Ministers Foley, O’Gorman and O’Donovan publish Traveller and Roma Education Strategy 2024 – 2030 Minister for Education Norma Foley TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman TD and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan TD today announced the publication of […]

Minister Roderic O’Gorman, today announced that €90,000 has been approved to support National Play Day 2024. 30 Local Authorities were successful in their application and will each receive funding of €3,000. This year, National Play Day can take place on any day or combination of days between July 13th and […]

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD has today published the First 5 Annual Implementation Report 2023. First 5, the ten-year Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families (2019-2028) was published in November 2018 setting out an ambitious programme of work over ten years […]

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman has today announced details of the €25m Building Blocks Extension Grant scheme for early learning and childcare providers. ▪ New Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme to open for applications in autumn ▪ Grants for early learning and childcare services to […]

Minister Roderic O’Gorman and Minister Heather Humphreys have today (21 June) launched My Little Library Book Bag 2024, which will provide every child starting school with free books and inviting them to join their local library. Read the full Press Release here

Roderic O’Gorman, T.D., Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has today announced details of €13.5 million in additional funding for Equal Start – the major new model of Government-funded supports to ensure children experiencing disadvantage can access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare. Equal Start will […]

Minister Roderic O’Gorman TD has announced the launch of a public consultation on a national plan for Irish language provision in Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Stakeholders will be able to participate in and give their feedback through an online survey, through both online and in-person focus groups, […]

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2024 will introduce a range of reforms within early learning and childcare. • The Bill will allow for childminding-specific regulations, which will enable parents using childminders to access National Childcare Scheme subsidies. • The Bill will also provide the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate with additional enforcement […]

Minister Roderic O’Gorman TD today announced plans for an additional €14 million in supports for children with a disability under the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM). This funding is currently supporting around 7,100 children  to participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, an increase of almost 900 […]

Emer Higgins, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail has today accepted proposals for new Employment Regulation Orders for the Early Years Services Sector. The Orders will commence on 24 June 2024 and will increase the minimum hourly rates of pay for various roles in the Early Years Services […]