- From: Department of Children, Disability and Equality
- Published on: 6 October 2026
- Last updated on: 6 October 2026
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, and Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins, have secured a Budget 2027 package of €7.5 billion that will make a real difference to the lives of children, families, disabled people and vulnerable communities across Ireland.
The overall allocation for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality Vote Group will rise to €7.597 billion in 2027, enabling significant new investment in childcare affordability, disability services, child protection and family supports.
A key priority of the Budget is making early learning and childcare more affordable for families. The National Childcare Scheme subsidy will increase from €2.14 to €2.50 per hour for children in early years, junior infants and senior infants from September 2027. This will benefit approximately 107,000 children in total with benefits depending on the number of hours of childcare used.
The maximum fee that can be charged by providers in Core Funding will be reduced from €280 per week to €250 per week for a child in a typical full time, five-day a week place of 40-50 hours.
The increased universal subsidies and the cuts to the maximum fees will reduce costs for many families.
For example, a family who is availing of a full-time place for a child up to senior infant class, five days a week, for 45 hours, their costs are currently capped at €735 per month taking universal subsidies into account.
As part of the early learning and childcare package in Budget 2027, their bill will reduce to no more than €550 a month from next September – or by 25%.
This means that the family will make an annual saving of over €2,200.
The lower income threshold for families for the National Childcare Scheme will be raised from €34,000 to €38,500 as an anti poverty measure for children, allowing more families to benefit from the maximum subsidies under the Scheme.
The Access and Inclusion Model supports for children with disabilities in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECCE) programme will be extended to children under three years of age from September 2027, benefitting an estimated 1,000 young children.
Core Funding for over 4,600 providers of early learning and childcare will increase by more than €170m, to over €650 million for the next Programme year, commencing in September.
Included in that is funding in the region of €50 million specifically ringfenced to support new negotiations by the independent Early Years Services Joint Labour Committee, for another Employment Regulation Order for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners from September.
Budget 2027 also delivers significant progress for disabled children and adults, bringing the budget to over €4 billion for the first time.
There will be funding for 212 new residential placements for people with disabilities, in addition to the current 9,000 places being funded. The new places include 100 new planned placements, 112 new urgent placements. There will also be funding to provide for the filling of 22 residential places for people with disabilities that become available with enhanced supports included.
Budget 2027 provides an additional €15 million for respite services, supporting the delivery of a further 14,700 respite sessions over a full year. This is in addition to the 175,000 respite sessions already targeted under the HSE National Service Plan 2026. The investment will help expand respite capacity, support families and carers in their caring role, and ensure more people with disabilities can access respite services when they need them.
Budget 2027 provides funding for a further 150 staff for Children’s Disability Network Teams, which currently support more than 46,000 children across the country. These additional posts will help increase access to early intervention, therapies and family-centred supports for children who need them.
The Budget also provides funding to commence the development of two new Community Neuro-Rehabilitation Teams, helping more people access specialist rehabilitation and support closer to home.
The sustained growth in the disability workforce will continue in 2027, with funding for a further 930 frontline staff across disability services, bringing the total workforce to over 24,500.
A major focus of the Budget is ensuring children are safe, protected and supported to thrive.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, will receive funding of over €1.4 billion in 2027, allowing it to continue supporting more than 100,000 referrals each year, stepping in when needed to support tens of thousands of children and families around Ireland. Tusla’s core funding is increasing by €100m (8.4%) but its funding for unaccompanied minors seeking international protection has been reduced by €37m due to a drop in demand, so its overall budget allocation is increased by €63 million (5 per cent) on last year.
There will be 10 new Family Resource Centres, bringing the overall network to 146. The number of multi-disciplinary therapy teams employed by Tusla will be doubled from 6 to 12 to provide more therapy to children in care.
Budget 2027 provides for a new one-year transitional aftercare allowance of €200 per week for young people who have left state care and who have not yet decided on what work, education or training they want to pursue. In addition, the aftercare grant rate for young people leaving care will increase from €300 to €500 to reflect the cost of living.
The Foster Care Allowance, which is currently available to children up to the age of 18, will be extended for those in full-time secondary education until their 19th birthday. This will be paid through a new €125 payment to foster carers and the continued payment of the €300 aftercare payment to the young people who are doing the Leaving Certificate and are over 18.
Funding has been secured for 33.5 new posts at Oberstown Detention Centre to increase capacity and improve services, bringing its overall staff numbers to over 290.
Minister Foley said:
“My priority in Budget 2027 was clear: to improve the lives of children, families, disabled people and vulnerable communities.
“This Budget delivers practical supports that people will feel in their everyday lives. Parents will benefit from lower childcare costs, children with disabilities will get improved access to services and therapies, and vulnerable children will receive stronger supports and protections.
“We are continuing to build a society where every child can thrive, every family can access the support they need, and every disabled person can live with dignity, independence and opportunity.
“At the heart of this Budget is a commitment to giving children the best possible start in life, supporting families with the cost of living, and ensuring that nobody is left behind.”
Minister Higgins said:
“As Minister with responsibility for Disability, I am committed to ensuring that people with disabilities can access the supports and services they need to live full, independent and meaningful lives. This additional funding will help expand services across the country, including more residential placements, increased day service capacity, additional home support and Personal Assistant hours, enhanced respite provision, strengthened children’s disability services, and the continued development of Community Neuro-Rehabilitation Teams that bring specialist supports closer to home.
This year’s increase in funding is about ensuring that people with disabilities and their families can access the supports they need, when they need them. It is about helping children access therapies earlier, supporting people to live independently in their communities, providing greater support for families and carers, and giving people confidence that services will continue to be there as their needs change over time.
