9 October 2026

Minister Foley releases further details of reductions in early learning and childcare costs for families in Budget 2027

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley TD has released further details of the impact of reductions in early learning and childcare costs for families in Budget 2027.

A key priority of the Budget is making early learning and childcare more affordable for families.

The maximum fees that can be charged by providers in Core Funding will be reduced for children in both part-time and full-time care.

The National Childcare Scheme subsidy will also increase for children in early years, junior infants and senior infants from September 2027, given the higher costs faced by this group on average.

The case studies below will give examples of the savings this will generate for families with children in early learning and childcare places for different lengths of time each week.

Minister Foley said:

“Budget 2027 contains an early learning and childcare package to improve affordability for parents. The increased universal subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme, the changes to income thresholds for income-assessed subsidies, and the cuts to the maximum fees for Core Funding Partner Services will reduce costs for many families.

Budget 2027 will also provide funding to increase access to places, to support providers with a record level of Core Funding and to support the recruitment and retention of high-quality early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners.”

Parents of children in early years and up to senior infants who are enrolled in services participating in Core Funding can benefit from the new fee caps being introduced next September. Over 20 percent of providers will be required to reduce at least one of their fees.

Even if their existing fees are below the new fee caps, and will not be reduced as a result, these parents will benefit from the forthcoming increase in the universal subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme from €2.14 to €2.50 per hour, as well as the increase in the base income-threshold and multiple child deductions for income-assessed subsidies.

Parents of children in first class and upwards who are enrolled in Core Funding Partner Services for school-age childcare services can also benefit from the new fee caps being introduced next September. This will be where their current fees are in excess of the new fee caps.

Here are some examples of the impact that the changes announced in Budget 2027 will make.

1. For a family who is availing of a place for a child up to senior infant class, for 25 hours per week, their costs are currently capped at €458 per month if they receive 25 hours of universal subsidies. As part of the early learning and childcare package in Budget 2027, their bill will reduce to no more than €350 a month from next September. This means that the family will make an annual saving of €1,296 over 48 weeks.
2. For a family who is availing of a full-time place for a child up to senior infant class, five days a week, for 45 hours (e.g. during holiday periods for school-age children), their costs are currently capped at €735 per month taking universal subsidies into account. As part of the early learning and childcare package in Budget 2027, their bill will reduce to no more than €550 a month from next September – or by 25%. This means that the family will make an annual saving of over €2,200 over 48 weeks.
3. For a family who is availing of a full-time place for a child up to senior infant class, five days a week, for 50 hours, their costs are currently capped at around €959 per month taking universal subsidies into account. As part of the early learning and childcare package in Budget 2027, their bill will reduce to no more than €750 a month from next September. This means that the family will make an annual saving of over €2,500 per year over 48 weeks.
4. For a family who is availing of a full-time place for a child who is in first class or higher, five days a week, for 45 hours during school holidays, their costs are currently capped at €183.70 per week taking universal subsidies into account. While they will not qualify for increased universal subsidies, the fee caps in the early learning and childcare package in Budget 2027 means their bill will reduce by 16% to no more than €137.50 a week from next September.
5. For a family who is availing of a full-time place for a child up to senior infant class, five days a week, for 45 hours (e.g. during holiday periods for school-age children) paying an average (median) fee of €800 per month, their costs are currently capped at €414.80 per month if they receive 45 hours of universal subsidy per week. As part of the early learning and childcare package in Budget 2027, their bill is below the new maximum fee caps but it will reduce to €350 a month from next September due to increased universal subsidies. This means that the family will make an annual saving of over €777 over 48 weeks.

The examples provided above are for families accessing the universal subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme. Families on lower incomes can qualify for higher, income-assessed subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme.

As part of Budget 2027, the base income threshold for families for the National Childcare Scheme will be raised from €34,000 to €38,500 as an anti-poverty measure for children, allowing more families to benefit from the maximum subsidies under the Scheme from September 2027.

