443. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme projects that are proposed for Fingal; the location of each proposed project; the current status of each project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54366/26]

444. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any sites in Fingal have been identified, approved in principle or progressed under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; if she will provide details of each site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54367/26]

445. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether services delivered under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme will be operated exclusively by not-for-profit providers; and whether any private for-profit providers will be eligible to operate State-owned facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54368/26]

446. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which operators for State-led early learning and childcare services will be selected; whether there will be an open competitive process; the governance, financial, quality and operational criteria that will apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54369/26]

447. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of operators to date, that have been selected or approved under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the name of each operator and the associated project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54370/26]

448. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the criteria used by her Department to select sites for investment under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the weighting given to unmet demand, deprivation, rurality, accessibility, value-for-money and project readiness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54371/26]

449. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of projects that have been approved in principle nationally under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the number of persons that remain under assessment, by county and project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54372/26]

450. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department plans to publish the Forward Planning Model, appraisal methodology and scoring framework used to identify and prioritise projects under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54373/26]

451. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether expressions of interest have been sought from prospective operators for any State-led childcare projects in Fingal; if so, the number of expressions of interest that were received; the number of these that were assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54374/26]

452. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures in place to ensure transparency in the selection of both sites and operators under the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; whether the scoring and evaluation of applications will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54375/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 to 452, inclusive, together.

As announced in January of this year, €135 million will be made available between 2026 and 2030 for the State-led Early Learning and Childcare capital programme, providing high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare.

The process will begin this year with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. Capital funding will be used to acquire and/or fit out the building, depending on requirements of the specific project.

The Department will work with not-for-profit providers to design, open and operate services.

The objectives of the programme were detailed at its launch, with accompanying criteria as outlined in the following table.

The Department has been made aware of projects from a number of sources since the programme was launched which, along with projects which the Department was aware of prior to the programme launching, includes 96 potential projects across the country as of 15 July 2026. This figure does not include projects that have been communicated informally to the Department but which require formal submission, via City/County Childcare Committees.

• Preliminary Appraisal Forms submitted to the local City/County Childcare committee - 33 projects

• Direct engagement by the Department with other public bodies such as the LDA or local authorities - 32 projects

• Engagement with Approved Housing Bodies who deliver early learning and childcare - 7 projects

• Projects which applied but were ineligible for a previous Building Blocks grant scheme - 3 projects

• Other projects brought to the attention of the Department before the programme was launched - 10 projects

• Projects identified through research conducted by the Department - 11 projects

These projects are in very different stages of development. Some relate to existing buildings ready to occupy or fit out, while others are longer-term prospects for future years. Not all proposals align with the programme objectives, and some may be funded by other means including Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2. Some projects are proposed by an existing early learning and childcare service provider, while others relate to a building/property only and a separate process to identify an operator would be required.

A number of projects have received approval-in-principle and are currently being developed into final business cases to determine if they can be approved in full.

Where a project is being considered by the Department which has not had an operator involved in its development, an open process of expressions of interest is undertaken.  Where a project is being considered by the Department which has had an operator involved in its development, a review of that operator is undertaken which requires them to meet or exceed a minimum threshold of scoring.

The application form requires the prospective operator to demonstrate their capacity in relation to four criteria: capacity to run a high quality early learning and childcare service; robust governance and financial management structure; capacity to manage the establishment of a new service while maintaining quality standards; and capacity to manage the timely fit-out and finishing of the construction project (fourth criterion only required where construction works involved).  Each of the criteria carry equal weight.

Two processes to identify an operator have been undertaken to date; one was an open process as no operator had been involved in the building design, one was a closed process given that the operator in question had developed the design for the project. Given that final approval for any project has not been granted, the names of individual operators are not being made available at this point.

The analysis of the forward planning model provides a key input into the preliminary business cases for prospective projects.  It can provide analysis of supply and demand at local area level for children by year of age which are key criteria for assessing the programme objective about delivering additional supply for children between 1 year old and ECCE age, with sufficient places to age up.

The publication of any data or outputs from the forward planning model has been considered in light of potential commercial impacts, the negotiating position of the Department, and the sensitivity of personal information that is contained in or could possibly be derived from the data. There is significant risk in making the data available more widely that it will contribute to price inflation of early learning and childcare properties in areas of high future demand which is likely to result in greater costs both for the State and other interested parties.  For that reason, it is not intended to publish outputs of the forward planning model.  Aggregated childcare demand and capacity data, including data on enrolments, vacancies and waiting lists, is available on the Pobal website. Data on population and on expected future trends in population is available from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the ESRI.

The objectives of the programme, criteria for selecting projects and the process for submitting a preliminary appraisal form for a proposed project were communicated to the sector at the launch of the programme in January and through regular engagements with City and County Childcare Committees.  Where an operator is required to be selected for a project, a notification is sent to all eligible applicants to make an expression of interest.  These measures ensure transparency in the selection of sites and operators.

Concerning the Fingal area, one project located in the Fingal area is currently being considered.

I look forward to announcing further details on projects under the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme as they develop.