- From: Department of Children, Disability and Equality
- Published on: 30 September 2026
- Last updated on: 30 September 2026
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley has today announced the locations of seven proposed new early learning and childcare projects under the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme.
Across the seven proposed locations there is potential to provide around 600 places to support the Department of Children, Disability and Equality’s policy of improving access to high-quality, affordable early learning and childcare under the Action Plan for Early Learning.
The proposed projects include an early learning and childcare facility in Shanganagh Castle estate in Dublin in an affordable housing estate which has been developed by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown council and the Land Development Agency.
There are also projects being advanced for new state-led places provided in Boyle in Roscommon, Raphoe in Donegal, Killarney in Kerry, the rapidly growing towns of Gorey and Enniscorthy in Wexford, and Tallaght in South Dublin.
Negotiation processes are ongoing in relation to acquisitions of two other sites in Leinster and Munster under the first phase of the state-led initiative. This will bring the total number of locations expected to be announced this year to nine.
Further locations will be selected to provide thousands of places up to 2030 using the €135 million provided in the National Development Plan.
Minister Foley said:
“The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is leading the delivery of new early learning and childcare projects for the first time ever to provide affordable places to families right around the country.
The announcement of these seven locations is a groundbreaking move by Government to support children and families. I welcome the fact that so many people and organisations have proposed projects for inclusion in the state-led programme.
I encourage anyone with a potential project to get in contact with the Department via their local City or County Childcare Committee. This is just the start of the programme and we will ramp up the level of investment over the lifetime of the Government.”
The Department will now proceed to identify high-quality not-for-profit providers to operate the new services in the following locations, in order to develop these projects for final approval:
Boyle in Co. Roscommon
The proposal is to provide new places in a rural area with an identified undersupply for 1 and 2 year old children.
Gorey, Co Wexford
The proposal is to provide a large service quickly in a rapidly growing area which has been identified as having an undersupply of places.
Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
The proposal is to provide a large service quickly in a rapidly growing area which has been identified as having an undersupply of places and a number of families experiencing disadvantage.
Killarney, Co. Kerry
The proposal is to create early learning and childcare places in an area with a very large, identified undersupply.
Three additional proposed projects already have high-quality not for profit operators attached.
Raphoe, Co Donegal
The proposal is to secure land and construct a new building to provide an expanded permanent building for a long standing community operator.
Shanganagh Castle estate, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown
The proposal is to provide new places in an area with low levels of community early learning and childcare, in a new affordable homes development from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and the Land Development Agency. An operator selection process has been conducted and work is now underway to design the fit-out works required for this site.
Airton Road, Tallaght
The proposal is for state investment will help to create new places quickly in an affordable housing development in Airton Road, which is being delivered by the Respond Approved Housing Body.
Detailed developmental work is ongoing on all these projects. This includes independent property valuation, building surveying, conveyancing, procurement, detailed design work for fit out and operator selection. All projects will be underpinned by appropriate legal and contractual arrangements to permanently protect the value of the state’s investment.
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Alan Dillon said:
“Increasing access to affordable, high-quality early learning and childcare is a key priority for Government. The announcement of these projects represents a significant step forward in expanding capacity where it is most needed and supporting families across the country.
Through this State-led initiative, we are taking a practical and innovative approach to delivering additional childcare places, while ensuring long-term value for the taxpayer. Together with record investment in the sector and programmes such as Building Blocks, these projects will help create a stronger, more accessible childcare system for children, parents and communities in the years ahead.”
Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Kevin “Boxer” Moran said:
“We know that many families in rural and urban areas need access to high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare. I welcome the progress being made on the state-led initiative to deliver more places for children and families. I will continue to work with Minister Foley to roll out this initiative to more locations around the country.”
Since the launch of the state-led initiative last January, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality has been made aware of 99 project proposals which cover most local authority areas. These projects are in very different stages of development. Some projects required the acquisition of land or planning permission. Given the importance of delivery at the early stage of the programme, projects that could proceed rapidly were prioritised.
The proposed projects announced today largely involve the purchasing and fit out of buildings because this will be faster than securing planning permission to construct new buildings on green field sites. The projects are expected to be operational next year, once fit-out works and not-for-profit providers are in place. The Department continues to seek potential projects for consideration.
This state-led initiative will complement the work of existing private and community early learning and childcare providers. There are currently over 4,600 providers in Core Funding, supported by a record €480 million in Core Funding for this current programme year from September 2026 to August 2027. This is a €90 million increase on the previous programme year.
The State-led early learning and childcare capital programme is just one of the actions being taken to increase the supply of early learning and childcare. The record state investment in early learning and childcare, which now amounts to over €1.5 billion per year, is driving the creation of substantial additional numbers of places.
The state’s Building Blocks Extension Scheme is actively underway with 26 projects in contract across the country undertaking extensions to existing premises, constructing new buildings or purchasing new premises, backed by State investment.
Minister Foley said:
“I am delighted to see the progress underway on the Building Blocks scheme to support the delivery of a substantial number of additional places to serve families across Ireland well into the future. I would like to commend the significant ambition of the leadership and staff of the services who have developed and are overseeing the projects and I am very proud that Government is funding these projects.”
Following on from the Building Blocks Extension Scheme that is currently underway, a further Phase 2 of the scheme was launched earlier this year. Over twenty applications were received and are currently being appraised. Announcements of the approved projects will be made in the coming weeks. €10 million is available for Building Blocks in 2027.