The Access and Inclusion Model supports for children with disabilities in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECCE) programme will be extended to children under three years of age from September 2027, benefitting an estimated 1,000 young children.

Core Funding for over 4,600 providers of early learning and childcare will increase by more than €170m, to over €650 million for the next Programme year, commencing in September.

Included in that is funding in the region of €50 million specifically ringfenced to support new negotiations by the independent Early Years Services Joint Labour Committee, for another Employment Regulation Order for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners from September.

Further information:

Fee band (for Core Funding Partner Services)	Current Maximum Weekly Fee Cap for Providers	Maximum Weekly Fee Cap for Providers From September 2027	Example weekly National Childcare Scheme Universal subsidy for parents	Example weekly National Childcare Scheme Universal subsidy for parents of children up to senior infants from September 2027
<10 hours	€56	€50	€10.70 (5 hours)	€12.50 (5 hours)
10<20 hours	€112	€100	€32.10 (15 hours)	€37.50 (15 hours)
20<30 hours	€168	€150	€53.50 (25 hours)	€62.50 (25 hours)
30<40 hours	€224	€200	€74.90 (35 hours)	€87.50 (35 hours)
40<50 hours	€280	€250	€96.30 (45 hours)	€112.50 (45 hours)
50 hours or more	€336	€300	€96.30 (45 hours)	€112.50 (45 hours)

Maximum parental payment for families on universal subsidy

Current maximum parental payment for 45-hour place for a child on universal subsidy

	Children up to end of Senior Infants		1st Class children upwards
	Weekly	Monthly	Weekly	Monthly
Maximum fee for 40-50 hour place	€280	€1,120	€280	€1,120
National Childcare Scheme universal subsidy for 45 hours	€96.30	€385.2	€96.30	€385.2
Parent payment	€183.70	€734.80	€183.70	€734.80

Note: in the table, a month refers to a 4-week period.

Future maximum parental payment for 45-hour place for a child on universal subsidy (from September 2027)

	Children up to end of Senior Infants		1st Class children upwards
	Weekly	Monthly	Weekly	Monthly
Maximum fee for 40-50 hour place	€250	€1000	€250	€1000
National Childcare Scheme universal subsid for 45 hours	€112.50	€450	€96.30	€385.2
Parental payment	€137.50	€550	€153.70	€614.80
Saving		€184.80 per month		€120 per month

Note: in the table, a month refers to a 4-week period.

• 25% reduction in maximum co-payment for children on universal subsidy up to end of Senior Infants
• 16% reduction in maximum co-payment for 1^st class children receiving 45 hours of universal subsidy
• Co-payments for families receiving an income assessed subsidy are lower.

Co-payment for families on universal subsidy in a service charging the average fee

Current parental payment for a child on the median fee claiming 45-hours universal subsidy (current)

	Children up to end of Senior Infants		1st Class children upwards (out of term)
Average (median) fee	€200	€800	€175	€700
National Childcare Scheme universal subsidy for 45 hours	€96.30	€385.2	€96.30	€385.20
Parent payment	€103.70	€414.80	€78.70	€314.80

Future parental payment for a child on the median fee claiming 45-hours universal subsidy (from September 2027)

	Children up to end of Senior Infants		1st Class children upwards (out of term)
Average (median) fee	€200	€800	€175	€700
National Childcare Scheme universal subsid for 45 hours	€112.50	€450	€96.30	€385.20
Parent payment	€87.50	€350	€78.70	€314.80
Saving		€64.80 per month

• 16% reduction in co-payment for median fee for children receiving 45 hours of universal subsidy up to end of Senior Infants
• No change in co-payment for 1^st class children upwards for families on universal subsidy in an average-fee service.
• Co-payments for families receiving an income assessed subsidy are lower.

ENDS

Please find attached a press release related to announcement by Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley of the proposed locations of new early learning and childcare projects under the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme. 

The announcement outlines progress to date on the programme, which aims to increase the supply of high-quality, affordable early learning and childcare places across the country through direct State investment.