I look forward to continuing to work closely with disabled people and their families, disabled person’s organisations, service providers and staff across the sector as we deliver on these commitments and continue to strengthen disability services and supports in the years ahead.”
The Budget package also includes continued investment in equality, participation and inclusion initiatives supporting children and young people, women and girls, Traveller and Roma communities and LGBTIQ+ people.
Minister Foley concluded:
“Every investment secured in this Budget is ultimately about people. It is about reducing pressures on families, supporting children to reach their potential, helping disabled people achieve their ambitions and ensuring vulnerable people receive the care and protection they deserve.
“Budget 2027 represents another important step in delivering on our commitments and creating a fairer, more inclusive Ireland for everyone.”
Notes to Editors
Childcare and Early Learning
National Childcare Scheme
- Up to 293,000 children expected to take part in the National Childcare Scheme during 2027.
- Approximately 107,000 children expected to benefit from the increased universal subsidy (going from €2.14 to €2.50) from September 2027.
Childcare Fee Reductions
- Maximum weekly fee cap for 40-50 hour place reduced from €280 to €250 in Core Funding Partner Services.
- The lower income threshold for families for the National Childcare Scheme will be raised from €34,000 to €38,500.
- Continued maintenance of fee freeze at 2021 levels for the majority of providers.
- Additional funding secured to support improved pay and conditions for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners.
Access and Inclusion Model (AIM)
- Support for approximately 8,450 children with disabilities and additional needs.
- Expansion of AIM supports to children under three years of age from September 2027.
- Around 1,000 additional children expected to benefit.
- 6% increase in AIM Level 7 capitation rate.
Disability Services
Residential Services
- Additional €62 million secured for disability residential services.
- 212 new planned and urgent residential placements to be delivered, plus 22 enhanced new places.
- Enhanced supports for existing residents with complex needs.
- Funding to support children in care with complex disability needs.
- Continued transition from congregated settings and inappropriate nursing home placements to community living.
Children’s Disability Services
- 150 additional posts secured for Children’s Disability Network Teams, who are currently supporting more than 46,000 children nationwide.
Day Services
- Additional investment to provide approximately 1,450 day service opportunities for school leavers in 2027.
- 53 additional places for older adults.
Home Support and Personal Assistance
- Funding secured for an additional 191,000 home support and personal assistance hours.
- Supports designed to help disabled people live independently at home and in their communities.
Respite Services
- Approximately 14,700 additional respite sessions.
Disability Reform
- Investment in Equal Lives reform programme.
- Funding secured for improved governance, data systems and service planning.
- Continued implementation of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People.
Child Protection and Family Support
Tusla Funding
- Budget allocation of €1.404 billion in 2027.
- Additional €3 million in capital funding bringing the annual capital allocation to €38 million
- Enables Tusla to continue managing over 100,000 referrals annually.
Residential Care
- €57 million additional funding secured.
- Residential care capacity to increase to more than 900 placements.
- Reduced reliance on Temporary Emergency Placements.
Foster Care
- Foster carers supporting young people completing second-level education after turning 18 will receive €125 per week additional support.
- Expansion of foster care recruitment teams.
- Additional investment in relative foster care supports.
Care Leavers
- New Transitional Aftercare Allowance of €200 per week for eligible care leavers not in education or training.
- Payable for up to 12 months until age 21.
- Increased aftercare grant from €300 to €500.
Family Resource Centres
- 10 new Family Resource Centres to open.
- Network will expand to 146 centres nationwide.
- Additional €1.8 million investment.
Therapeutic Supports
- €2.2 million investment to expand Area Based Therapy Teams from six to twelve.
- Additional supports aimed at preventing family and placement breakdown.
Child and Family Homelessness
- Additional €1 million investment in supports for children and families in emergency accommodation or at risk of homelessness.
Special Care
- Funding of €26 million maintained.
- Continued investment in therapeutic supports and special care services.
Oberstown Children Detention Campus
- Funding of €34.8 million current expenditure and €8 million capital funding.
- Additional frontline staffing to increase capacity and improve services.
Guardian ad Litem National Service
- €19.8 million allocated.
- Supports a workforce of 92 staff.
- Ensures children in care proceedings have access to an independent Guardian ad Litem where ordered by the courts.
Equality, Inclusion and Participation
Traveller and Roma Inclusion
- Over €7 million allocated to support implementation of the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II.
Women and Girls
- Funding secured to implement the National Strategy for Women and Girls.
- Supports implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive and expansion of Gender Pay Gap Reporting.
LGBTIQ+ Inclusion
- Funding increased by almost 27%.
- Additional support for implementation of the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II and community services.
Child and Youth Participation
- Continued funding to ensure children and young people can influence decisions affecting their lives.
Play and Recreation
- Funding secured for implementation of the new Play and Recreation Strategy.
- Supports play, recreation and social opportunities for children and young people.
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
- €11.488 million allocated to support its work safeguarding and promoting human rights and equality.
Adoption Authority of Ireland
- €8.245 million allocated to support adoption services and implementation of the Birth Information and Tracing legislation.
Response to the Legacy of Mother and Baby Institutions
Funding has also been provided for the continued implementation of the Action Plan for Survivors of Mother and Baby Institutions and for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. As part of the Action Plan, funding of €12.76 million has been provided to the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam. Capital funding has also been allocated for the ongoing development of the National Centre for Research and Remembrance, a national memorial and site of conscience in honour of those affected by Ireland’s institutional past and its historic adoption and boarded out systems.
