Explore an additional ECCE hour in the second preschool year

What this means

• This is a government commitment to look into adding one extra hour per day to the free preschool programme for children in their second preschool year.[source]
• The commitment sits within the Early Childhood Care and Education scheme, which provides free preschool places to children before they start primary school.[source]
• It is the responsibility of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, led by Minister Norma Foley.[source]
• The commitment was first stated on 23 January 2025 as part of the Programme for Government, but no deadline for delivery has been set.[source]
• Its status is promised, meaning it has not yet been acted on. The public should watch for updates on whether an extra hour is actually introduced.[source]

Direct impact (3)

• delivery owned by body
  Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and YouthBody
• delivery owned by officeholder
  Norma FoleyOfficeholder
• implements mandate
  Regulation and funding of early learning and childcareMandate

Indirect impact (10)

Two-hop relationships traced through the entity above. Useful for spotting downstream knock-on effects.

• delivery owned by body → owns statutory mandate2-hop via dept-children
  Policy for children, equality, disability and integrationMandate
• delivery owned by officeholder → holds role: Teachta Dála2-hop via norma-foley
  Dáil ÉireannBody
• delivery owned by body → holds role: Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality2-hop via dept-children
  Emer HigginsOfficeholder
• delivery owned by body → holds role: Secretary General, Department of Children, Disability and Equality2-hop via dept-children
  Kevin McCarthyOfficeholder
• delivery owned by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-children
  Increase personal assistance and home support hours for disabled peopleCommitment
• delivery owned by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-children
  Expand the network of autism one-stop shopsCommitment
• delivery owned by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-children
  Double capital investment in specialist disability infrastructureCommitment
• delivery owned by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-children
  Reduce childcare fees to a maximum of €200 per monthCommitment
• delivery owned by body → responsible for commitment2-hop via dept-children
  Build a State-led childcare provision strandCommitment
• delivery owned by officeholder → member of party2-hop via norma-foley
  Fianna FáilParty