Welcome to your Early Years eBulletin

As we move towards the end of yet another busy year, we can reflect on many positive developments in the sector to share with you.

October’s announcement of a total of €1.69 billion in funding under Budget 2027 for early learning and childcare represents an 11% increase on last year’s funding, or an additional €164 million.

The 2027 allocation, I believe, is a clear demonstration of the value Government continues to place on early learning and childcare, given the benefits it confers to children and their families, society and the economy.

This budget will deliver on my vision of the “Three A’s”: Affordability, Access to Places and Achievement of Quality, supported by a professional workforce. It allows further progress on the ambitious commitments in the Programme for Government. And importantly, it will support early implementation of Phase 2 of  the Shaping the Future Action Plan, which will be published in December.

The announcement I made at the end of September of seven proposed new early learning and childcare projects under the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme has the potential to provide around 600 places to support the Department’s policy of improving access to high-quality, affordable early learning and childcare.

Negotiation processes are ongoing in relation to acquisitions of two other sites which will bring the total number of locations expected to be announced this year to nine. Further locations will be selected to provide thousands of places up to 2030 using the €135 million provided in the National Development Plan.

The announcement of these seven locations is a groundbreaking move by Government to support children and families. I welcome the fact that so many people and organisations have proposed projects for inclusion in the state-led programme.

This state-led initiative will complement the work of existing private and community early learning and childcare providers. There are currently over 4,700 providers in Core Funding, supported by a record €480 million in Core Funding for this current programme year from September 2026 to August 2027. This is a €90 million increase on the previous programme year.

At the end of September, I had the pleasure of attending the National Forum on Shaping the Future. During the year, I was delighted by the strong level of engagement in this consultation process. More than 11,000 people have shared their views online, while hundreds took part in the 55 local consultation events, which took place in every county in the country.

It is interesting to note that the preliminary findings from the national survey show that the top three issues identified by parents were access to places, affordability, and having a secure and sustainable early learning and childcare workforce. These challenges closely mirror the key priorities set out in Phase One of the Shaping the Future Action Plan.

The National Forum was an important opportunity to consider how these insights can shape the future of early learning and care and school-age childcare. I am committed to ensuring services are affordable, accessible, and of the highest quality, and this work will help guide future policy and investment.

We must always listen to the children, who are at the heart of all early learning and care and school-age childcare services. I encourage all stakeholders to keep the voice of the child at the centre of our discussions and decision-making on future policy.

I will continue working with you all and the many stakeholders involved in, and impacted by, the vital work of this sector, to further build on the progress made in improving affordability, accessibility, availability and quality of early learning and care, school-age childcare and childminding.

Best wishes,

Norma Foley TD

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality