Brian Stanley urges state-led childcare in fast-growing Leash

And Minister, I'm asking you to give full consideration for Leash to be one of the first directly state-led, publicly-owned childcare facilities. And I say that in welcoming the new scheme that was announced on the 21st of January, as Leash is one of the fastest-growing counties in terms of population outside of Dublin, and there's really, really pressure on childcare places. Thanks very much, Deputy, and I appreciate you raising this, and I know it's an issue of huge interest, I would say, right across the country, including in your own constituency also, Deputy. So, just to say at the outset, improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is an absolute key priority for government. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the annual early year sector profile shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by 25% over the last three years. That's quite a significant increase. However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for early children, and that's the real issue, I suppose, that, you know, that there are certain areas across the country where there's a dearth of provision. I did recently announce $135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible, state-led early learning and childcare, which I know is your key issue. The process will begin in 26 with investment in buildings in what will be a groundbreaking initiative for this government, never before done by government, actually. Capital funding will be used to acquire and fit out buildings, and or, actually, because in some instances it might just be the fit out of the building, depending on requirements. There will be a particular focus in the new state-led facilities on providing places for one- to three-year-old children, because this is where the need is greatest, with scope for these children to progress in the service until they start school. The aim of delivering additional supply of this type in suitable locations will include both rural areas and urban areas, which are not well served presently. Additional supply in areas of disadvantage is another priority, because early learning can have very positive impacts on children at risk of disadvantage. Another factor to consider is the need to rebalance supply in some areas, where there is a high concentration of private supply but at very low levels of community childcare. A suite of appraisal tools has been developed, including a forward planning model, in order to select projects that align with these objectives. Up to eight buildings will be selected for investment this year, and the state-led initiative will provide thousands of places up to 2030, using the £135 million provided for in the National Development Plan. Thanks, Minister. Deputy? So, as I outlined, there's chronic shortage of spaces in the county, including from one- to three-year-olds. You know, we have the private model, but because we're over-reliant on that, and that has weaknesses in terms of having to have separate leases, or ownerships of buildings, separate insurance, separate administration and payrolls, etc., while many of them are providing a good service, there are weaknesses there. The shortage is there. There is no all-day spaces in Strad Valley or Mount Trat. And the larger towns, like Port Leash, Maumelic, Port Arlington and Greig, and those smaller towns, such as Rathdowne, Mount Trat, Doro, Abbey Leaks and Strad Valley, there's an awful shortage there. Some of what does come available is simply unaffordable. And I have a letter this week from one couple who live quite near to me, and they said they were offered a space for €1,430 per month, in one just literally hundreds of yards from my house. And the creche wanted €450 deposit, and they wanted that within 48 hours, which they weren't able to come up with, so they lost the place, and that woman could not go back to work. And that shows you the pressure that's on with just the market-led one. So we need that government scheme. You know, I outlined to you that we have the fastest-growing population. I know that you've announced the purchase of eight or nine buildings. You know, everyone will be looking for them. But Leash has a seriously strong case here, Minister. You'll be able to come back in again, Deputy. Minister Spant. Thanks very much, Deputy. And look, I do appreciate the case that you make. The purpose here is, in the first instance, I suppose, to acknowledge there is extant provision by private providers, extant provision by community providers, but notwithstanding that, there are still areas where there is an absence of provision. And so the purpose here for the state-led is to step in, almost to complement what's there already, and to step in proactively where there isn't the provision. And I hear the case that you make in relation to your own constituency. I will say that there's a capital steering group in place in the department. The department is assessing, I suppose, sites and buildings. And where required, we'll seek expressions of interest from operators to deliver these state-led services. The emphasis at present, just for 2026, is on the purchase of buildings in 2026. But we also have a provision for, in some instances, where we will build. But in 2026, the emphasis will be actually in purchasing a building, either to purchase the building, or maybe in some instances to fit out a building. And look, all areas will be considered. Eight is eight, you know, but we would be hoping to grow that in the coming years. David? Well, according to the Local Child Care Committee in the county, Port Leash needs four full-day facilities. Port Oryngton needs one, Mount Melik, Mount Trat, Great Cullen, Ratdownie, Abbey Leaks, and Dorough, and the Culley Hill area. That's what they, and the figures here from them, the pilot of eight to nine, obviously, is welcome. It's a small start. You could put all eight or nine in a leash, but I would urge you to put at least one or two in it. The current model is not able to match the growth in population in the county. And, you know, we are behind other European states who will have the private provision, which, as you said, a lot of them are doing very, very good work. I wouldn't take from that. But they also have a strong state-led child care system also. We don't have that. We don't have that in this country. And you're right to say that, that, you know, this is a groundbreaking initiative, which I certainly will welcome and be fully supporting. But 1,430 per month to mind a child, the wages in our area don't come up for people to be able to pay that sort of money. That woman, you know, has no child care facilities now to return to work. That couple are, you know, they're in rented accommodation as well, and we know the pressures that brings. And, you know, the rents are sky high in the area. So it's a huge, huge issue. And I would really, I'd ask your officials to look around in county leash, contact the local county council and estate agents and see can property be secured for it. Thanks very much, Deputy. And look, just in terms of how we are progressing, the first port of call really is the local child care committee. And we ask people to engage there and then they engage further with the department. And I don't at all take away from the case that you're making. Just in terms, specifically, in relation to, you know, costs of child care, we're very conscious of that as well. I do want to say that the whole, you know, premise of core funding is where fees were frozen and in return for that, operators were given core funding. And that in turn, you know, the national child care scheme then, supporting parents as well, you know, to provide for reduced costs. But again, more work needs to be done there. You know that we have a target of the 200 euro, 50 euro a week to be achieved by the close of government, by the end of this government term. And we are working on that. As I said, we've increased core funding year on year. The national child care scheme available to parents. We've also introduced fee caps, maximum fee caps last year. We will be doing likewise again this year. So we are working towards the 200 euro, 50 euro a week. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.