The Department is continuing to consider proposals for projects under the State-led capital programme. Local City and County Childcare Committees are supporting the development of projects. Project proposals can be brought to the attention of the Department through completion of a preliminary appraisal form which is available from City and County Childcare Committees. 

Further information on the programme is available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/state-led-early-learning-and-childcare-capital-programme/

Kind regards,

Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Division

Webinar Title: Using picture books to support early Maths Week 2026

Webinar Date: 8th October

Webinar time: 19.00-20.30

Overview of webinar content:

The updated Aistear (2024) identifies that children’s lives are enriched by numeracy experiences in their everyday lives. This webinar will explore basic maths concepts in early childhood and support educators to ‘use their maths eyes’ to find the maths in everything they do. Well known picture books will be explored to demonstrate that maths really is all around us when we know where and how to look.

This webinar is also available through the medium of Irish on the 15th of October – see below

Registration Link: Click Here

Webinar Title: Maths Week 2026 Webinar Using early years Maths resources in my setting.

Webinar Date: 14th October

Webinar time: 14.00-15.00

Overview of webinar content:

The updated Aistear (2024) framework highlights that babies, toddlers and young children come to understand concepts such as matching, comparing, ordering, sorting, estimating, counting, spatial awareness, size, weight, height, length, capacity and money through play and meaningful everyday experiences.

This webinar will explore key early maths concepts and illustrate how these ideas can be supported in play through the provision of a math-rich environment.

Join us to find out what small changes can make big difference in supporting early math with the youngest children.

Registration Link: Click Here

Webinar Title: Páistí ag aimsiú máta trí scéalta gach lá Seachtain na Máta 2026 

Webinar Date: 15th October

Webinar time: 14.00 – 15:30

Overview of webinar content:

Aithnítear in Aistear nuashonraithe (2024) go saibhrítear saol leanaí trí eispéiris uimhearthachta ina saol laethúil. 

 Sa seimineár gréasáin seo, déanfar iniúchadh ar bhunchoincheapa matamaitice sa luath-óige agus tabharfar tacaíocht d’oideoirí “a súile matamaitice a úsáid” chun an mhatamaitic a aithint i ngach a déanann siad. 

 Bainfear úsáid as pictiúrleabhair aitheanta chun a léiriú go bhfuil an mhatamaitic mórthimpeall orainn, nuair a bhíonn a fhios againn cá háit agus conas í a aithint. 

Reáchtálfar an seimineár gréasáin seo i nGaeilge.

Registration Link: Click Here

For queries relating to all events please contact professionaldevelopment@betterstart.ie 

23 September 2026

We are seeking the views of professionals working across health, social care, education, early years education and care, community and family support services.

The purpose of this short survey is to understand current levels of awareness and experience of IECMH, identify gaps and challenges, and establish priorities for the Network.

The survey should take approximately 5–7 minutes to complete.

Please see a link to the survey below

Staff Survey relevant to those working with infants and young children – Fill out form

Or scan the QR code on the poster for access to the survey

Responses will help inform the development of the Network’s priorities and future programme of work.

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley, today announced that over 90% of early learning and childcare services have signed up for the fifth year of Core Funding to date.

Core Funding is provided by the State to support early learning and childcare services and has been increased to a record level of €482 million for this programme year from September 2026 to August 2027.

The fee-freeze and maximum fee-caps which services must comply with under Core Funding have been key to the progress in recent years in improving the affordability of early learning and childcare services.

With uptake rates of Core Funding amongst early learning and childcare services now exceeding 90%, participation rates already remain consistent with previous years of Core Funding. Services can sign up to the fifth year of the scheme at any point over the course of the programme year, which further increases the percentage of services in Core Funding.

Minister Foley said:

“I am pleased to see such a strong sign up to Core Funding from early learning and childcare services. Core Funding supports parents by maintaining the fee freeze and maximum fee caps, and it also supports Partner Services to keep their doors open, recruit and retain staff, and deliver high-quality care.

