I thank the Deputy. Just for information, the mother and baby institutions payment scheme opened for applications in March 2024. The underpinning legislation for the scheme provides for a number of reports and reviews to be produced. Section 12 provides for annual reports to be prepared by 30 June by the chief deciding officer of the scheme. These reports are to include details on applications, determinations, staffing and training. Section 48 provides for two reviews into the operation of the scheme to be completed. The first is to be completed within six months of the scheme’s second anniversary, by September 2026. As the scheme has been open for less than a year and I have not yet received the first annual report from the chief deciding officer, it would be premature to initiate a review at this time. As of 17 February, almost 6,200 scheme applications have been received. Nearly 5,250 notices of determination have issued to applicants, of which more than 82% contain an offer of benefits under the scheme. Applicants have six months to decide to accept the offer before they need to respond but already some 3,900 payments have been made or are in the process of being made. While the Department projected higher up-front applicant numbers in 2024, the scheme is open for five years so there is plenty of time for potential applicants to apply. It is difficult to predict at what stage across the five-year lifetime applicants will apply, although we do know that in some previous redress schemes, significant numbers of applications were actually made very much so towards the closing dates. It is important to emphasise that the payment scheme is just one element of the Government’s response to the complex legacy of mother and baby institutions. Of the seven major commitments set out in the Government action plan for survivors, six are now delivered and are actually in place, while the seventh is well under way. Key actions which have been achieved include counselling support, access to birth information, with almost 15,200 cases completed and the creation of the special advocate for survivors, as well as the ongoing development of the National Centre for Research and Remembrance.

Sentiment score: 0.18

I thank the Deputy. I appreciate the points she is making but given that we have not yet reached the one-year anniversary and I have not received either the annual report or the first of the two reviews, it would be premature to go into the system of review. The Deputy referenced sincerely the need in respect of promotion, advertising and allowing people to be aware that the scheme is in place. The interdepartmental group that advised the Government on the design of the scheme estimated the cost of communication and publicity to be well in excess of €2 million. That includes social media and advertising abroad whether it is the United States, the UK, Australia or wherever the case may be; you name it. There have been two phases of advertising across all those jurisdictions consisting of radio, print, online and out-of-home advertising, as well as a poster campaign and so much more. There are five years there, which does give people an opportunity. As I said, often the uptake is towards the end rather than at the start.

Sentiment score: 0.32

I thank the Deputy. We want to the scheme to work. That is why so much effort is going into the whole advertising element of it and much more. Regarding those who are excluded from the scheme, I absolutely understand the points that are raised by so many. However, those identified by the commission of investigation as having a main function of providing shelter and supervision from an antenatal and post-natal point of view to mothers and children were deemed to be the institutions. There will be an annual report at the end of June. There will be a review to give it its best chance in early operation and then we will see where we go from there on the basis of that review. The figure of 6,200 applications is estimated, as the Deputy said herself. I appreciate how well informed and sincerely she feels regarding this issue of there being more than 34,000 people being eligible to apply. We will do all we can to ensure the maximum number of the 34,000 are in receipt of support.

Sentiment score: 0.23

I thank the Deputy. Investment in the early learning and childcare sector is now at an unprecedented level with public funding exceeding €1.37 billion in 2025. We have never had as much money being expended. This clearly demonstrates the Government’s commitment to this area. As well as addressing affordability, this investment has served to improve accessibility, availability and the quality of provision. The new programme for Government provides the impetus now to go much further however, and to deliver more high-quality early learning and childcare places at a cost that is affordable to families. Under this Government, the recently established supply management unit in the Department will be resourced and transformed into a forward planning and delivery unit to identify areas of need and better forecast demand. That is important. The Government is also making a commitment that this unit will introduce an element of public provision with State-led facilities to add capacity in conjunction with capacity provided by private operators. As a key first step, the unit will work to identify the type and number of local places across the country, and how this compares to the number of children in the corresponding age groups. A poll is also being undertaken of parents to better understand their preferences for early learning and childcare. That is important too. Taking a more strategic approach to forward planning and the option of public delivery offers much greater scope to influence the type and number of places available and to better align them with families’ needs. Record numbers are now benefiting from the national childcare scheme. Some 220,000 children benefited from a subsidy under the scheme in 2024. Fee controls are in place in almost 93% of services as a result of the core funding scheme and this ensures the investment is not unnecessarily absorbed by fee increases.

