688. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the nature of funding support sought under successful applications under the Sustainability Fund within her Department in each of the years since it was introduced. [51888/26]

The sustainability fund for service providers is a support mechanism introduced to ensure the stability and viability of early learning and childcare services for those participating in the Core Funding model. The fund is accessed through a collaborative process involving the service, their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC), and Pobal, who assess financial eligibility and need.

Once a service engages with their local CCC they will be able to avail of sustainability supports through the case management process.

Please find below a list of supports issued to providers since 2018 along with a short explanation for each strand of support provided.

Emergency Relocation Supports

Emergency Relocation Supports provide community not-for-profit services experiencing financial difficulty, due to a need to relocate on an emergency basis, with additional once off funding to support the costs of rent and associated moving costs.

Rural and Isolated Services Support

This is a support for ELC/SAC Services Providers experiencing threats to their sustainability that are already potentially critical. The funding is designed to support the continued provision of ELC/SAC Services Providers in rural communities and encourage efficiency by providing governance and business model supports to support the long-term sustainability and safeguard investment.

Early Intervention Supports

Early Intervention Support aid ELC/SAC Service Providers to effectively manage non-critical sustainability challenges. The funding is designed to prevent the further escalation of issues/concerns. Early Intervention Supports will target more self-contained issues concerning a specific problem e.g., legal advice or HR advice.

Transitional Support Consultant Support

The Transitional Support Consultant (TSC) strand is designed to support Community, not-for-profit ELC/SAC services experiencing critical sustainability challenges that require specialist external expertise to resolve. The TSC is an External Expert hired to work directly with the Board of Directors to address specific sustainability threats.

Overclaims Regularisation Support

The strand is intended to provide operational funding or a net off against a Programme Funding overclaim to ELC/SAC Service Providers with significant Overclaims who may be facing cashflow or sustainability challenges to support the continued provision of childcare.

Operational Funding Support

This is a transitional support for Community ELC/SAC Service Providers experiencing or at risk of a cash flow crisis intended to support them through a period of necessary change or reform or acute external pressure.

Operational Funding Support for Core Funding Beneficiaries

The purpose of the Sustainability Funding Strand 12 Operational Funding Support for Core Funding Beneficiaries is to support the sustainability of Early Learning and Care (ELC), School Age Childcare (SAC) services who are experiencing sustainability issues in the current programme year, by providing both financial and operational supports. Operational Funding Support for Core Funding Beneficiaries is available to both private and community based ELC/Sac partner services.

Sustainability Fund for Emergency Capital Support

The sustainability fund for emergency capital support was made available to community childcare services in 2025. The purpose of sustainability funding for emergency capital support is to assist the completion of minor essential or emergency capital works in Community Early Learning & Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) settings that are Core Funding Partner Services.