Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality, Norma Foley, has announced the introduction of a new maximum fee cap for all early learning and childcare services participating in the Core Funding Scheme, alongside a record €390 million in State funding for 2025/2026. 

From September 2025, all new and existing Partner Services under Core Funding will be subject to maximum fee caps, helping to reduce costs for families facing some of the highest childcare fees in the country. The maximum full-day fee will now be capped at €295 per week, with further reductions for parents through the National Childcare Scheme and ECCE supports. Many families will see their weekly childcare costs drop to less than €200 per child. 

The Minister also confirmed a €60 million increase in Core Funding, including €45 million specifically allocated to support improved pay for childcare sector staff through newly negotiated Employment Regulation Orders. 

Key measures include: 

• Maximum childcare fees capped for all participating services. 

• Sustained fee freeze for the majority of providers. 

• Enhanced funding to support minimum pay increases for early years educators. 

• Supports for services experiencing financial pressures. 

These changes are part of the government’s continued commitment to make childcare more affordable and to progress towards a target cost of €200 per month per child over the lifetime of this government. 

For more information, see here.