Sentiment score: 0.25

Again, I thank the Deputy. He is 100% correct. There is an issue around capacity and the Government recognises that. It is for that reason that the Government has committed to doing a root-and-branch discovery around the country to determine where there are areas of maximum need and where is under-provided for. The new forward planning and delivery unit will be very important in that respect. Early and initial scoping exercises have taken place. This is an absolutely new departure. It has never been done before that the State will intervene and build or purchase State-owned early learning childcare facilities. It is important to gather the views of parents. Regarding the poll, it is my understanding that the poll was conducted in February. It is presently being analysed and we should have the results by the end of March or early April. Again, it will inform the trajectory of the journey.

Sentiment score: 0.12

I thank the Deputy. To confirm in terms of the core funding model, an unprecedented level of funding has gone into that for the first time. In year 1, €259 million was expended directly on core funding and €210.8 million was brand-new funding. That increased to €287 million in year 2 and presently in year 3, it has increased to €331 million. Again, a very significant uplift is being provided by the Government to providers. It has a core funding fee management element to it as well in terms of affordability for parents. The Government has been very conscious of the cost for parents and families so it has committed to establishing a €200 per month cap on childcare costs in the lifetime of this Government. Significant progress has already been made in this regard through the establishment of the Together for Better funding model. This funding allows for greater control of the cost of early learning and childcare for parents, with adjustments that can be made on the supply and demand sides. On the demand side, it is important to say that the national childcare scheme allows for the flexible allocation of subsidies to families, where the highest subsidies are provided to the families that need them the most. System support for the national childcare scheme also supports rapid changes to eligibility parameters and subsidy parameters where directed by the Government. On the supply side, the core funding fee management measure ensures that fees do not grow significantly and absorb subsidies provided to parents.

Sentiment score: 0.31

Core funding is a grant to early learning and childcare providers towards their operating costs. The primary objectives of the core funding scheme are to improve pay and conditions in the sector and affordability for parents while also ensuring a stable income for providers. Providers have flexibility in how they spend their core funding grant, provided it aligns with the approved areas of expenditure outlined in the funding agreement. However, research shows that staff costs account for approximately 70% of the total operating costs of providers. The introduction of core funding in September 2022 brought a significant increase in investment for the sector, with €259 million of funding paid directly to providers in year one of the scheme, of which €210.8 million was entirely new funding. This funding increased to €287 million in year two and by a further 15% in year three of the scheme and now stands at €331 million of an investment. For year four of core funding, commencing this September, the core funding allocation will exceed €345 million. An additional allocation of €15 million, from September to December 2025, which equates to €45 million across the 2025-26 programme year, has been specifically ring-fenced to support employers in meeting the costs of further increases to the minimum rates of pay in the sector and is contingent on updated employment regulation orders being negotiated by the independent joint labour committee. This would bring the total year four core funding allocation to more than €390 million. The estimated cost to employers of implementing previous employment regulation orders has been calculated based on information provided by providers. The estimated cost to services of the employment regulation orders given effect in September 2022 was approximately €55 million and was supported through the year one core funding allocation of €259 million. The estimated cost to services of the employment regulation orders given effect in June 2024 was €20.1 million and was supported by increased core funding in year two and year three allocations of €287 million and €331 million, respectively.

Sentiment score: 0.34

In the past three years, core funding of almost €900 million has been provided by the Government. That is an unprecedented level of funding into this area. I hear the Deputy's concerns about issues such as rates of pay. Research tells us that at least 70% of core funding is going on pay. The State is not the employer and therefore does not set the pay or conditions for employees in either early learning and care or school-age childcare services. In line with the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act, the joint labour committee, which involves union and employer representation and an independent chair, is independent in its functions and neither I nor the Department have a role in its statutory processes. My officials are available to support the joint labour committee in its deliberation, through the provision of information and related data. However, it is a priority to ensure that we have sufficiency of provision and that those who work in the sector are appropriately recompensed, and equally that the sector itself - the providers - is sustainable.

Sentiment score: 0.14

I hear the Deputy's concerns. Government has not been found wanting in terms of investment. Over three years, just short of €900 million has been spent. The level of funding is quite extraordinary, always with the proviso that it delivers for parents, the workers and the providers. Regarding capacity, Government is very cognisant of this issue. The Deputy will note that, in the programme for Government, a specific commitment has been made regarding, that when required, the State can intervene in the provision of service, supplementing and recognising that capacity is also being provided by the private sector. A body of work is under way on this. Early scoping is being done, as I referred to earlier. There is a poll to gather information from parents regarding where they see the logjams might exist. I am very cognisant of the issue of pay and it is a concern for me. We have seen two increases in minimum rates of pay for roles in the sector. These have positively impacted 70% and 50% of the workforce, respectively, but obviously the work is ongoing.

Sentiment score: 0.05