DCEDIY – Press Release

• New subsidy rates under the National Childcare Scheme effective from 2 January.
• Record numbers of children now benefitting from supports under the Scheme.
• All families encouraged to ensure they are availing of their entitlements under the Scheme.

Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth today welcomed the introduction of new subsidy rates under the National Childcare Scheme, which is set to substantially reduce out of pocket costs for early learning and childcare for thousands of families across the country.

From 2 January, the minimum hourly subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme for all children under 15 will be €1.40 – an increase of €0.90 per hour from last year.

For families using Tusla-registered early learning and childcare, this subsidy increase represents further cost reductions of €2,106 (or a reduction of €3,326 in total) off the annual cost of early learning and childcare for each child.

The change to the National Childcare Scheme is being backed by €121 million secured in Budget 2023 by Minister O’Gorman, bringing total funding for the Scheme to €358 million this year.

Record numbers of children are now accessing supports under the Scheme. More than 98,000 children are currently in receipt of support, representing an 82% increase in the number of children for the same period last year.

Welcoming today’s changes to the National Childcare Scheme, the Minister said:

“This Government is delivering on its promise to make high-quality early learning and childcare more affordable for families and accessible to all children. Families can now benefit from significant increases in the National Childcare Scheme, helping to ease the financial pressure associated with early learning and childcare in Ireland. Increasing the subsidy that families can avail of under the National Childcare Scheme is the best way to ensure all families with children in Tusla-registered early learning and childcare can benefit from the Government’s €1 billion investment in early learning and childcare for 2023.

More families than ever before are already availing of the National Childcare Scheme, offsetting their early learning and childcare costs, and I am confident that with this additional investment starting today, we can bring further benefits to these families and thousands more like them.

I encourage all eligible families to avail of these supports on offer, by visiting www.ncs.gov.ie, calling the Parent Support Centre on 01 906 8530 or talking to their early learning and childcare provider”

Issued by the Press and Communications Office at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Tel: +353-01- 539 3801 Email: media@equality.gov.ie