2902. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has liaised with the Department of Social Protection on protections that exist to accommodate staff who are contractually ready to return to work after maternity leave but logistically are blocked by a documented lack of childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter.' [60081/26]

Under the Maternity Protection Acts protections for employees returning to the workplace following maternity leave or additional maternity leave ensure that the employee is not disadvantaged by having availed of the leave provided for under the Acts. An Employee is required to be treated as being in employment while on maternity leave and additional maternity leave. This means that the employee has the right to return to work to the same job with the same contract of employment. If this is too difficult to arrange, the employer must provide suitable alternative work on terms that are not ‘less favourable’ than in the employee’s previous job. The Acts also require that if pay or other conditions have improved while the employee is on maternity leave, then the improvements should apply when the employee returns to work.”

Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.

Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2024/25 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 25% from the 2021/22 programme year.

However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for younger children.

The Department continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of Core Funding which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core Funding, which is in its fifth programme year, funds services based on the number of places available.

This provides stability to services, and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service.

The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. The Building Blocks Expansion Scheme, which operated in 2024, delivered almost 300 places. The Building Blocks Extension Scheme, which is currently operating, will deliver up to 1,500 quality, affordable full-day care places. Up to €10m has been set aside for the Building Blocks Extension Scheme Phase 2, which will operate in 2027.

Separately, €135 million of capital investment will be made available over the coming five years for State-led services to provide high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare. The process will begin in 2026 with investment in buildings in what will be a ground-breaking initiative.

The State-led initiative will provide thousands of places up to 2030. []

First 5 is Ireland’s Whole-of-Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families. The Strategy aims to support parents to be at home with their children for the whole of their first year. Research suggests that children benefit particularly from parental care in this period and the Strategy sets out this evidence.

The First 5 Strategy has a focus on providing a broader range of options for parents to balance working and caring. Under First 5 parent’s leave and benefit was introduced and has progressively increased from 2019 to date.

From the 1 July 2022, Parent’s leave and benefit was extended to seven weeks per parent. From August 2024 Parent’s Leave and Benefit was increased further to nine weeks per parent per child.

The combined durations of Maternity, Paternity and Parent’s Leave and Benefit now equate to 46 weeks’ paid leave for a two-parent family, supplemented by an entitlement to 16 weeks of unpaid Maternity Leave, and 26 weeks of unpaid parental leave per parent.

The Programme for Government commits to examining the extension of Parent's Leave and Benefit and additional flexibilities. Any further changes to supports and family leave entitlements will be considered within the context of the Phase 3 Implementation Plan (2026-2028) of First 5.

Shaping the Future: The Early Years Action Plan, Phase 1 report (2025) sets out measures to achieve key Programme for Government commitments on the affordability, quality, and accessibility of early learning and care and school-age childcare. The Action Plan adopts a phased approach that enables action to be taken in 2026 while allowing adequate time for a broad public consultation and analysis on longer-term actions, which will be set out in a second report to be published by the end of 2026.

One of the objectives of Shaping the Future is to increase the supply of places, strengthening supply-side funding to support services’ sustainability and staff wages, while introducing State-led facilities to complement other measures to increase capacity.

The Phase 1 report of Shaping the Future sets out actions to be implemented in 2026 using existing policy tools, while Phase 2 actions, which will be published by year-end, will be undertaken between 2027 and 2029. In line with the Programme for Government commitment, a broad public consultation process is currently underway.