In 2023, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) allocation for
early learning and childcare will be €1.025 billion, a €346m increase on last year’s allocation. The
funding in 2023 for the early learning and childcare sector provides for:
A full year allocation for Core Funding.

• The continuation of the ECCE programme that will benefit more than 108,000 children in
  2023.
• The continuation of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) to ensure more than 5,000 children
  with a disability can access and meaningfully participate in the ECCE Programme.
• The continuation of the NCS, offering supports to a greatly expanded cohort of children and
  families.
• The delivery of a range of regulatory and quality supports for the implementation of the
  National Action Plan for Childminding; Nurturing Skills, the Workforce Plan, and the ongoing
  development of the registration and inspection system as well as policy development
  commitments set out in First 5 and the Programme for Government (e.g. the design of a DEIS
  type model for early learning and childcare).

Budget 2023 also introduces major reforms to the NCS from January 2023 that will substantially
improve the affordability of early learning and childcare for families. Additional funding of €121m has
been allocated from January 2023 so all families accessing registered early learning and childcare will
receive a minimum hourly NCS subsidy of €1.40 off the cost of early learning and childcare. With the
current minimum hourly NCS subsidy set at €0.50 per hour, this represents an additional €0.90 per
hour off the cost of early learning and childcare. This translates to up to €63 off families’ weekly bill
for early learning and childcare per child using 45 hours of childcare. With up to €22.50 currently
available per week, this represents up to an additional €40.50 off weekly costs

Download the FAQ’s for Childcare Providers here: Budget 2023 Overview and FAQ for Providers