Debate contribution: Childcare Providers: Funding

Debate contribution by Mr Philip McGuigan on 21 January 2025.

MLA

Mr Philip McGuigan

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

21 January 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Childcare Providers: Funding

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4749592

Read the official Assembly record

Text

The Executive have, in the past year, quite rightly identified childcare as a priority issue, and commitments in the Budget and the Programme for Government have demonstrated the desire to work collaboratively in the best interests of children, parents and our economy. Whilst it is clear that the Department and Minister of Education have responsibility for delivery on the issue of childcare, I say as a member of the Economy Committee that Sinn Féin also recognises the key role that childcare has in supporting families and workers and underpinning future economic growth here in the North. We are all aware of the barriers presented by the high costs associated with childcare and the importance of ensuring that it is not only affordable but accessible and of high quality. It is welcome that investing in that area is a key Executive priority. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the £25 million that was initially secured by my party colleague the Minister of Finance, Caoimhe Archibald, and that, as indicated, was later doubled to £50 million. That is a significant commitment, and it is a chance for this institution to make meaningful progress and change for parents, children and those in the childcare sector. We are already seeing some positive progress on the childcare subsidy scheme, but we are still awaiting the longer-term early learning and childcare strategy from the Education Minister. Like others, it was with some surprise that I read the motion, given that its authors focused their attention on the scoping exercise that is being carried out by the Department for the Economy and Invest NI to help inform the design of the Minister of Education's targeted business support scheme for childcare providers. As far as I am aware, the anticipated date for the completion of that work is March of this year, and it is a part of a cross-departmental collaborative approach to that specific aspect of the wider strategy. That approach is welcome and is absolutely necessary. We need to ensure that the best outcomes are achieved and recognise that childcare providers must be supported as part of the strategy. Most are small businesses and are impacted on by the rising cost of doing business and, more recently, by the rise in employer National Insurance contributions that were brought in by the Labour Government in Westminster. I welcome the fact that the Minister for the Economy has committed to working with the Minister of Education on the scheme as well as the funding that he has allocated to the recently announced Assured Skills academy in early learning and childcare collaboration. Having the resources and opportunities to develop and continuously upskill current and future employees will help to ensure that children receive the highest level of care and support. Having targeted business support will help to ensure that businesses can remain viable and that parents can access affordable, quality childcare that will help them to return to or remain in employment. Delivering on childcare is crucial; we are all agreed on that. As we have seen in this place before, when we speak with one voice, we can achieve much more.

523 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:47 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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