I thank the Deputy. Again, I acknowledge the points he makes. Parents are right to access every opportunity they can for a child. I would do it. They are right to do it but we need to find better ways to progress the assessment of need. As I have said, over 6,300 assessments have been done privately. Some €10 million was made available but it is likely that between €18 million and €20 million will be spent this year. I acknowledge that other measures have been attributed to the increase as well. Despite the fact th…

Specifically in relation to the private capacity, €10 million was made available last year. I did say that if at any point more were required and if there were capacity to do more, more funding would be made available. It is our estimate that between €18 million and €20 million will have been spent, and a further €20 million has been secured in budget 2026. If more is required again in 2026, we will not be found wanting. We need to look at other measures as well. For example, the HSE is looking at a single point of…

Pardon?

We will present that before the end of this year.

As the Deputy said, in a survey recently published by Childminding Ireland, 393 childminders responded to a question about their intentions for when registration becomes mandatory. Some 44% said they were undecided, 32% said they intended to stop childminding and 24% said they intended to register with Tusla. While those who responded to the survey and answered the question represent a small proportion of childminders, with census data indicating there may be approximately 13,000 non-relative childminders across th…

I concede that childminders are hugely important and make a very significant contribution to caring for children right across communities, even in rural communities. I am very familiar with the extraordinary benefit childminders provide. The Department has committed to a review as part of the transition period. That will commence in 2026. Supports are available to childminders from the city and county childcare committees. Each city and county childcare committee has been funded by the Department to ensure that it …

I think we all appreciate that registration is important. It is critical to the safeguarding of children. It involves oversight of Garda vetting, proof of insurance, first aid and safeguarding training and so on. That is a positive thing in terms of registration. Again, there are specific people available through the city and county childcare committees, childminding development officers, who are available on the ground to offer support. A communication strategy is being developed. I am absolutely engaged with the …

I thank the Deputy very much. I acknowledge that many childminders, when asked about their intention to register, report that they are undecided, while some say they intend to stop childminding. As I have said previously, I understand the anxiety and uncertainty of childminders in a period of transition. Change is never comfortable. Communication is essential to that. It is a key element of phase 2 of the national action plan for childminding during the transition period. Work on this communications strategy has be…

To be fair, there would have been no point in doing a review in the first year. It is important that we have the benefit of the experience of those who registered and went through the process. It is a three-year process. It is appropriate that at a midway point, before September 2027 and during 2026, the review will take place. There is no point in doing it without having the experience on the ground to inform it. As I said earlier - it just so happens that these two questions are coming one after another - childmi…

The Deputy should have no fears. I hear and see exactly what is going on. To be clear, this is a three-year process. It would be entirely inappropriate for any type of review to take place in the first year.

It would not allow the system to get itself up and running. It would not allow us to learn and gain from the benefit of the experience of those who go through the process. It is appropriate that it would take place in the second year. I have committed to that. I have articulated it clearly. It will take place in 2026. We will have the benefit of the first year of those who have gone through the process. We will have the opportune time until September 2027, realising that is the closing point. It is appropriate that…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which is of the deepest concern to everybody, both in the Government and across the House. All of us have been greatly saddened by recent cases that have been highlighted. On the questions that the Deputy raised, Tusla has completed its work on the well-being check. This will be overseen by a steering group, which will be entirely independent of Tusla. The purpose of the well-being welfare check is to proactively test and strengthen the current safety net the State provid…

The Deputy asked about my engagement with this. I have met with the chair of the independent steering group. It is important to say that this is independent of Tusla. It is important that the steering group be independent of Tusla. I have met with the chair and will do so again in advance of the commencement of phase 2 of the project. I have secured additional funding in the Estimates for next year to assist with the implementation of the check. Funding of €3.2 million has been secured and is being allocated to cov…

I absolutely do not in any way question Deputy Farrelly's sincerity. Equally, I have to say this is not "a knee-jerk reaction". This is an important body of work. There is concern around cases that would have closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, notwithstanding that it can be such a positive when a case is closed by Tusla. It can be a really positive outcome. I am very conscious that many cases are reopened again and again; that is the nature of the work. It is important that we take the time to do this work. A fig…

In 2026, current expenditure for early learning and childcare will rise to €1.48 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 9% or €125 million. This additional funding will deliver real and meaningful change to the lives of thousands of children and their families in 2026 as well as to early years educators, school-age childcare practitioners and providers. Some 105,250 children will be supported to access free pre-school education under the ECCE programme next year. Furthermore, 286,000 children will benefit…

I thank the Deputy. In terms of capital expenditure, for the early learning and childcare sector that will comprise €36 million in 2026, thereby allowing the Government to accelerate its work to ensure the supply of early learning and childcare meets demand. The year 2026 will see for the first time the acquisition of buildings to provide the infrastructure for State-led early learning and child care delivery, something which is very close to the hearts of most people here, including Deputy Kerrane. For the first t…

I thank the Deputy. On areas for the State-led public model, there is a forward planning unit in the Department, which is positive. It is specifically examining areas where there is demand but no service provision. I acknowledge that the Deputy has consistently raised issues in her area and the technicalities around the building blocks scheme, in particular for the cohort in Boyle. I am committed to a building blocks scheme in 2026. The detail of that has not yet been worked out, but the principle is there. In term…

I thank the Deputy. As she may be aware, the family resource centre programme is expanding from 121 to 126 members this year. Funding for the expansion was secured by the Department in budget 2025 and I want to acknowledge in the Chamber the former Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, in that respect. Regarding the expansion of the family resource centre programme, a comprehensive national application and assessment process was undertaken earlier this year, which was led by Tusla and independently chaired by a repres…

I thank the Deputy. I know first-hand from the Deputy the benefits of Trim Family Resource Centre and the great work it does. She has spoken to me frequently about that. With the resources they have, more and more is being asked of family resource centres and they are constantly stepping up to the mark to deliver. The Deputy outlined the great variety and breadth of work that is being provided by Trim Family Resource Centre, which is a testament to the determination to deliver on-the-ground services for the communi…

As I said, it is a strong commitment from Government that we will increase the number of family resource centres. I am conscious of the need to improve the core funding that goes to the centres. I am very pleased that, in budget 2026, I am in a position to have secured funding that will ensure there will be an additional ten family resource centres. I am also in a position to say that I secured funding that will increase the €160,000 base that is provided for in core funding. The great thing about family resource c…