Childcare Services
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-23
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Norma Foley (FF), Kerry

The Deputy will be aware that we recently announced €135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality accessible State-led early learning and childcare. The process begins this year, as he said, with investment in buildings in what will be a groundbreaking initiative for the Government. Capital funding will be used to acquire or fit out building, depending on the requirements. Up to eight buildings will be selected for investment this year and the State-led initiative will provide thousands of places to 2030 using the €135 million provided in the national development plan. The level of investment will ramp up over the lifetime of the Government.
The Department has received project proposals from a number of sources since the programme was launched and there are also projects the Department was aware of prior to the programme's launch. In total 82 potential projects across the country have been received as of 17 April. These projects are at very different stages of development and it is also important to acknowledge this. Some relate to existing buildings ready to be occupied and ready to fit out. Others, however, are much longer-term prospects for the future. Not all proposals align with the programme objectives and some may be funded by other means, including the next round of the building blocks scheme or whatever might be more appropriate to the application that has been received. Some projects have been proposed by an existing early learning and childcare service provider while others relate to a building or property only and a separate process to identify an operator will be required.
Included in the long list are three proposals from County Kildare that have been submitted to the Department. The Department will continue to seek potential projects for consideration. There will be a particular focus in the new State-led facilities on providing places for children aged between one and three, with capacity for these children to continue in the service until they start school, because this is where the need is greatest. The aim of delivering additional supply of this type in suitable locations will include rural areas and urban areas that are not well served at present.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-23