (max) to extend existing premises
• project values between €100,000 and €650,000 were eligible
• any additional project costs between €500,000 and €650,000 to be funded by the service

Strand 3: Purchase of building to supplement an existing premises or to replace a leased premises (community only)

• community providers could apply for funding between €300,000 (min) and €750,000 (max) to purchase and fit out an Early Learning Childcare facility or a premises that could be easily adapted for this purpose
• any additional project costs exceeding €750,000 to be funded by services, subject to a maximum project value of €1,500,000
• services could purchase a premises to supplement their existing premises or to replace a leased premises

Strand 4: Construction of a new premises (community only)

• community providers could apply for funding between €300,000 (min) and €750,000 (max) towards the cost of building a new premises or installation of a modular building
• any additional project costs exceeding €750,000 to be funded by services, subject to a maximum project value of €1,500,000
• services could construct a premises to supplement their existing premises or to replace a leased premises

As part of the application process, services were required to submit a Project Execution Plan, which sets out in detail the proposed work, along with the costings and timeframe for delivery of the project.

Applicants were required to deliver a certain minimum number of full-time places children aged 1-3 (pre-ECCE) in line with the value of the grant funding that they were seeking as set out below.

• €1.3 billion investment in early learning and childcare this year, which builds on the €1 billion investment target that was met in 2023, five years earlier than anticipated
• 95% of 2024 commitments expected to be delivered by year end
• Further milestones include extra two weeks of paid Parent’s Leave and an additional payment of €280 for a new baby among others

The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has today published the First 5 Annual Implementation Report 2024.

First 5, the ten-year Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families was published in November 2018. The strategy includes 125 actions to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families in their “First 5” years of life. The strategy is delivered by a wide variety of stakeholders whose contributions are vital to its success including ten Government Departments, the HSE, Tusla, as well as 31 delivery partners.

The report published today summarises recent progress in implementing the strategy, with 56% of all 2024 commitments met at this point and 95% expected to be met by year end. In particular, the report details €1.3 billion of investment for early learning and childcare, which builds on the €1 billion investment target that was met in 2023, five years earlier than anticipated

The report contains details on all the milestones reached so far, as all Departments, Agencies, Partners, and stakeholders work together to implement the First 5 Big Steps. Some of the key achievements from 2024 that have already been achieved include:

• Parents with a child under two years of age are each entitled to an extra two weeks of paid Parent’s Leave and Benefit.
• A 24% increase for early learning and childcare in Budget 2025, bringing funding up by €266 million to over €1.3 billion.
• Launch of the Parent Peer Support Fund to help organisations promote the sharing of information and improve parental wellbeing with €100,000 of available funding.
• The ‘New Baby Grant’, which is an additional payment of €280 for a newborn or adopted child, was announced as part of Budget 2025.
• The progression of several measures and supports encouraging optimal health behaviours such as breast feeding, healthy eating, physical activity, and child safety.
• The extension of the Access and Inclusion Model to children in the universal two-year pre-school Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) programme. This involves providing targeted supports to children with disabilities outside of time spent in the ECCE programme, throughout the year.
• The Building Blocks Expansion Scheme allocated €1.3m to services to undertake renovations or to upgrade existing space to cater for more children. It is expected to deliver up to 300 new places for one to three-year-olds.
• Childminder-specific regulations were introduced to allow registered childminders to be covered by the National Childcare Scheme.
• Equal Start, a new model of state supports, was launched to ensure children experiencing disadvantage can access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare.

Speaking about today’s publication, Minister Foley said she was pleased with the: “considerable progress that has been made to deliver on the commitments in the First 5 Strategy by Government departments, state agencies and the community and voluntary sector.”

“I believe a lot can be accomplished in this term of Government to improve services and supports to young children in their “First 5” years of life. Our new Programme for Government includes important steps to improve accessibility and affordability of early learning and childcare, to professionalise its workforce, improve quality and to alleviate childhood poverty.”

“As we move towards the final phase of implementation of the First 5 Strategy, I strongly believe that we can create positive change to ensure all children can get the best start in life and reach their full potential. I look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders to bring us closer to this reality.”

The First 5 Implementation Plan 2023-2025 was launched in November 2023. It includes 125 actions to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families. Some key achievements for 2024 include:

A broader range of options for parents to balance working and caring

• From August 2024, parents with a child under two years of age or who have adopted a child within the last two years will each be entitled to an extra two weeks of paid Parent’s Leave and Benefit.
• The right to request flexible working for parents and carers, which was introduced through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, was commenced on 6 March 2024.

A new model of parenting support

• A total of €75,000 was distributed among 37 organisations under the 2023/24 Parent Peer Support Fund. This funding facilitated delivery of parent peer support projects by organisations who provide a diverse range of services such as domestic violence, kinship care, breastfeeding, disability, and migrant supports. In 2024/25, the total funding available has increased to €100,000.
• Ten Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSCs) participated in a pilot of a Parenting Support Awareness Fund, funding CYPSC to promote existing parenting support services in their local areas. The learnings from the pilot were incorporated into the fund in 2024 which was then rolled out to all 27 CYPSCs.

New developments in child health

• The HSE launched the updated National Infant Feeding Education Programme for healthcare providers, with a focus on standardising the delivery of breastfeeding education and skills training, maximising blended learning, and ensuring health care staff are up to date with emerging evidence. To date five thousand staff have enrolled and over 70 staff have been trained to deliver breastfeeding skills training sessions within maternity and public health nursing services.
• During 2024, 11 additional Home Visiting Programmes were approved through the Children’s Fund in partnership with Tusla.
• A Project Officer was appointed to spearhead work on a dedicated child health workforce.

Reform of the Early Learning and Care system

• Budget 2025 allocated an additional €266 million for early learning and childcare, representing an increase of 24% from 2024.
• The Building Blocks Expansion Scheme allocated €1.3m to services to undertake renovations or to upgrade existing space to cater for more children. It is expected to deliver up to 300 new places for one to three-year-olds. The €25 million Building Blocks Extension scheme was opened for applications in November 2024.
• Childminder related exemptions were removed from primary legislation and childminder-specific regulations were introduced in September.
• Under Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (2022-2028), 47 of 57 actions for 2024 were either completed or in progress.

A package of measures to tackle early childhood poverty and disadvantage

• Equal Start was launched; a major new model of government-funded supports to ensure children experiencing disadvantage can access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare. Settings benefitting from setting-targeted supports – approximately 800 in the initial implementation phase – have been objectively identified as operating in the context of the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage.
• An additional payment of €280 for a newborn or adopted child (the ‘New Baby Grant’) was announced as part of Budget 2025. It is estimated that in 2025, the grant will be paid in respect of some 54,000 children.