“In the previous programme year, we saw over 4,600 services sign up to Core Funding. These were the highest numbers at any point since the scheme was launched in 2022.

Today, we have exceeded 4,600 services signing up to Core Funding for the fifth year and I expect that number to rise over the coming weeks and months.”

The €482 million in Core Funding for this programme year is an increase of over €90 million on the previous programme year. It brings the total investment by the state to over €1.7 billion in Core Funding since the scheme was first launched in 2022.

There are strengthened affordability measures for families in this fifth programme year of Core Funding. The maximum fee caps, which were introduced for First-Time Partner Services in 2024 and reduced and extended to all new and existing Partner Services in 2025, have been lowered again this September. This means that approximately 12% of services will be required to reduce at least one fee. The fee freeze will continue to operate in other services, ensuring that all families will continue to benefit from this measure.

Core Funding is also providing increased funding for all Partner Services in recognition of rising cost pressures for the sector. This will balance the need for affordable early learning and childcare with ensuring sustainability for the sector.

Around €45 million of ringfenced funding was made available in the fourth year of the scheme to support providers to meet the cost of increased minimum pay rates. These minimum pay rates arose from the new Employment Regulation Orders (EROs) which commenced in October 2025, following negotiation by the independent Joint Labour Committee (JLC).

The Department has allocated €45 million in ringfenced funding in this current Core Funding programme year to support Partner Services with the cost of increasing pay. That allocation is contingent to new EROs being established, which has been the subject of the recent negotiations at the Joint Labour Committee.

Minister Foley said:

“I secured a ringfenced €45 million to support providers meet pay costs that may arise from the Joint Labour Committee process in line with our Programme for Government to continue to implement Employment Regulation Orders to attract and retain early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners.

“I welcome the news of new proposals in minimum rates of pay for Early Years Educators and School-Age Childcare Practitioners negotiated by the Joint Labour Committee.

If these proposals are implemented through new Employment Regulation Orders, they will bring much-needed improvements in pay for these dedicated professionals, enhancing the quality of care and education provided to children across Ireland.

I am hopeful that these proposals will soon come into effect, marking a positive change for our dedicated and skilled staff in the early learning and childcare sector and the services that employ them.”

Alongside the increased Core Funding allocation of €482 million, Partner Services facing sustainability challenges can continue to avail of supports through the Department’s established case management process. This involves local City and County Childcare Committees and Pobal working together to assess and provide support including financial support to services experiencing difficulties.

For more information on Core Funding, including a list of Partner Services and allocations for previous programme years, please visit: Core Funding

The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has welcomed the new proposals for, over 6% increases to minimum rates of pay for Early Years Educators and School-Age Childcare Practitioners.

The proposals have been put forward by the Joint Labour Committee, which is made up of employer and worker representatives. It has the responsibility for setting minimum rates of pay for over 39,000 staff in the early years and childcare sector.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has allocated €45 million in ringfenced funding in this current Core Funding programme year to support Partner Services with the cost of increasing pay. That allocation is contingent to new EROs being established, which has been the subject of the negotiations at the Joint Labour Committee.

Minister Foley expressed her appreciation for the collaborative efforts of the Joint Labour Committee and acknowledged their independence in the negotiation process:

“The new proposals of on average over 6 per cent increases in minimum pay represent a significant step toward ensuring fair pay for educators and practitioners working in the sector. I am committed to ensuring the successful implementation of these proposals by providing a ring-fenced allocation of €45 million over a full year. This allocation has been specifically earmarked to support services in meeting the cost of the proposed increases in pay and conditions.”

“I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Joint Labour Committee in these negotiations and their vital role in advancing the professionalism and value of those working in the sector.

“If these proposals are implemented through updated Employment Regulation Orders, they will bring much-needed improvements in pay for these dedicated professionals, enhancing the quality of care and education provided to children across Ireland.

“I am hopeful that these proposals will soon come into effect, marking a positive change for our dedicated and skilled staff in the early learning and childcare sector and the services that employ them.”