Regulation and funding of early learning and childcare

What this means

• The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is responsible for funding and regulating early learning and childcare services in Ireland.[source]
• The Childcare Support Act 2018 provides the legal basis for financial support schemes that help families with the cost of childcare.[source]
• This mandate covers the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, which provides early years places for young children before they start primary school.[source]
• There are 3 implementing commitments linked to this mandate, meaning specific actions are being tracked to ensure the Department delivers on its responsibilities.[source]
• This mandate matters for accountability because it sets out who is responsible for the rules and money governing childcare services used by families across Ireland.[source]

Direct impact (4)

• duty held by body
  Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and YouthBody
• implements mandate via commitment
  Reduce childcare fees to a maximum of €200 per monthCommitment
• implements mandate via commitment
  Build a State-led childcare provision strandCommitment
• implements mandate via commitment
  Explore an additional ECCE hour in the second preschool yearCommitment

Indirect impact (7)

Two-hop relationships traced through the entity above. Useful for spotting downstream knock-on effects.

• duty held by body → owns statutory mandate2-hop via dept-children
  Policy for children, equality, disability and integrationMandate
• duty held by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-children
  Increase personal assistance and home support hours for disabled peopleCommitment
• duty held by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-children
  Expand the network of autism one-stop shopsCommitment
• duty held by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-children
  Double capital investment in specialist disability infrastructureCommitment
• duty held by body → holds role: Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality2-hop via dept-children
  Emer HigginsOfficeholder
• duty held by body → holds role: Minister for Children, Disability and Equality2-hop via dept-children
  Norma FoleyOfficeholder
• duty held by body → holds role: Secretary General, Department of Children, Disability and Equality2-hop via dept-children
  Kevin McCarthyOfficeholder