Childcare Services
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-23
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Norma Foley (FF), Kerry

I wish him well regardless of where he has moved to. Anyway, I welcome Deputy Ennis.
In relation to the question he has asked, I have always been clear in communicating that the €200-per-month programme for Government commitment is to be achieved over the lifetime of this Government. Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan, Phase 1 Report, published last December, sets out measures to achieve key programme for Government commitments on the affordability, quality and accessibility of early learning and care and school-age childcare. The action plan adopts a phased approach that enables action to be taken in 2026 while allowing adequate time for a broad public consultation and analysis on longer term actions.
The consultation process has a number of channels designed to facilitate the participation of a wide range of stakeholders. It includes an online survey which has received more than 11,000 responses; 56 local consultation events right across the country; an art-based engagement exercise with children; and a national consultation event, which is scheduled to take place later in the year. Results of this consultation, and additional analysis, will inform phase 2 of the plan. Phase 2 will set out actions to be undertaken from 2027 right through to the end of 2029.
The fee freeze and maximum fee caps required for core funding have been key to the progress in recent years in making ELC and SAC services more affordable. The 2026 actions on affordability will include further reduction in some of the highest fees paid by parents by lowering the maximum fees that core funding partner services can charge. In addition, from autumn 2026, we will reduce out-of-pocket costs for lower income families through the national childcare scheme.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:06+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-23