13% more children in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown benefitting from National Childcare Scheme – Cllr. Eoin O’Driscoll

13% more children in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown benefitting from National Childcare Scheme – Cllr. Eoin O’Driscoll

The number of children in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown benefitting from reduced childcare and early learning services has increased, Cllr. Eoin O’Driscoll has said.

Cllr. Eoin O’Driscoll said that there has been a significant increase in the number of children and families benefitting from the National Childcare Scheme throughout the country.

Cllr. Eoin O’Driscoll explained: “Subsidies within the scheme substantially reduce the cost of early learning and childcare and I’m very pleased that a total of around 245,000 children benefitted from the scheme in 2025 nationally, a 12% increase on around 218,000 children who benefitted from the scheme in 2024.

“In our own county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown 12,046 children benefitted from the scheme last year, an increase of 13% on 2024. The increase in uptake reflects Fine Gael in Government’s continued investment in the early learning and childcare sector, including a 53% increase in the minimum hourly National Childcare Scheme subsidy from September 2024.”

“This is welcome progress that we need to build on. I am well aware that we need significantly more childcare facilities in the local area I represent, Stillorgan, and across the county. We need to do better at supporting local families and I will continue to work hard with my Fine Gael colleagues at a local and national level to increase childcare provision within our community.

The National Childcare Scheme has undergone a significant number of enhancements in recent years and new, lower maximum fee changes for families paying the highest prices and higher subsidies for lower income families are on the way in September.

“Access to affordable quality childcare remains a huge concern for families and it’s essential that we build on the momentum of the reduced fees to fulfil the Programme for Government’s commitment to develop an early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity.”

ENDS