629. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the administration cost for the provision of Better Start and the administration cost of city/county childcare committees; in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24966/24]

The allocation for the Better Start initiative in 2023 amounted to €16,798,000. Better Start entails a quality development service, which involves professional development, mentoring and coaching. Better Start also supports the Access and Inclusion model (AIM), and provides a range of learning and development supports to staff in the sector.

The allocation for the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) in 2023 included an operational grant of €13,081,000 to perform a wide range of activities to support the early learning and care (ELC), school-age childcare (SAC) and childminding sectors. Of this operational grant there are staff costs, administration costs and programme costs. The notional administration costs would amount to €1,940,325 but this entails the costs associated with the delivery of training and other supports to ELC/SAC providers, childminders; information services for parents and guardians, and a whole range of other activities.