Planning system needs urgent overhaul to deliver childcare places – Currie

Ireland’s planning laws and guidelines need an urgent overhaul to provide sufficient childcare spaces for parents and families, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Emer Currie, Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson for Special Education and Inclusion, has authored a new report entitled “Better Planning for Local Childcare”, which sets out a series of recommendations for increasing childcare places in local communities.

Senator Currie will bring a motion before the Seanad on Wednesday 17 July calling for action on the report’s recommendations.

Senator Currie said: “Fine Gael in Government has cut childcare costs by 25%, resulting in an average reduction of €1,200 per child per year, expected to increase by a further 25% in September of this year. This should see an overall reduction of 50% over what families paid in 2022, with over 155,000 children benefitting from the National Childcare Scheme.

“But we need to do more, especially in relation to childcare supply in local communities, access to subsidies for childminding, and in supporting providers.

“In Dublin West there is an increasing trend of two-year waiting lists for creches, which is reflected nationally and in the difficult experiences relayed by parents and parents-to-be about securing childcare.

“We need robust and effective forward planning and development for childcare.

“Planning Guidelines from 2001 aim to link new development with childcare supply, but too many loopholes in the planning system mean delivery has not kept pace with the growth in housing.

“With the ramping up of housing supply, which is extremely positive for young couples and families, there are thousands of homes being built without adequate childcare facilities. In my own constituency of Dublin West there have been 4,000 new homes built in the last five years, but the new developments fall short of essential childcare facilities.

“The Government has signalled they will be updating planning guidelines for childcare facilities and the draft form will be open for public consultation in 2024.

“There are also critical gaps in the current planning system and this needs to change.

“The role and responsibilities of planning authorities and local childcare committees should be strengthened to work with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in establishing a process that assesses demand and delivers supply.

“Positive work has recently begun in the Department to develop a planning function that needs to match decisions at a local level.

“My report sets out a number of recommendations to plan and deliver childcare facilities. They include:

• A new model for the State to acquire childcare facilities built by developers, to be leased back to providers at a reasonable cost
• Ensuring all childcare units are purpose-built and in compliance with all relevant regulations
• Ending the practise of creches in developments not being built or not put into use.

“Children and families have always been central to Fine Gael policy. Much has been delivered to provide the best start for every child, but we must continue to build on this progress by making sure our planning system is fit-for-purpose to deliver sufficient childcare places for our communities.