Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, published two new action plans for the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector to improve affordability, accessibility, and quality of services. The first, ‘Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan’, sets out measures for 2026 to reduce costs for families, expand access, and enhance the quality of services. The second, ‘Simplify and Support: Action Plan for Simplification’, aims to streamline administration and regulatory requirements for providers, educators, practitioners, and parents.
The ‘Shaping the Future’ Action Plan implements a phased approach. Phase 1 actions in 2026 include lowering maximum fees for Core Funding Partner Services, expanding income thresholds for the National Childcare Scheme, and providing additional subsidies to benefit nearly 47,000 families. Measures also focus on increasing supply through state-led provision, co-funding existing providers, and introducing regulatory requirements for services to publish admissions policies.
The plan allocates up to €15 million from September 2026 to improve staff wages, supporting recruitment and retention, and introduces comprehensive regulations for school-age childcare services. Applications for the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund 2026 will support early years educators in achieving degree-level qualifications. Regulatory reforms also include reviewing childminding regulations and simplifying administrative requirements while maintaining service quality.
Minister Foley highlighted that the sector has seen substantial growth, with public funding increasing from €638 million in 2020 to over €1.5 billion next year, and the number of children benefiting from services rising from 234,000 in 2024 to 245,000 in 2025. The number of services signed up to Core Funding has reached 4,559, the highest since the scheme’s launch in 2022. She emphasized the need to continue improving affordability, accessibility, and quality, with Phase 1 actions providing immediate impact and Phase 2 to be guided by broad public consultation in 2026.
The ‘Simplify and Support’ Action Plan focuses on reducing administrative burdens and simplifying regulatory processes while maintaining high standards of child safety and service quality. Key measures include a single application process for supports under the Access and Inclusion Model, a long-term CHICK code to streamline subsidy claims under the National Childcare Scheme, and upgrades to the digital system to improve efficiency and accessibility for all stakeholders.
Case studies illustrate the impact of these changes. A family in Cork with two children in creche and one school-age child will see their weekly out-of-pocket costs decrease from €107.10 to €72.40, saving €1,804 annually. A family in Laois with three children in care will have their weekly costs reduced from €193.80 to €125.70, saving €3,541 per year.
These action plans are part of the government’s commitment to build an affordable, high-quality, and accessible early learning and school-age childcare system, ensuring families receive financial support while providers and educators benefit from improved working conditions and streamlined administrative processes.
