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

I thank Deputy Dempsey very much. I acknowledge her personal engagement with me on all matters related to early years and childcare. I know it is a particular priority for her and her constituents. The Deputy is correct that it is important to look at two schemes. The building blocks scheme has incredible potential to support private providers but also community providers and, indeed, to provide additional places. The previous scheme is seeking to deliver 1,500 additional places and this will be a further addition.
The State-led scheme is also an important scheme. As we discussed previously, it is a €135 million investment, with a €10 million investment into the building blocks scheme. However, the €135 million investment is specifically State led, looking at areas where there is an absence of provision and where no other provider, either private or community run, has stepped in, for whatever reason. It involves the State stepping in proactively. It will be not for profit. The opportunity this year is for the purchase of the building and in 2027-28, we will look at other options as well.

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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