Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley – TD today announced details of the new maximum fee cap for early learning and childcare services participating in Core Funding alongside record State funding of €390 million this year for the Scheme. An initial maximum fee cap was put in place […]

New online resource now available: www.NurturingSkills.ie We are pleased to share that the new Nurturing Skills website and Learning Hub was officially launched on 24th May at the national conference: Continuing the Journey: Exploring the updated Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. The website has been developed as a central […]

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley – TD has today announced €25 million in funding to deliver 1,500 additional early learning and childcare places. The Building Blocks Extension Scheme will deliver additional capacity by supporting existing private and community early learning and childcare providers to extend their premises. […]

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley – TD today announced the 2025 Childminding Development Grant Awards. 413 childminders across the country will receive €411,338 in combined funding – the highest number of recipients and highest amount of funding ever awarded under the annual Grant scheme. The Minister’s support […]

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley – TD, together with Minister of State for Charities, Gaeltacht and the Islands & Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer today announced the launch of this year’s My Little Library free book bag for almost 60,000 children starting primary school. Each year, every one […]

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley – TD has published the First 5 Annual Implementation Report 2024. First 5 is the ten-year Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families. The strategy includes 125 actions to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families in […]

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley – TD and Bernie McNally, Secretary General, Department of Education today addressed the annual Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Forum, which took place in Dublin Castle. Read the full press release here: https://brnw.ch/21wSjX6

Minister Norma Foley – TD has announced the opening of applications for a new fund to upskill early years staff The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund will cover 90 per cent of the course fees for early years staff who undertake a degree course. Full Press Release: https://brnw.ch/21wRh58

Minister Norma Foley – TD is delighted to announce that additional funding of €100,000 has been secured, on top of last year’s allocation of €250,000, to reflect the growth of Parent and Toddler groups in recent years. The funding can be used for a variety of purposes including children’s toys, […]

Minister Norma Foley – TD today announced the opening of the 2025 Childminding Development Grant. The grant aims to support childminders to enhance quality and safety in their service through the purchase of toys, childcare equipment, safety equipment, equipment to support inclusion and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths (STEAM) […]