112. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the criteria applied in prioritising projects for the current phase of the State-led Early Learning and Childcare Capital Programme; the number and locations of the projects prioritised to date; whether the planning status and estimated fit-out period of the premises proposed for a facility of up to 150 places in Glanmire, Cork, submitted by Cork City Childcare Committee, were assessed in reaching the decision not to prioritise that proposal; when the next phase of project selection will take place; and when decisions are expected to be confirmed. [65862/26]

Earlier this year, I announced €135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible State-led early learning and childcare up to 2030. This is a ground-breaking initiative for Government beginning this year. Capital funding will be used to acquire and/or fit out the buildings, depending on requirements.

The State-led initiative will provide thousands of places up to 2030 with the funding provided through the National Development Plan. The level of investment will ramp up over the lifetime of the Government.

The Department has received project proposals from a number of sources since the programme was launched.

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. 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.

The Department is aware that this is not an exhaustive list of all projects that could form part of this programme of investment and will continue to seek potential projects for consideration. The Department is now assessing project options in order to identify which are best placed to deliver on the goals of the programme.

To support project selection, a suite of appraisal tools has been developed, including a forward planning model, in order to select projects that align with these objectives. The forward planning model seeks to identify the nature and volume of different types of early learning and childcare places across the country and how that aligns with the numbers of children in the corresponding age cohorts at local area level. This allows officials to assess where there are mismatches between demand and supply.

As well as the Forward Planning Model, the Department has developed a suite of appraisal criteria by which to assess sites as they become available. These criteria have been developed to examine how well a site can contribute to the success of the programme objectives. Information is available in the launch booklet for the programme, available here: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/bab6176f/20260121_State_led_Early_Learning_and_Childcare_Capital_Programme.pdf.

Initial triaging of projects on the long list is undertaken periodically by the unit in the Department in order to identify which are the strongest projects to develop into preliminary business cases. The assessment is carried out using a structured and consistent methodology to select which projects should be allocated the resources to be developed into preliminary business cases.

In the first instance, all projects below 300 square metres are eliminated as they do not meet the required scale programme; secondly, given the importance of delivery at the early stage of the programme projects which could be delivered rapidly are prioritised (for example, purpose built childcare facilities that require fit out only); the third element of the triaging process undertakes an initial appraisal of the remaining projects, taking into account; the supply and demand mismatch in the area according to the Forward Planning Model, the level of Disadvantage and Rurality and metrics of public management need in the area.

On foot of this triaging process, projects are selected for development into preliminary business cases which are considered by a steering group for the programme, following which approval in principle may be granted.

After this point detailed development work is required, the exact nature of which will vary depending on the specifics of each project but may include an independent valuation, design, quantity surveying as well as due diligence checks of buildings or sites. Operator selection has been undertaken in some projects and will proceed in the case of others shortly.

Local City and County Childcare Committees are supporting the development of projects.